The Wrangell sentinel., 1950-08-11
Tourist Expert
 Tells of Potential

The tourist business could very well become one of the territory's $ No. l industries if properly pro- noted, George Armitage of Homo lulu told the Chamber of Com merce Tuesday evening.
 Armitage. who has been execu- tive secretary of the Hawaii Tour ist Bureau for the past 9 years, came here with Gov. Earnest Grue- ming and George Sundborg, consul tant to the Alaska Development Board.
 The Chamber meeting was held Tuesday evening rather than Mon day noon so the visitors could be heard. About 20 attended the ses- sion.
 President Don House introduced Governor Gruening who told his listeners that the tourist business is not being developed in Alaska. Yet we have more beauty here and more to offer than most states"
 He likened Alaska to Maine, where he spent five years. The ter rain and climate are similar, he said, but the difference is that Maine has publieized and promoted the tourist business until now it is one of the leading sources of revenue.
 Armitage spoke next, pointing out first that this years national tourist business will approach one billion dollars. He said it was up to Alaskans to promote their nat ural resources if they want to get some of this money.
 He suggested Alaskans organize Ia territory-wide tourist association to coordinate efforts rather than each community do it's own pro noting. He told of the meeting in Ketchikan the previous night and the enthuiastic response to this suggestion. He said that town had pledged s5,000 a year as it's share to carry out this program.
 With Sundborg asking questions, Armitage supplied must valuable advice gained from his many years with this type of work. Sundborg observed once that most of the tourists who have come to Alaska have come in spite of the lack of promotion.
 Armitage said it was a mistake to wait for accommodations such as hotels and lodges, before adver- tising Alaska. He said if tourists were to come in great numbers as the result of a sustained adyertis- ing program, the accommodations would naturally follow because those who have the money to put into hotels and such would find it a good business risk.
 The question arose, as always, as to why all residents of com munity should support a tourist as- sociation rather than just those who benefit directly through tour ist travel. Armitage cited the ex- pertinent of the ten 1-dollar bills in Honolulu. He said his bureau attached a slip of paper to ten l. dollar bills with the request that all who gained possession of the bill notify the tourist bureau.
 I'M
 ists to spend. They were no sooner in circulation than calls began coming into the bureau from sourc- es not even remotely connected with the tourist trade. The point emphasized in the experiment was that when a tourist leaves a dollar in town it benefits everybody and therefore everybody should support all efforts to get more tourists.
 As to climatic conditions which sometimes render the Alaska season short. Armitage suggested pushing the start of the travel season back into May and encouraging visitors to come here from May thr September. The present tourist sea son starts around June 1 and runs until about the first of Septem- Der. May and September are mild months and would be attractive to many prospective visitors.
 The party left Wednesday morn ing for Juneau Their junket will take them to 20 communities in Alaska before Armitage returns to Honolulu.
 acres and it Is now in the files of the Land Office, Anehorage, Alaska.