Sitka Collaborative Tourism Project

Needed Information Grid

Last Update: February 8, 2007

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Topic: Local Business vs. Outside Business

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Cruise industry - who are they, how do they work
June 19, 2006
Peter Gorman   cruise/capacity
1 b) What are advantages/disadvantages to the community of Sitka of non-local businesses?       business
1 c) Revenue "leakage" from local businesses vs. non-local businesses       business
1 d) Zoning laws as they relate to businesses

April 22, 2006; April 24, 2006;
June 19, 2006

 Jeff Budd Notes city
Data
1 e) Define local, non local, and big businesses        
2 f) Does community want local businesses open year round?       Steering Committee
3 g) Does community want visitor industry to grow?       Steering Committee
4 h) Basic studies (like McDowell Group studies) that deal with numbers and dollars concerning visitor industry. Include other studies. August 14, 2006 Steering Committee Notes specific info
Data
5 i) Need pertinent sections of Sitka Comprehensive Plan August 14, 2006 Steering Committee Notes specific info
7 k) How do non-local businesses contribute to community?       business
8 l) Do non-local businesses that leave/close before 12/31 contribute to property taxes and/or inventory taxes?

April 22, 2006; April 24, 2006
June 19, 2006

Wendy Alderson; Janet Eddy Notes city
9 m) Do off-shore enterprises pay sales tax?       city
10 n) List of businesses serving visitors and ownership       business
11 o) Sawmill Cove Industrial Park - plans, operations Sept 11, 2006 SCIP Board Notes specific info
Data
12 p) # and size of wilderness tours in CBS       cruise/capacity
13 q) What are ordinances on noise? April 22, 2006; April 24, 2006;
June 19, 2006 		Jeff Budd Notes city
Data
14 r) Sales tax revenues - history, projections July 17, 2006 Lisa Brendle Notes city
Data
15 s) Department of Labor info on local hire - statistics        
16 t) SCVB - conventions/events - #'s, scheduling     Data specific info
17 u) Harbor Department - who are the owners, # of users of harbor by visitors, plans-moorage       city
18 v) Lightering costs vs. Docking Fees - compare with other ports       business
19 w) Economic value of non-tangible assets (ie Quality of Life)       business

Topic: Community Issues

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
2 b) (NOAA, ADFG, NPFMG, BOF) Poll/Discuss Stakeholders to Define Quality of Life to establish common ground (common values); What are and How do you define "Quality of Life Issues"? Oct 2, 2006 Matthew Turner Notes facilitator
3 c) Carrying capacities of vehicle traffic/pedestrian/boats systems which optimize safety and qualtiy of experience (including trails, roads city and state and harbor system)       cruise/capacity
4 d) Financial Info on Visitor Impact: 911 Calls/police/fire; hospitals; lack of garbage pick-up cans/ recycling containers (more cans - more service) /sewage/fire/EMT; Housing Availability (rentals?); bathrooms; services (like food service); Sales tax revenue; gross sales revenues Nov 27, 2006 Mike Litman Notes city
4 e) What is  the "tipping Point" that attracts Big Business?        
5 g) Part-time residents vs. full-time residents involvement        
6 h) What are various positions on the  visitor-charter/ subsistence/ sport/ commercial fish allocation. What is the effect of "visitor fishing" on fish allocations in Sitka area?

 

 

 

  

 
7 i) Will visitor industry affect rural status? April 22, 2006;
June 19, 2006 		Greg Dudgeon Notes environment
Data

