Anchorage (AK) Daily News, 12/24/18:
Alaska tourism businesses warm up to a growing winter market
Alaska has long crawled with visitors in the summer months. Now, more people are hopping aboard the Alaska Railroad for winter tourism here, too.
The number of passengers taking the train between Anchorage and Fairbanks during cold, snowy months has shot up over the last few years. The railroad has added more train service to accommodate them. Some tour companies have even beefed up their winter offerings to court such visitors.
One driver is tourists visiting from Asia, often on hopeful trips to see the aurora borealis, said Dale Wade, vice president of marketing at the railroad.
“Winter is suddenly very popular, and it’s growing steadily for the last three years,” said Wade. Before that, there wasn’t a “significant market for it," he said.
