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Alaska tourism officials believe the upcoming tourist season will experience declines in total visitors in the wake of terrorist attacks earlier this year.
Some industry representatives are pushing legislators for increased marketing dollars in an effort to improve a grim outlook for travel nationwide for 2002.
The travel industry has faltered because of slackening demand after the East Coast terrorist attacks. A U.S. recession hasn't helped the industry either, some industry leaders noted.
"The biggest issue for the upcoming season is what will happen as a result of people's reluctance to travel and how it will affect the visitor industry in Alaska," said Tina Lindgren, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association.
Alaska tourism has seen slowing growth in visitor numbers in recent years but never faced such expectations for possible significant declines, she said. Last summer an estimated 1.2 million people visited...