Topic: Cruise Ship Industry

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Past History - trends- what are future predictions       cruise/capacity
1 b) Can infrastructure support volume? What infrastructure is needed, what do we currently have?       cruise/capacity
1 d) Environmental impact of building a dock and disturbing sludge at mill building quarry Sept 25, 2006 Liz McKenzie Notes environment
Data
1 e) How many local businesses depend on the cruise ship industry for their survival       business
1 g) What is the maximum number of cruise ship visitors Sitkans can sustain - infrastructure       cruise/capacity
1 h) Do Sitkans want a cruise ship dock? If so, where?       Steering Committee
2 i) Money spent by cruise passengers how much revenue stays in the community?       business
2 l) How can we get facts regarding cruise ship industry?
April 24, 2006
Matthew Turner Notes  
2 m) Anchoring vs. docking - impact of anchors on ocean floor       environment
3 n) What is the environmental impact of the cruise industry?
May 1, 2006
Ken Rear Notes environment
Data
3 o) What is the impact of the cruise industry on local fishing fleets (direct/indirect; existing/proposed)       cruise/capacity
4 p) How are ships scheduled to come to Sitka? How is port length determined?
June 19, 2006
Peter Gorman   cruise/capacity
4 q) How can we continue to support cruise ship industry?       cruise/capacity
4 r) Does community have say in numbers/volume of ships/days? Through what mechanism can they have a say? June 19, 2006 Peter Gorman   cruise/capacity
4 s) Emergency response plans for cruise ships and who responds - security needs       cruise/capacity
5 t) Does local government have regulations in place to regulate cruise ship industry? August 14, 2006 Mike Litman Notes city
Data
5 u) Are passengers directed to certain shops/businesses by the cruise ship industry? How? June 19, 2006 Peter Gorman Data1
Data2		 cruise/capacity
5 w) What is the minimum number of cruise ships to sustain current businesses?       business
6 x) What training/information do we provide to guides for accuracy? April 24, 2006 Harvey Brandt Notes business
Data
6 y) What are cruise ship passengers told about local culture/rural community?        
6 z) What is the optimum length of a port call for the community/ship? June 19, 2006 Peter Gorman   cruise/capacity

Topic: Culture and History

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Baseline indepth unbiased economic analysis of all revenue streams.        
1 b) What is the potential for cultural and historical resource development? Causeway? April 24, 2006 Harvey Brandt Notes city
1 c) What are STA's plans  for developing cultural tourism?       business
2 e) What are we lacking in terms of historical interpretation (walking tours, etc.) April 24, 2006 Harvey Brandt Notes  
Data
3 f) Inventory of our unique cultural & historical assets April 24, 2006 Harvey Brandt Notes business
Data
4 g) What's our Measure of Success from community's perspective? Are we promoting our culture & history for ourselves or for visitors?       Steering Committee
4 h) Assess community support for marketing: "What does community want to promote? (T-shirts vs. culture/history)       Steering Committee
4 j) Review findings of "Gateway Plan" (NPS) August 14, 2006 Steering Committee On file in Library specific info
5 l) What infrastructure do we need to develop to encourage cultural/historical visitors?       business
5 m) What is the market for "made in AK" - more specifically, original artwork (both)        
6 n) What are transportation needs for independent traveler (special ferry/transport service like Prince of Wales)        
7 o) Comparative figures: High volume visitors vs. independent visitors & "adventure cruises"       business
9 q) What are negative cultural/physical impacts (herring/traditional): what would/does erode what we have?        
13 r) Is there on accurate historic perspective (story)       business

Topic: Economy

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Historic, current, future trend for cruise passenger & charter in Sitka and SE - sizes of cruises? Global trend? Trend towards smaller, higher quality? Nov 27, 2006 Mim McConnell Notes cruise/capacity
Data
1 c) Passenger traffic by week/month: planes; ferries; cruise Nov 27, 2006 Mim McConnell Notes cruise/capacity
Data
1 d) # of local-owned charter boats vs non-local       business
1 e) Financial Benefit comparison between sport-caught and commercial caught fish       environmental
2 f) Business trends/turnover since 2000       business
2 g) Revenue by visitor type compared to SE towns       business
2 h) Sitka sales tax revenue by quarter since 2000 July 17, 2006 Lisa Brendle Notes city
Data
2 i) % percent of local purchases at "tourist" businesses - define "tourist Business" April 24, 2006   Notes business
3 j) Amount of visitor $ that stay in Sitka       business
3 k) How many beds by type of season       business
3 l) # of full-time charter boats (5 year trend) June 19, 2006 Bev Minn   business
3 m) Target species of charter boats June 19, 2006 Bev Minn   business
4 n) Value of locally produced goods June 19, 2006 Matthew Turner   business
4 o) Type & Number of jobs in visitor industry (pay, seasonality, benefits, residency)       business
4 p) Sitka Harbor usage data by time       city
5 q) Cruise Business model in Sitka (ie advertising cost to local businesses) - do they charge businesses differently than in JNO or KTN?       cruise/capacity
5 r) Historic perspective from other SE town: case studies (Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway; Haines, Wrangell; Hoonah)        
5 s) Known fees and taxes on visitors in Sitka (ie lightering fees, other port comparison)       city
5 t) How many Sitka tourist-based businesses are locally owned/non-local       business
5 u) Economic impact of a dock        
7 v) Industry's impact on housing costs/availability        
7 w) Seasonal Businesses' contribution to tax base (property, sales, bed) July 17, 2006 Lisa Brendle Notes city
Data
8 x) Overview/ synopsis of current tax structure where it may relate to visitors. April 22, 2006 Wendy Alderson Notes city
Data

