Regional Strategies for Tourism Branding Identity

Project Date: 2006
Project Manager: Chris Beck and Ellen Campfield Nelson
Clients: Alaska Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED) - Developing Alaska Rural Tourism (DART) Program with funding from the U.S. Economic Development
Administration (EDA)
Project Partners: Copper River Valley - Copper River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Prince William Sound Community College and Copper Valley Development Association; Central Southeast Regional Partnership - Wrangell Convention & Visitor's Bureau, Petersburg Convention & Visitors Bureau and Prince of Wales Island Chamber of Commerce; and Bristol Bay - Bristol Bay Native Association, Lake & Peninsula Borough and local businesses
Locations: Bristol Bay, Central Southeast and Copper River Valley

This project worked with three separate, regionally-based efforts to establish regional brand identities, and to develop marketing strategies for growing their respective visitor industries. These three regions are (1) Copper River Valley, which encompasses the communities near Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; (2) Central Southeast Alaska, represented by the communities of Prince of Wales, Mitkof, Kupreanof, and Wrangell Islands; and (3) Bristol Bay, made up of the cities and villages around Lake Iliamna and Lake Clark, along the Kvichak and Nushagak watersheds, on the Alaskan Peninsula and in the Togiak Bay region.  This project relied heavily on community involvement and input, and balanced this local knowledge with expert research regarding statewide and regional market trends, branding and capacity-building strategies, and business and infrastructure planning for tourism development. Information about project efforts for each of the three regions is below.

Copper River Valley

Regional tourism branding efforts in the Copper River Valley have been in progress for several years now. Work sessions were held in spring and summer 2005 and early 2006, gathering input from the community on the area’s attractions, weaknesses and visitor’s market. Agnew::Beck and DCCED staff worded with residents, business owners and regional entities to develop an action plan to develop these efforts and increase tourism in the area. The final version of the plan can be downloaded below.

Downloads

• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan June 2006 (1,131 KB)
• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan: Appendices
  June 2006 (3,471 KB)

Central Southeast Regional Partnership

In 2005, the Central Southeast Regional Partnership (CSERP) requested assistance through DART to help the communities of Petersburg, Wrangell and Prince of Wales Island develop a Central Southeast Alaska Marketing Strategy to improve the visitor industry in the region. This effort was sparked by the coming of the new regional ferry system. Agnew::Beck has been working with CSERP on these efforts; the final version of the plan can be downloaded below.

Downloads

• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan June 2006 (1,918 KB)
• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan: Appendices
  June 2006 (6,177 KB)
• Alaska Rainforest Islands brochure

Bristol Bay

Business owners, entrepreneurs, regional entities, and representatives from Bristol Bay villages came together to participate in a Tourism Branding Workshop to discuss existing resources, challenges to development, strategies for growth and priority action steps.  Concurrently, market research was accumulated, a product development strategy and marketing plan was proposed, and a Visit Bristol Bay website was developed as part of the project’s deliverables. A final version of the plan will be available soon.

Downloads

• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan (coming soon)
• Final Regional Branding and Marketing Plan: Appendices (coming soon)

• Bristol Bay Product Development Trip Report