ANCHORAGE WINS BID FOR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
Anchorage, Alaska – Dec. 8, 2005 – The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau has won the bid to host the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) conference in October 2007. The event will generate an estimated economic impact of $333,569 with 475 people expected to attend.
“The IH&RA is a very prestigious organization,” said Bruce Bustamante, ACVB president and C.E.O. “It employs 60 million people throughout the world and contributes 950 billion dollars to the global economy. On a local level, this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Anchorage to an international group of hotel and restaurant executives. The numbers of available hotel rooms, restaurants and their amenities as well as proximity to the convention center are all instrumental factors meeting planners consider when booking conventions.”
The IH&RA represents approximately 300,000 hotels and 8,000,000 restaurants. The association has members in 150 countries.
“It will significantly increase Anchorage’s visibility as a convention destination,” added Bustamante, “and will provide beneficial educational opportunities for local hotel and restaurant executives.”
“Anchorage is rapidly becoming an international convention destination of choice because of the city’s rich cultural diversity, multi-tiered economy and unmatched natural beauty,” added Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. “Landing this important international convention helps put our city on the world map for future major gatherings, which will only increase when Anchorage’s expanded civic and convention center opens in three years.”
The ACVB’s convention and meeting sales team traveled to Beijing, China, in October to present its bid. In the past, IH&RA’s annual conferences have been hosted in cities around the world including New Delhi, India; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing, China and New York City. Anchorage’s competition for the 2007 bid was Paris, France.
“It certainly was an exciting moment when they counted the votes and announced that Anchorage won,” said Janine Amon, ACVB convention sales manager.
“Anchorage is truly the crossroads of worldwide hospitality,” said Karen Rogina, president & C.E.O. of the Alaska Hospitality Alliance. “We are honored as an industry to be revered by this elite group with its 2007 vote, and look forward to rolling out the red carpet for their event."
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by half of the bed tax collected by the lodging association. The other half goes to the Municipality’s general fund. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. For more information, explore www.Anchorage.net
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Media Contacts:
Laura Tanis
Public Relations Manager
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
ltanis@anchorage.net
(907) 257-2331 direct
(907) 250-5285 cell
(907) 222-3752 fax
Nance Larsen, APR
Vice President, Communications & Marketing Programs
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
nlarsen@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118 direct