Topic: Planning

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) City Reports: Sales tax/bed tax generated from visitors vs. locals - where does the money go? July 17, 2006 Lisa Brendle Notes city
Data
2 b) What is the capacity & impact on infrastructure, support services, NPS, hospitals, SPD, airport, Trail Works, City of Sitka, STA, NFS, etc. ?       cruise/capacity
 
3 c) What control and planning tools have worked in other communities (in AK and elsewhere)?

June 19, 2006

Oct 2, 2006

Judy Ozment

Chris Beck

Notes environmental
3 d) How does or can current zoning address visitor industry and local housing needs?       city
4 e) Comparative data within other S.E. communities used in planning processes       city
4 g) What economic mechanism triggers the investment of larger chain stores into Sitka, like Little Switzerland, Costco, etc.       city
4 h) Local transportation studies        
4 i) Visitor traffic pattern studies

April 22, 2006;
April 24 2006;
June 19,2006

Jeff Budd Notes city
4 j) How have plans been implemented elsewhere? Oct 2, 2006 Chris Beck Notes  
5 k) Good Demographics & Stats on Sitka's Visitors Nov 6, 2006 Mim McConnnell Notes business
Data
5 l) Environment impact comparison: large ship to small May 1, 2006 Ken Rear Notes environmental
Data
6 m) Cost of current visitor operations to the City of Sitka specifically.       city
6 n) What does the city need to do in order to collect property tax from ALL business, including seasonal? July 17, 2006 Lisa Brendle Notes city
Data
7 o) Separate Stats on Independent vs. Cruiseship Visitors Nov 27, 2006 Floyd Tomkins Notes business
Data
7 p) Visitor Statistics: Numbers month by month       business
8 q)What have other communities done to promote "off" season (in AK and elsewhere)?        
9 r) VIS Tourism Study, 2004 August 14, 2006 Steering Committee Data specific info
10 s) McDowell Reports August 14, 2006 Steering Committee Data specific info
12 w) Current resources from harbor master / possible development of harbors? August 14, 2006 Mike Litman Notes city
Data
13 x) Who has control of Causeway? April 24, 2006 Harvey Brandt Notes city

Topic: Resources and  Environment

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Identify "leakage" (amount leaving Sitka) of money and resources (ie Capturing value of local goods & employment opportunities)       business
1 c) Can we maintain local control over resource use & environment; what mechanisms are available to influence or control resource use and environment?; what can we learn from other communties? Proactive vs. Reactive responnses.

 

June 19, 2006

 Judy Ozment Notes environment
Data
1 d) What local resources/environments are "at risk"?       environment
1 e) Do visitor numbers impact rural status? April 22, 2006 Greg Dudgeon Notes environment
Data
2 f) What are the natural resources and infrastructure? July 17, 2006 Dave Clarke Notes environment
Data
2 g) Carrying Capacity of Visitor Attractions Sept 11, 2006 Mary Beth Nelson   cruise/capacity
2 h) impact on environment/resources and community; what are the possible scenarios for different uses? What could positively or negatively affect the value of resources?       environment
3 i) Use of natural resources (numbers/Competition/$); Discuss/establish priorities & means of balancing competing interests.       environment
4 k) Source of info on each activity        
4 l) who owns or manages resources
June 19,2006
Judy Ozment Notes environment
Data
4 m) Local opinions about visitor impact on environment & resources       Steering Commmittee
5 n) What new activities may affect environment/resources       environment
6 p) Costs to maintain access to resources        
7 q) what infrastructure is maintained by tax $'s       city
7 r) what experiences do visitors want/expect/value?       Steering Committee
8 s) Employment/revenue from resource utilization activities        
9 t) Role of agencies in planning, managing, and permitting activities        

