DIGITAL

Travel Alaska

Cultural Ambassador Program

Introduction - The Why

Alaska is a state of superlatives — but so are Norway, Iceland, and Montana. What sets Alaska apart is its people: 229 federally recognized tribes, each with its own traditions, stories, and living culture. Plus, research showed strong visitor demand for authentic, Indigenous-led experiences, especially among Boomers and Millennials. Travel Alaska saw an opportunity to center Alaska Native voices in destination storytelling, guided by an Indigenous-led Cultural Enrichment Committee to ensure accuracy, respect, and representation.

A man taking a photograph with a camera on a boat, with snow-capped mountains and water in the background.

The Approach

Cultural tourism has always been a part of the Travel Alaska PR program, but with a dedicated budget line, we were able to amplify the cultural tourism program with new additions. On behalf of Travel Alaska, we developed the Cultural Ambassador Program. The Cultural Ambassador Program became the hub, amplifying Indigenous voices across paid, earned, and owned channels to connect visitors with Alaska’s living cultures.

A group of people dressed in traditional clothing, some wearing conical straw hats, standing outdoors on a cloudy day. One woman is sitting on a wooden chair, playing a traditional drum or instrument.

Tactics & Execution

Cultural Ambassador Program: Collaborations with Alaska Native influencers to share community stories and produce content for Travel Alaska channels.

Earned Media Outreach: Proactive cultural angles pitched to top-tier outlets to broaden discovery of Indigenous-led experiences statewide.
Press Trips: Hybrid media press trips with both ambassadors and journalists to introduce them to Indigenous-owned tour operators and accommodations across Alaska.

Tourists on a boat looking at snow-capped mountains and glaciers across a calm, reflective body of water.

Results & Conclusion

Built on partnership and respect, the program strengthens long-term destination stewardship while helping travelers connect more deeply with the people and cultures that shape Alaska. Here’s some of the highlights from the work:

5M+ impressions from the Cultural Ambassador Program across owned and creator channels.
11 earned cultural features (in publications like AFAR, TIME, Travel Weekly) reaching 27M readers and $240,773 in media value.
109 new Indigenous-created photos/videos added to the Travel Alaska media library.
Visitor participation in cultural activities increased from 33% (2016) to 37% (2023) — a meaningful shift at Alaska’s large visitation scale.

Five friends sitting on the edge of a hill overlooking a vast landscape of rolling hills covered with green and yellow foliage.