Bristol Bay Sustainable Tourism Development & Regional Branding

Project Date: 1997 to present
Lead: Chris Beck
Client: Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC)
Location: Bristol Bay Region

Hunting and sport fishing dominate tourism in Bristol Bay. Because people from outside the region own many of these businesses, there is little local economic benefit for area residents and communities. Conflicts often arise because of tension between subsistence and commercial fishing, trespass on Native land, and impacts on habitat. Recently, local residents and businesses have come together to develop new kinds of tourism in the region. Actions resulting from this partnership include planning for cultural and natural history facilities in hub communities, support for local entrepreneurs engaged in tourism-related businesses, and projects designed to increase awareness of Bristol Bay as a tourist destination.

Agnew::Beck, working with the Bristol Bay Native Association (BBNA), was instrumental in creating the Bristol Bay Visitors Council. The council is a non-profit group made up of Native tribes, corporations, businesses and communities, working in partnership with the Bristol Bay Native Association. BBVC operates as a forum for information on regional tourism issues and occasionally takes on specific projects.

One such project, using a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA), developed a regional plan for multi-purpose cultural centers in three hub communities. As part of this initiative, Agnew::Beck prepared a grant application for the Nilavena Tribal Consortium, which has resulted in a $600,000 EDA/Lake and Peninsula Borough grant for building the Nilavena Tribal Consortium Community Cultural Center, a multi-purpose facility in Iliamna. Additionally, a visitor and cultural center is under development in Dillingham. These facilities will also benefit the region directly by serving as community centers for events, training and artifact storage and display.

Agnew::Beck is also involved in Bristol Bay product development and regional branding. Current work in this vein includes testing a product development trip, conducting market research on cultural tourism, branding Bristol Bay wild salmon as part of a Nushugak Mulchatna Land Trust project and development of a Visit Bristol Bay website.

Publications

Bristol Bay Product Development Trip Report (3,566 KB)