(Juneau, AK) – As part of an initiative to promote Alaska's key industries and economic potential, senior Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) officials will meet with mining companies, travel media, national and international seafood leaders, and the cruise industry at a series of major East Coast conferences and events this week.
DCCED Commissioner Susan Bell along with the Director of Economic Development Lorene Palmer and key staff met over the weekend in Toronto, Ontario, with the mining industry at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Investors Convention, Trade Show, and Investors Exchange. DCCED hosted potential investors and mining companies in an Alaska-themed room, and presented Alaska's mineral potential, including strategic minerals. PDAC is an excellent opportunity to highlight Alaska's current mining activities and investment potential. To see DCCED's presentation to the mining industry, visit http://commerce.alaska.gov/ded/pub/PDAC-2013-presentation.pdf.
On Thursday, March 6, Bell and Palmer joined tourism and seafood media at a luncheon at New York City's internationally acclaimed four-star seafood restaurant, Le Bernardin. Fresh from the success of Bravo's Top Chef, this collaborative marketing event with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) provided a networking opportunity with approximately 20 influential travel journalists to discuss Alaska editorial opportunities, new tourism products, the latest in seafood marketing news, and predictions for the 2013 season.
Bell and Palmer will then join ASMI at the largest seafood show in the United States, the Boston Seafood Show, March 10 through 12 in Boston, Massachusetts. More than 30 Alaska seafood companies will join state officials to promote the message that Alaska's seafood is wild, natural, and sustainably harvested.
One of the most sought-after tickets at the Boston Seafood Show is ASMI's March 11 Alaska-themed reception. Approximately 900 customers and clients of Alaska seafood products will attend the event hosted by ASMI and sponsored by Alaska's major seafood processors. The reception offers an excellent opportunity to interact with some of the largest and most influential seafood distributors in the world, while dining on premium Alaska seafood prepared by celebrity chefs.
And wrapping up DCCED's March marketing blitz, DED Director Palmer will attend Cruise Shipping Miami 2013, the cruise industry's premier global conference also attended by a number of Alaska's businesses and cruise industry representatives. Alaska will host a major booth at the event and meet with cruise industry executives. With nearly one million visitors expected to visit the state via cruise ship during the 2013 season, this conference allows Alaska to publicize its spectacular scenery and special shore excursion offerings.
For additional information on DCCED's marketing and development programs, and cooperative marketing opportunities, visit www.commerce.alaska.gov.
DCCED press release