Tourism and hospitality
CIRI Alaska Tourism Corp. (CATC) is CIRI's wholly owned Alaska tourism company and Southcentral Alaska's largest shore-based tour operator. Its operations include the Alaska Heritage Tours trip planning and reservations company, Kenai Fjords Tours and Prince William Sound Glacier Cruises marine day-cruise companies, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge with spectacular views of Denali, the Seward Windsong Lodge near Kenai Fjords National Park, and the remote Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge on Fox Island in Resurrection Bay, also near Kenai Fjords National Park.
CATC aggressively managed its operations, tour schedules and employment levels to control costs to accommodate decreased Alaska visitor traffic caused by the poor national economy. CATC also pursued new business by adding a new 1,500-square-foot conference room to its Seward Windsong Lodge. CATC's efforts enabled it to finish the season net cash positive despite Alaska's weakest tourism year in recent memory.
CATC is increasing its marketing efforts, especially online, to potential visitors, as CATC and other Alaska industry executives anticipate another slow visitor season in 2010.
CIRI owns a 32.6-percent interest in the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa near Austin, Texas, with partners Woodbine Development Corp., the Oklahoma Publishing Co. and Hyatt Development Corp. The resort opened in June 2006 and had a difficult year in 2009 because of lower occupancy and rates caused by the weak national economy. The 492-room, 405-acre resort has an 18-hole golf course and is working to establish itself as a premier destination in Texas. Nationwide and regional travel numbers remain soft and preliminary expectations are that the resort will continue to perform at the same level in 2010.
CIRI has partnered with Dewey Weaver and Intermountain Management LLC to build and manage a hotel as the first phase of the Sonterra project. The 126-room Hyatt Place North Stone Oak started construction in January 2009 and is expected to open for business in spring 2010.
