Knowledgeable local guides are the best way to introduce visitors to the community and add incredible value to visitors’ experiences. To increase the number of trained tour guides in our communities, the Alaska Division of Economic Development (DED) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) developed the Alaska Tour Guide Training Program (ATGT). This State of Alaska certified training program can help residents get hired as tour guides. It can also help guides build their own tour or start their own tour business, and generate economic activity in their community. ATGT is a 2½ day long course, developed in 2010. DED has scheduled a “Train-the-Trainer” workshop for guide trainers who would like to offer the state-certified ATGT curriculum to train guides within their community or organization.

Alaska Tour Guide Train the Trainer
Presented by the Alaska Division of Economic Development,the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association (AWRTA), and Visit Anchorage (ACVB)

Anchorage – April 23-25, 2011 (April 23 & 24 – 9am to 5pm; April 25 – 9am to Noon)
Location: BP Energy Center, 900 East Benson Boulevard
Cost: $100; scholarships available

For more information contact: Odin Brudie, odin.brudie@alaska.gov, 907-465-5466, or
Dru Garson, dru.garson@alaska.gov, 907-465-2162

2012 Sustainable Tourism Conference
AWRTA-The Natural Choice for Alaska’s Future

THURSDAY APRIL 12
8:00am to 8:30am Bagels, Coffee, Registration
8:30am to 9:000am Welcome Address Conference Agenda Overview AWRTA the last 2 years-
AWRTA President (Kent John)
Visit Wild Alaska: benefits & how to look your best on the website
9:00am to 9:30am Adventure Green Alaska: Why certification is important for future business
(Sarah Leonard)
9:30am to 10:00am Lean & Green: Going green does not have to be expensive (Eric Downey)
10:00am to 10:15am Break
10:15am to 10:30pm Tourism in Alaska- The relationship between AWRTA & ATIA (Kirk Hoessle)
10:30am to 11:15am ATIA Update – Market research on Alaska ( Kathy Dunn, Ron Peck)
11:15am to 12:00pm Travel Research-Information You Can Use Today (TBA)
Who is the Alaska Traveler?
12:00 pm to 1:30pm Lunch & Keynote Address by Charles Wohlforth
The Fate of Nature: Rediscovering our Ability to Rescue the Earth
1:30pm to 2:15pm Sport Fishing Issues (Kent John)
2:15pm to 3:00pm Shared Stewardship of Kodiak Island Wildlife (Larry VanDaele)
3:00pm to 3:15pm Break
3:15pm to 4:00pm To Be Announced
4:00pm to 5:00pm State of AK DECD: Train the Trainer (Odin Brudie & Dru Garson)
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Evening Reception Photo Presentation by Carl Batreal Chugach State Park

FRIDAY APRIL 13
9:00 am to 9:15 am Welcome Address & Overview of the day AWRTA President (Kent John)
9:15 am to 10:45am Round Table Discussion Paradise Lost: Tourism & Hard Rock Mining
(Moderator: Dan Oberlatz)
10:45 to 11:00am Break
11:00am to 12:00pm Climate change in Alaska and what it means to Kenai Wilderness (John Morton)
12:00pm to 1:30pm Lunch & Speaker: Benefits & Role of citizen Oversight in Economic Development
(Mark Swanson)
1:30pm to 2:30pm AWRTA Annual Business Meeting: Contributing to the National Tourism Initiative
2:30pm to 2:45pm Break
2:45pm to 3:15pm Risk Management for your Business (Deb Ajango)
3:15pm to 4:30pm The National Parks Service: The Next Century (Sue Masica)
4:30pm to 5:00pm Conference Wrap-up & networking