(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Heritage Tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the modern tourism industry as more and more visitors hope to learn what is unique about the destinations they visit.

With that in mind, the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, along with Historic Ketchikan and the Ketchikan Historic Commission are focusing on how Ketchikan can use its history and heritage to make it an even more popular destination for visitors.

Preserving and promoting Ketchikan's history and heritage is also a great benefit to residents as it preserves our past for future generations.

Ketchikan has the largest percentage of historic structures on any community in the state of Alaska and is uniquely placed to profit from the fact that much of its historic Downtown, Newtown, Stedman & Thomas areas look essentially as they did in the 1920s and 1930s when Ketchikan was the largest city in the territory of Alaska.

The conference will take place March 20-22 and features presentations by two nationally known experts in the field of Heritage Tourism, Judy Walden, a Colorado based industry consultant and promoter and Sarah Hansen, the Washington state coordinator of the national Main Street program.

Among the topics to be discussed are the economic promise of Heritage Tourism and success stories in other similar communities throughout the Northwest and West. Participants will also learn how to identify assets that can promote heritage tourism in both the communities and their businesses.

Panels involving the business community and local government officials will also discuss both the challenges and opportunities in promoting heritage tourism economic development.

The conference will begin Tuesday night with a reception at Annabelle's and continue Wednesday and Thursday at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. There will also be special tours of historic properties in Ketchikan's Downtown area for conference attendees.

For more information and to register, Contact the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau at 225-6166 or www.visit-ketchikan.com .

Source of News: 

Historic Ketchikan
www.historicketchikan.org

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