Alaska Business Monthly's 2005 Convention and Facilities Directory: Alaska's lure draws convention attendees to the state.

• Position: 2005 Convention Facilities Directory - Directory

Advertising campaigns about Alaska's beauty and exciting activities are reaching millions, and drawing more and more conventions and meetings to the state. This is good because voters passed in April 2005 a measure to build a new convention center that will cost $93 million, but not cost Anchorage property taxpayers anything. Most money raised will be through an increase of hotel, motel and B&B room tax.

There are more than 1 million meetings/conventions held nationally each year. Anchorage gets its fair share. The number of conventions/meetings/trade shows held in 2004 (505 total) grew 20 percent over the last year, with $89.7 million worth of meetings. That's a significant increase from 2003, when conventions/meetings/trade shows held totaled $74.4 million (406 total). In 2005, the sales goal is $79 million. In 2004, the sales goal was $75 million, and ACVB went beyond its original goal.

But Anchorage is only a part of the picture. Meetings and conventions are held statewide. Our directory includes 84 hotels and other facilities from around the state that provide meeting space, and include amenities such as an airport shuttle, restaurant, room service, lounge/bar, fitness center, pool and in-room data phones.

Meeting facilities are also located in Chena Hot Springs, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, Fairbanks, Girdwood, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, King Salmon, Kodiak, Nome, Palmer, along the Parks Highway (Denali), along the Richardson Highway (Copper River), Seward, Sitka, Soldotna, along the Sterling Highway, Talkeetna, Valdez, Wasilla, Wrangell and Wrangell St. Elias.

But our listing would not be complete without a list of convention and visitors bureaus, chambers and meeting planners. Our special section has everything anyone needs to plan a meeting/convention in the state, and even includes an article on themed corporate meetings.

If your facility, CVB, chamber or business is not included in this special section and you would like it to be next year, please contact us. You can e-mail the information to Stacie Hamill at circ@akbizmag.com; fax it to 279-2900; mail it to 501 W. Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 100, Anchorage AK 99503; or phone it in at 276-4373 in Anchorage or 1-800-770-4373 statewide. Info is also included in the 2006 Power List, which comes out in January. So for updates to your listing or to add your company to the Power List, contact Hamill.

2005 MEETING PLANNERS LISTING

Alaska Display & Retail Supply Inc. 710 Bonanza...