News Release
Anchorage Taxis Now Stocked, Serve as Visitor Information Centers on Wheels
Anchorage, Alaska – June 10, 2009 – Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) staff spent a recent afternoon at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport installing information pouches into more than half the local taxicabs. ACVB employees, decked out in jeans for the day, installed and filled each pouch with Anchorage visitor information including the 2009 Official Guide to Anchorage and Local Flavor! The 2009 Official Anchorage Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, in addition to brochures and other information. The information pouches were very well received and taxi drivers were treated to goodie bags and refreshments from ACVB. Pouches were also installed in several hotel shuttle buses.
“Cabs and shuttles are the first point of contact for many visitors to Anchorage,” said Steve Halloran, vice president of community, member and visitor relations for the ACVB. “Giving people the best possible experience starts by providing them with information right when they need it.”
“We want to do what it takes to connect Anchorage’s Big Wild Life to visitors, showing them all that there is to see and do while they are here,” said Halloran. “With these products in the taxi cabs and hotel shuttles, we’re bringing Anchorage visitors and ACVB members closer together.”
A byproduct of this recent overture is happy taxi drivers. “They (the taxi drivers) have been really appreciative of what we’ve done so far,” said Halloran. “We had a few snacks and did a few raffles. One cab driver won a sweatshirt, came down to pick it up at the Log Cabin and was so excited. It was great. We’re planning to do a few things this summer for the drivers: bring them donuts; wash their windows; and more. It’ll be fun,” said Halloran.
Trista Crawford, sales manager for the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, says it’s already paid off for the SeaLife Center, a co-sponsor of the program. “We had our first booking from the taxi program late last week. I was so excited to see it work for us already. We look forward to the summer and plan to add rail/motor coach options to make it into a day trip,” said Crawford.
“I was there when ACVB staff were handing out the information to the drivers at the airport and you could tell the drivers were very appreciative of having the information,” said Crawford. “It’s almost like it gives them something to talk about – a conversation starter. They can point to and grab the information while the visitor is in the cab.”
ACVB is eager to partner with other transportation companies in an effort to better serve Anchorage visitors. The information pouches will be refilled regularly throughout the summer by ACVB staff and volunteers.
ACVB’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage as a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by lodging associations. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund, a contribution established in 1978, and one-third to service the bond debt and operations of the Anchorage Convention Centers. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. Explore www.Anchorage.net for more information.
Media Contacts:
Jeanette Anderson Moores
Public Relations
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
jmoores@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
Explore www.Anchorage.net
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