Tourism officials aren’t sure what type of a season to expect this summer. Numbers have been up and down since peaking in 2008, and then tanking the next year with the recession. Fairbanks Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Deb Hickok says varying sectors of the market have performed erratically in the years since.
Hickok says interior businesses have largely weathered the tough years, but she’s cautious about the future.
Hickok provided an update to the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Among information shared were statistics that showed Fairbanks ranked 8th among Alaska communities in terms of overall visitation, and 3rd as an overnight destination with an annual direct economic impact of $115 million.
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Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.