Topic: Quality of Visitor Experience

Urgency Information Date(s) presented Presenter(s) Downloadables committee
1 a) Copy of a generic tourism plan outline August 14, 2006 Steering Committee On file in Library  
2 b) What is carrying capacity of Sitka: medical; fish as a resource; what's too many per day?; trails; telecommunication; roads; museaums; police; dock usage; city services - H2O, sewer, garbage       cruise/capacity
2 c) Where money comes from for visitor services and expenses.     city
3 d) Needs/Wants of Visitor - what do we want the visitor to take away?       Steering Committee
3 e) Does Sitka have enough services/resources for visitor accomodations, and does it jeapordize rural status? April 22, 2006 Greg Dudgeon Notes cruise/capacity; environment
Data
4 g) Visitor's Impressions (categorized by type of visitor): favorable/unfavorable, what did the visitor like/dislike; will they come back? Why or why not?; What will they tell their friends? Nov 27, 2006 Steering Committee Notes Steering Committee
Data
5 h) When do visitors come? Nov 27, 2006 Mim McConnell Notes  
Data
6 l) What is cultural/history they are coming to visit?       business
6 m) What is the source of visitor satisfaction and what do they value about Sitka? Nov 27, 2006 Steering Committee Notes Steering Committee
Data
7 n) How many fish caught makes  a good experience - are we overfishing? What's too many a) Sport Fishers? b) Charter Fishers?       environment
8 o) Visitor capacity is a topic/issue/concern. Can 3's be legally limited - Fed (???) - via zoning; What tools are available to address these issues aand what has worked in other places?       cruise/capacity
9 p) Legal - is it legal/possible for local government to not allow shops to close in winter - can we limit # of types of shops - I.e. jewelry/fur, etc.; What tools are available to address these issues aand what has worked in other places? April 22, 2006;
June 19, 206 		Jeff Budd Notes city
Data
13 r) How many visitors become residents?        

Parking Lot

These topics were originally identified as Needed Information, but have been moved to the Parking Lot. The Stakeholder Group will deal with these topics and issues after they have completed Phase Two, gathering needed information about the current reality.

Question Original Category
j) STA/ANB-ANS/SeaAlaska Corp/Shee Atika - plans, operations Business
a) Info on promoting community vision and the process to control own destiny and defining what can't be controlled, and how it is made manifest (ie Initiatives, petitions, etc.) Community
f) Pros and Cons of a Cruise Ship Dock - cost/benefit analysis and opinion poll Community
c) Benefits/impacts to the community (positive/negative) Cruise Industry
k) What is the impact of the cruise ship dock? Cruise Industry
j) What is the impact with two cruise ship sites? Cruise Industry
f) What other segments of the visitor industry could compensate for the decline in cruise ship visitors? Cruise Industry
v) What can we do to foster respect of visitors to community? Cruise Industry
d) How do we protect and promote our assets? Culture and History
i) Assess community to determine what resources are over utilized/under utilized? What can/should be developed? Culture and History
k) Assess current & future visitor trends/identify target demographic groups Culture and History
p) What types of desired visitors are we missing? Culture and History
f) What governmental tools have worked elsewhere? Planning
t) What are effects of a cruiseship dock (including a non-visitor dock)? Planning
u) What are effects of no cruiseship dock? Planning
v) Do we need to first assess advantages / disadvantages of attracting off-season visitors? Planning
y) How will this plan be implemented? Planning
b) Competition for resource use; Discuss/establish priorities & means of balancing competing interests. Resource and Environment
j) Economic value of activities Resource and Environment
o) Sustainability - are there more "green" options? Resource and Environment
f) Costs vs. Return - what does it cost Sitka to have visitors come here. What do we give up and gain (ie $ , Solitude, etc.) Visitor Experience
i) At what point does Sitka price itself out of visitors - ie, taxes, cost of tours? How do we remain competitive? Visitor Experience
j) How do we increase access/availability of local artwork and crafts to visitors? Visitor Experience
k) How do we pre-educate visitors about the value of community and natural resources (ie  Seal of sitka (Sitka Made)) Visitor Experience