It's October and the busy summer travel season is officially over. But before everyone in the travel business leaves town, they meet up for an annual convention. It's here, at the Alaska Travel Industry Association meeting, that travel and tourism professionals learn about trends and what's going to be new for next year.
The buzzword at this year's Juneau convention was "Arctic." Just last month, Alaska hosted the sightseer-in-chief, President Barack Obama, in Anchorage, Seward, Dillingham and Kotzebue. President Obama clearly had a great time, while highlighting Alaska's Native culture and the challenges surrounding climate change.
Whether it's offshore drilling, cruises through the Arctic Ocean, thawing of the permafrost or the unique lifestyle of the Arctic's indigenous people, the Arctic regions of Alaska are in the news. That piques the interest of travelers around the world.
"The Arctic is cool," said Brett Carlson of Northern Alaska Tour Company in Fairbanks. "The region is geographically remote with an extreme climate," he said. "Any story of people who live in the Alaska Arctic is an amazing story."
Because Alaskans read about Arctic issues each day, we may view travel to the state's remote Arctic as mundane or routine. But the truth is most Alaskans have not visited these far-flung destinations -- and a trip to the wilds of the Arctic is anything but ordinary.
Here are some ideas for seeing more of the Arctic, whether it's in the winter or the summer:
1. Alaska Railroad. Most of the Arctic is accessible only by air during the winter. But you can get a jumpstart on your trip by heading north on the railroad's "Aurora Train" once a week between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The train goes north on Saturdays for the 12-hour ride to Fairbanks. The train slows down to go over the high bridge at Hurricane Creek. There also are a couple of places for an awesome photo of Denali. The train comes to a full stop so everyone can get a perfect shot. The return trip on the train comes back on Sundays, but you may want to fly on the return trip.
2. Chena Hot Springs. Just 60 miles from Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort boasts that winter is "high season." After all, there are nonstop charter flights from Asia bringing Chinese, Japanese and Korean tourists to see the northern lights. They bask in the hot springs, stay up late to watch the northern lights and go for dog sled rides while they visit. The owner, Bernie Karl, even constructed an ice museum for visitors. Karl powers the entire resort with geothermal energy from the hot springs.
3. Northern Alaska Tour Company. Two of Northern Alaska Tour Company's founders, Brett Carlson and Matt Atkinson, were in Juneau this week speaking about Arctic issues to the travel community. The company operates several hotels along the along the Dalton Highway between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay. During the winter, they offer accommodations at Coldfoot for northern lights viewing. Visitors can ride in the company's vans up from Fairbanks or fly in the company's fleet of Navajo twin-engine planes.
During the summer, Northern Alaska Tour Company offers road trips north to Prudhoe Bay, as well as flights and tour packages to Anaktuvuk Pass, Barrow and Kaktovik.
Carlson noted that travel in the Arctic is inherently expensive. "It costs a lot to operate aircraft safely in the Arctic -- and I don't see that changing," he said. "But travel along the Dalton Highway has changed travel in the Arctic, especially for those folks who drive their own cars north from Fairbanks."
4. Bettles Lodge. Owners Eric and Heather Fox operate the lodge year-round on the banks of the Koyukuk River. During the summer, the lodge is a jumping-off place for adventures in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. In the winter, the lodge also is set up for northern lights viewing. "We recommend visitors stay for at least three nights," said Eric Fox. "That gives guests more opportunities to see the lights in case the weather isn't cooperating," he added. Although the lodge is fly-in only, Fox said he is looking at an ice road in the winter to connect with the Dalton Highway.
5. Nome Discovery Tours. Nome's mayor-elect, Richard Beneville, has operated custom van tours around Nome for several years. Most of the business is during the summer, but there are several events that bring visitors to Nome in the winter, including the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Iron Dog snowmachine race. Beneville's colorful commentary ties Nome's Gold Rush history to its Alaska Native roots. You'll learn about how Nome's people adapt to modern-day resource development, including the still-active gold mining business, fishing and crabbing. Call 907-443-2814.
6. Tundra Tours in Barrow. This is a summer-only operation for folks who want to do a day tour of Barrow. After arriving in Barrow, you'll get a driving tour of the town, with a stop at the famous whale bone arch, plus a visit to the Inupiat Heritage Center. There, you may see artists at work, and you'll learn about Inupiat culture. Learn about Barrow's unique history and watch for wildlife including the arctic fox, polar bears and snowy owls.
7. BP World Ice Art Championship in Fairbanks. Although Anchorage boasts some great ice art exhibits, I am truly amazed by the Ice Park in Fairbanks and the incredible variety of ice carvings. There are single-block and multi-block contests, with a dazzling array of LED lighting for nighttime viewing. Next year's park opens on Feb. 29, 2016.
There are other important considerations for Arctic travel, according to Tandy Wallack of Circumpolar Expeditions. Her firm works with communities and organizations to prepare them for working with tourists. "Many rural villages lack the basic infrastructure for tourism," she said.
Carlson echoed Wallack's observation about the lack of infrastructure, but emphasized his company's commitment to the local culture. "Tourism has the capability to negatively impact a region or culture. As interest in Arctic travel grows, it must do so in a way that benefits local residents. We are not visiting a cultural zoo," he said.
Alaska is not the only Arctic region that is attracting more visitors. Iceland, Greenland, Sweden, Canada, Norway, Finland and Russia all are part of the Arctic travel club. Those of us who live in Alaska have relatively easy access to this world. Whether in winter or summer, it's a great time to visit the Arctic.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.