HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-07-11 MemorandumTO: KENAI MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: RICKY GEASE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KENAI CVB
DATE: July 11, 2003
RE: UPDATE FOR THE KENAI CVB AND
THE KENAI VISITORS AND CULTURAL CENTER
Kenai CVB:
Summer visitation remains flat or down for member businesses of the Kenai CVB. Reports are
that fishing on the river is considerably down for guides on the Kenai River and many local. B
and B owners are reporting many vacancies in July, which is very unusual for this month.
Informal reports are that there are RV's are popular on the roads this year but tourists are being
very tight with their travel dollars.
The Kenai CVB is applying for a VISTA volunteer for 2004 to work on continued development
of our website and also for a state of Alaska DCED mini -grant for the same purpose. The intemet
continues to be one of the main avenues through which travels learn about Kenai as a
destination.
We assisted two groups of German travel writers to our region through a cooperative
arrangement with the Alaska Travel Industry Association. We are providing group tour support
for three group motor coach touring companies who will bringing ten tours through. Old Town
Kenai and the center this summer.
The Kenai CVB board will be requesting that the bureau and the city work out an arrangement to
display member rack cards at the airport, in an agreement similar but separate from that with the
chamber of commerce.
Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center:
I am pleased to say that the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center was awarded a grant from the
Alaska State Museum Grant -in -Aid program for FY 2004 in the amount of $9,190. This is the
fifth straight year that the center has been awarded a Grant -in -Aid from the state and it is a very
positive reflection on the reputation for the center as these grants are very competitive. The
grant will fund a restoration renovation of permanent exhibits in the natural history room of the
center. New interpretive labels will be created for the natural history taxidermy; the ten year old
sea exhibit will be refreshed and updated; the forty fish from the Bob James Memorial Fish
Collection will be added to the wall of fish and a new interpretive background mural will be
painted for the fish wall.
The major summer art exhibition is receiving positive responses from visitors and residents and
the summer interpretive programs series continues to draw in many people during the afternoon
hours. Visitation at the center was up 10% in June over last year and the peak of the season is
well underway. Summer youth art workshops on the weekends are also being well received on
the weekends by local residents.