Purpose & History
Visit Anchorage promotes Anchorage as a destination by:
- Providing a vehicle for the merging of public and private resources;
- Ensuring and enhancing economic, cultural, and social benefits of visitation for Anchorage residents on a year-round basis;
- Promoting the Municipality of Anchorage, including all communities, facilities, attractions, activities, and services from Portage Glacier north through Eklutna, including Chugach State Park and portions of Chugach National Forest;
- Promoting all major attractions, activities, and member facilities and services within a day's outing from downtown. Relating to this purpose, Visit Anchorage is also a vehicle for the promotion of all of Alaska as a visitor destination.
Work at Visit Anchorage falls into three major pillars: Destination Marketing, Destination Management, and Destination Development. Marketing focuses on attracting travelers through compelling campaigns and encouraging them to stay longer, diversify their visit, and connect with the community on a deeper level. Management focuses on the experience in the community, both for travelers and residents, and development work involves a wide array of community partners, stakeholder and residents to envision the future of Anchorage as a leisure destination, a convention or meeting location, and ultimately a place we all live.
History of Visit Anchorage
The Municipality of Anchorage established the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau, now known as Visit Anchorage, in 1975 in response to voters and the visitor industry to stimulate tourism growth and to diversify the economy. For 50 years, Visit Anchorage has adapted to meet new opportunities and grown to tackle challenges. Visit Anchorage remains committed to fostering renewed growth and benefits for the community through travel and tourism.
