New marketing techniques from the travel industry seeks to capitalize on independent travelers

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - New marketing techniques from the Alaska travel industry are promoting more independent travelers to visit the state. Experts say that they are seeing more independent travelers coming to Alaska after a slow tourism season in 2020.

“We had zero cruise ship travelers coming off of a 2019 record year of cruise ship passengers,” Alaska Travel Industry Association President and CEO Sarah Leonard said.

Leonard said that the shift in marketing strategies are promoting more independent tourism, which is when individuals purchase tickets on their own and are not traveling with a group.

“It was a way that they could get to Alaska with cruise ships not operating until late in the season,” Leonard said.

Experts say this is due to changes in their marketing approach to promote independent tourism.

“Tourism businesses are both messaging and talking to potential travelers differently and also operating, you know probably stronger,” Leonard said.

The organization switched to highlight more of the outdoor beauties in the state through social media.

“That encouraged residents to visit areas in Alaska that they might not have visited before,” Leonard said. “That’s how we shifted our messaging to attract in-state travelers and out-of-state travelers to visit Alaska last summer and into the fall and winter seasons.”

The Alaska Travel Industry Association said that they have already seen success from this new format of marketing.

“In 2021, last year, it was a better year that we could have hoped for as we’re starting to see in some sectors of the tourism industry recover faster than others,” Leonard said.

Looking ahead, Leonard said that it is still unknown how the 2022 tourism season will react.

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