Alaska as the touristic region will have some rest this summer, the local authorities suggest. Due to coronavirus and travel restrictions, Alaska is going to avoid the usual influx of tourists as a result of the lockdown.
The Alaska governor is finding potential benefits in the likelihood of a summer with no crowds of tourists as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, there is still no accurate prognosis on how the novel virus hits again. In other words, the summer holiday season ins under question globally, not Alaska only.
However, the local authorities see a silver lining in the current situation, AP reports Tuesday quoting Alaska’s Energy Desk. Social distancing measures and quarantines as a result of the global pandemic have effectively eliminated the possibility of the state’s normal summer deluge of out-of-state visitors.
At Denali National Park and Preserve, residents discussed positive aspects including discounts for locals and roads free of RVs. Moreover, the state’s boosters insist the limited tourist numbers could enhance the summer experience for those already in the state.
“One thing great about here in Alaska is we have these wide open spaces where you can be with your family or a single household, and then also social distance when you need to,” said Sarah Leonard, CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association.
In addition to a $25 million request in federal COVID-19 recovery funds for a national campaign to market Alaska to visitors, the association appealed for an extra $1 million to run an in-state campaign reminding residents they can vacation at home.
Alaska tourism decline improved in-state marketing
For Alaska residents, this is a great time to visit a place that they might not have visited before. Many local people would like to explore their state but prefer to avoid touristic crowds. Springtime in Alaska is just amazing.
Now, Alaskans endorsed the in-state marketing, said Mark Begich, co-chair of Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s economic recovery team.
“There’s going to be Alaskans who will want to take that road trip that they haven’t been able to do in years because they never could get a reservation, or they couldn’t get access, or the tour was sold out,” Begich said.
