Bullish about tourism
Companies prepare for 2002 with new security measures
Tourism officials painted a somewhat hopeful picture of the 2002 travel season last week when they discussed safety measures and changes for cruise ship and air travel.
Dennis Brandon, vice president of tourism for Cook Inlet Region Inc., and William McKay, vice president of public and government affairs for Alaska Airlines, spoke to the members of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce last week at the organization's annual convention and trade show at Centennial Hall in Juneau. CIRI is an Anchorage-based regional Native corporation.
Though Brandon and McKay painted a bleak picture of the travel industry in the months following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast, they said some changes in safety procedures could slowly ease the public back into air and sea travel.
Brandon said other tragic events such as the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and the start of the Gulf War also acted as a deterrent to tourism. But based on market analysis, he said it is possible the tourism industry may see a turnaround in travel within the next six months.
Though McKay was less optimistic, he said Alaska Airlines also was determined to see the crisis through.
"We are bullish about the future," McKay said. "We'll probably have a terrible year for the rest of 2001 and we'll probably have a terrible year for 2002. But we'll still be here."
In addition to the national guardsmen already in airports, McKay said Alaska Airlines would put more sky marshals on airplanes during the next several months as well as update hijack procedures for pilots.
"Crews throughout their training had been taught to go along with hijackers, which made the most sense at the time. The main concern was landing the plane, keeping the passengers and crew safe," he said. "The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations aren't all out yet but we've already made some changes. And now there's not an airplane pilot that can't put a person back in their seat if they wanted to."
By mid-November, 70 Boeing 737s will be fitted with bulletproof cockpit doors, McKay said. The rest of the 102-plane fleet's cockpit doors will be fitted with steel bars.
"We hired an off-duty Seattle policeman and armed him with a .44 magnum, a 9 mm Beretta and a baseball bat and told him to have at it," McKay said. "Nothing penetrated the integrity of the door."
Brandon said many of the major cruise lines are changing itineraries to bring ships away from European and Middle Eastern ports and to U.S. routes. He said in Juneau, passengers boarding ships can expect their bags to be X-rayed before they get on the ship. Further, he said, the general public will not be allowed within 100 feet of the cruise ships and local armed police officers will offer escorts into and out of the docking areas.
Ultimately, Alaska Air's McKay said, fears about traveling overseas may work to Alaska's advantage.
"People may be looking closer to home and Alaska fits the profile for someone who would otherwise choose to go overseas for their vacations," McKay said. "We will try to pick up on those characteristics. We are still considered a magical, special place. We offer tranquility and wide open spaces, which will be good for people looking to rest and relax after this year.
"But really we are no safer than any other place."