Stay longer, spend more

Working for the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau, I get asked this question all the time: "How many people visited the Mat-Su Valley this past summer?"

If there was a gate at every entry and exit point in the Mat-Su and a method to count each person who arrived by car, motorcoach, train or Bush plane I could answer that question. But our only measurement of visitors is those who have overnighted in a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or wilderness lodge. All of these establishments collect a 5-percent bed tax each night and report quarterly to the borough.

Other areas of the state which have major airports, ferry terminals or border crossings have a means of counting arrivals and can compare from year-to-year.

An even better question to ask is: "Who visited the Mat-Su Valley this past summer?"

Why? Because knowing your visitor (or your market) helps you better target future visitors. How many were from in-state visiting the Valley? How many first went on a cruise? How many came in a motorhome? How many came from the West Coast? How many came from an international destination? Each one of these segments looks to different channels to find their travel information. We have to have our "Yahoo! Mat-Su" message present in all of these target markets.

Each of these different visitors has different habits. I am going to focus on the international visitor.

International travel has declined since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The Travel Industry of America (TIA) predicts international visitors to the U.S. by 2004 may finally equal pre-9/11 arrivals.

International visitors spend more money and stay longer on their leisure vacations than domestic visitors. These are prize, serious visitors. And they seek adventure and comfort; like what the Mat-Su Valley has to offer.

TIA reports, "International travel to the U.S. is an export for the country. Technically, it is considered a service export just like freight, insurance, telecommunications, royalties and education. Although exports typically mean sending and selling U.S. goods abroad, when international travelers visit America and spend money on lodging, food activities, transportation, souvenirs or any other item or service during their visit, these expenditures are counted as exports."

The average international visitor spends $1,647 in the U.S. with an average trip duration of 15.6 nights. The Mat-Su CVB realizes the importance these visitors have on our economy and partners with the Alaska Travel Industry Association to reach these overseas markets.

Each year, the Mat-Su CVB attends TIA's International Pow Wow, an annual meeting of U.S. suppliers and destinations with invited tour operators and buyers of travel from all over the world.

he marketplace is the largest generator of Visit USA travel.

For three days, attendees conduct business in pre-scheduled, computer-generated appointments resulting in over $3 billion in future travel. Mat-Su CVB will compete to receive a portion of these visitors by promoting the Mat-Su Valley as a premier visitor destination.

I just drove my sister to the airport yesterday where she will be departing for a 16-day trip to France.

She did a lot of planning and I am sure she will spend much more money than she did on her vacation to Chena Hot Springs last year.

Passports welcome here.