New visitor center will inspire people to stay longer, spend more

To the editor:

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly and administration invited an inclusive group of people to the Mat-Su Economic Summit Feb. 13. More than 35 participants shared and provided feedback regarding how we can increase our economic impact with borough policies and procedures.

During the session, the manager asked for suggestions. I said it’s important to identify and create partnerships and relationships whenever possible to increase our success.

For example, the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau leverages our destination marketing efforts by working cooperatively with Visit Anchorage and the State of Alaska visitor campaign programs. We also partner with the Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council on international visitor itineraries. By sharing booth space at outside travel and adventure consumer shows, combining our collateral in direct mailings to travel agents and travel trade, and sharing costs in providing familiarization trips to tour operators and media traveling to Alaska, we are efficient and effective with our marketing budgets.

With the development and progress of the Mat-Su Valley Gateway Visitor Center, from the beginning concept in 2007, we have created strong partnerships with a variety of local and regional organizations. Many of these groups have been engaged in strategy meetings and work sessions since the Preliminary Feasibility Study was completed in 2010.

Our progress has resulted from these strengthening relationships, including: Alaska State Parks, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, Mat-Su Resource Conservation and Development, Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway, Great Land Trust, Matanuska Greenbelt Trails, Mat-Su Borough Parks and Recreation, Mat-Su Salmon Partnership, and Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation. Additionally, we have received letters of support from Visit Anchorage and the Palmer City Council.

Increasing travel to and throughout the Mat-Su Borough will contribute and have the greatest immediate rewards to the Mat-Su economy. The Gateway Visitor Center will inspire people to stay longer and spend more money. When I starting working at the Mat-Su CVB 15 years ago, our mission was to dispel and reject the slogan that visitors just drove through the Mat-Su Valley on their way to Denali.

We have made great strides toward inviting visitors and providing opportunities for small businesses to thrive in tourism. With activities from glacier trekking to ziplining, flightseeing and visiting a dog musher’s kennel, tourism is a bright spot in our future. The new Gateway Visitor Center will be our greatest asset to the visitor industry yet, enabling us to grow our economy and build pride in our destination. It will be known as a welcome center and will attract new visitors, inspiring them to visit our parks, museums and attractions that they didn’t know existed before.

And then, our biggest marketing asset will be visitors who return home. We will have influenced and increased their visitor experience and they will be our ambassadors by word of mouth and by sharing their Mat-Su photos and adventures via social media. Yahoo! Mat-Su!

Bonnie Quill

Executive Director

Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau