Alaska Denali Travel Acquires CIRI Alaska Tourism Corporation FAQs What is Alaska Denali Travel? Alaska Denali Travel (ADT) is an Alaska‐based organization that provides guests with an intrinsic Alaska experience by connecting travelers with the people, culture and places that make the state unique. ADT operates Denali Backcountry Lodge, located in the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve in Kantishna; Denali Cabins, located at the park’s entrance; and the popular Denali Backcountry Adventure sightseeing tour and wildlife safari, driving travelers the entire length of the 92‐mile, restricted‐access Park Road. ADT operates under its parent entity Viad Travel and Recreation Group (VTR), one of two business groups managed by Viad Corp. (NYSE:VVI). What is CATC? CIRI Alaska Tourism Corporation (CATC) was the Alaskan tourism arm of Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI). CATC has built a reputation of top‐tier lodging, booking services and attractions in nearly 20 years of operation in Alaska. Its brands include Alaska Heritage Tours, Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, Seward Windsong Lodge, Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge and Kenai Fjords Tours. When did the acquisition take place? The closing date for the transaction was March 11, 2016. What was the value of the acquisition? It is our policy to not disclose financial details of our business negotiations. How will this acquisition affect operations? Both CATC and ADT run two very strong operations and have secured a significant number of bookings for the 2016 travel season. With this in mind, there are no plans to make changes to CATC/ADT experiences or offerings; the 2016 travel season will continue uninterrupted and as planned. At this time, the focus is on maintaining these operations and working toward a successful travel season. How will this union benefit travelers to Alaska? CATC and ADT are highly acclaimed experience providers in Alaska’s two must‐see destinations, Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park and Preserve, as well as the iconic communities of Talkeetna and Seward. Going forward, ADT/CATC will be able to provide our guests with an expanded, intrinsically Alaska experience in the Seward, Talkeetna and Denali corridor destinations. How will the acquisition impact Alaska tourism partners and organizations? This acquisition should not affect ADT and CATC partners in the travel and tourism industry. ADT is committed to maintaining the professionalism, expertise and outstanding guest service that CATC provided, not only with guests but also with partners and other community organizations. How will Alaska Denali Travel continue to provide the same services as CATC? ADT has a strong pedigree of providing memorable Alaska experiences and remarkable guest service through its 27 year history of operations in and near Denali National Park and Preserve, including its Denali Backcountry Lodge, Denali Cabins and the popular Denali Backcountry Adventure. ADT has also established a reputation of strong cooperation with Alaska industry partners and values the relationships developed both in the locations it operates and throughout the state. ADT is part of the Viad Travel & Recreation Group, a collection of leading travel brands and experiences that showcase iconic natural and cultural destinations. One of these brands, Brewster Travel Canada, has a 124‐year history of providing memorable travel experiences and expertise with operations that include sightseeing boat cruises and lodging, among other services, in Banff and Jasper National Parks. Another, Glacier Park, Inc., has showcased the scenic areas of Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park for more than 50 years through its various hotels, lodges and cabins. We look forward to continuing the level of excellence CATC has brought to the Alaska tourism industry the last 20 years. Why CATC? CATC has a wonderful reputation in Alaska, demonstrating a strong commitment to guest satisfaction. Its people, experiences and facilities are among Alaska’s best, and even recently ranked first in the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s “Best Places to Work” list. ADT is focused on retaining that reputation and is excited to have the talented team at CATC join us. Together, this organization has the opportunity to provide travelers with more options to get out and explore the beautiful state of Alaska. Who will lead the organization going forward? ADT Vice President Thomas McAleer will lead these exceptional companies and all operations going forward. McAleer brings more than 17 years of leadership experience in the tourism, transportation and hospitality industries. He has a longstanding reputation in Alaska and has called the state home for more than 20 years. Will there be any impact on current staffing? Both the CATC and ADT teams are fully staffed and detailed plans for the 2016 season are in place. The focus for the coming visitor season is on delivering excellent, uninterrupted guest experiences and working hard to continue to be the employer of choice within Alaska tourism. We are very appreciative of the exceptional work all employees have done for each company and the expertise that they offer. Moving forward, we are taking a careful look at what our needs are as we merge the companies into one. For sales and guest service, who should I expect to be working with? There are no immediate plans to change sales and guest service teams. Our focus is to operate the 2016 season with minimal changes to ensure there are no interruptions to our guest services. In the fall we will begin to combine sales and guest support to provide a single booking and guest support experience for all of our travel trade partners and guests. We currently do not book CATC products. Who can I contact for information and/or rates? Please contact your current Viad Travel & Recreation sales manager, who will be able to assist with this. What is the Viad Travel & Recreation Group? Viad’s Travel & Recreation Group delivers rich travel experiences to the global market in iconic natural and cultural destinations through its unique hotels and lodges; recreational attractions; ground transportation services; retail; food and beverage; sightseeing; and packaged tours. The company operates in and around some of the world’s most spectacular locations, including Glacier and Denali national parks in the U.S.; and Banff, Jasper and Waterton Lakes national parks in Canada…and is excited to add Kenai Fjords National Park to this amazing list!