YUP, same story! (Continued) THE new future for Haines 

Visited Leavenworth.12/19/2011

A delegation from Solvang, California (http://www.solvangca.com/ Danish Capital of US - recently came to Leavenworth to see what Solvang was doing wrong as they also have a theme town, but based on Danish (Holland) type architecture. Leavenworth was willing to share their ideas and give guidance.

Since our last visit Leavenworth has adopted a “mascot” and they now have a roving “nutcracker” that circulates around town as their “greeter”. The Chamber received an award winning advertisement by contracting with a startup Internet promoter and was awarded top recognition for their towns promotion

Denny Nichols (Owner of B&B and Chamber Board member of 8 years) feels that success of this promotional project has launched the new firm and today it would cost 50 times more to have this same firm attempt what they did for this project. The advertising promotion message and video was intially somewhat contraversial to some members of the Chamber but has become one of their very best successful promotion efforts.

Denny (Nichols -was ….ovich) (when younger) was commerical fisherman working out of Kodiak for “Slov” fishing group in Washington. Spent considerable time in oil industry. Wife Georgeanne (?) was born in Skagway in 1940's. Father was in military and left within 8 months. They own and operate the Bosch Garten Bed & Breakfast, 9846 Dye Road in Leavenworth, Washington. 1-509-548-6900 or 1-800-535-0069, email innkeeper@boschgarten.com, or visit www.boschgarten.com.

Will communicate via email with Denny on how Leavenworth Area Promotion (LAP) is funding Chamber LAP efforts

Chamber runs local tourism office for community + Chamber activities

Street maintenance done by local government and county including sidewalks.

Leavenworth has 2500 residents

Per restaurant manager 2011 saved by Canadian visitors. Canadian border is approximately 150+Miles from Leavenworth but exchange rate is in their favor and they are willing to travel to Leavenworth.

Christmas lights installed by hired Chamber Staff, spends whole month of November installing lights around town.

See photos and video taken 12/19/2011

See their TV Advertisement on YouTube

Best Tourism AD - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unQz4kFJ2Tg

Leaveworth in Winter - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXndihLNCk4

Picked up 10 current publications from local newspaper promoting area.

Icicle Brewery moved in after another was purchased and relocated to another

state.

The majority of Washingtonians that visit Leavenworth come from within 100 miles and are repeaters. The Canadians come from all over and of course the destination is promoted by bus tours and ?

Denny mentioned that the State of Washington had discontinued its Tourism Advertising efforts and therefore the individual communities are carrying the burden of local promotion.

Amazing the amount of visitors moving about the business section on a Sunday night and Monday morning. The kids were on their slides throughout our visit with a constant volume of “happy sounds” as they burned off their energy. (The slide area would less than that found on the slope from the backside of the old school down to the area behind the Haines Borough offices).

The temperatures in Leavenworth are colder than the surrounding area and is located within hilly to mountainous terrain. There is a river (Chilkoot River equal or less) that runs adjacent to the town along one side.

The Leavenworth Chamber acts as a clearing house for local guest housing to insure visitors can find adequate lodging. The Chamber also promotes nearby communities as a result many outside businesses are part of their Chamber membership and they get the overflow or visitor's choice. Leavenworth has about 650 members in the Chamber which is significant for a town of approx 2500 residents.

Leavenworth concept was built in effort to save the town as the area transitioned away from logging and mining as local industries. Was apparently at one time near “ghost town” levels when the idea was developed based on two nearby entraprneaurs that had achieved success with the nearby resturaunt and believed Leavenworth could survive by converting to a tourism town. The met tremendous resistance but persisted with their own efforts and gradually the town converted as they saw the success of the new concept. Today 50 years later, it receives a huge visititation due to its unique setting and promotion. It is about 140 miles from Seattle and 150+ Miles from the Canadian Borders (2 entry points).

In the center of town and activity center is several kiosks and a large Gazebo. The Gazebo is a center for music and entertainment and a reason for visitors and their children to linger in business area.

Need to work closely with our new Tourism Director and Haines Chamber President.

Haines needs to seriously consider a similar conversion to attract from the only two large population cernters in the Region, Yukon and Juneau. Needs to focus on winter events to provide year round employment and income. Need to bring the Chamber and Borough Tourism group together to coordinate and effort. Need “start-up funding” from Tourism sales tax receipts and a concentrated promotion effort (like Chamber did years ago with Whitehorse advertising firm) to promote Haines as a destination. Perhaps the Borough/Chamber efforts coordinated with the improved facilities at SE Fair Grounds would provide adequate events and facilities to support concept.

Blending an Octoberfest type celebration combined with focused promotional efforts during Yukon holidays with special local merchant discounts and promotions to attract Canadians, summer events and winter activities would help stablize our communities economy with very little opposition. With successful conversion of our towntown area and local participation our local businesses would be stimulated and outside investment would find its way into our economy.

We need to stay focused on port development for the Yukon mining developments and continue efforts to find more affordable energy rates for our businesses and residents.

We also need to “squelch” local residents from creating a negative atmosphere against visiting Canadians which I have been told exists.