‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ 2024 winners experience Anchorage and the wild, spectacular beauty of Alaska

2 October 2024: Three lucky winners of the ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ 2024 incentive program traveled with air partner American Airlines to embark on a seven-day adventure in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska.

The three winners included Clinton Griffiths of Globus, Vanessa Tokatly of Travel Associates and Belle Goldie of The Cruise and Travel Store, accompanied by Lexie Miliatis of Brand USA.

Arriving in Anchorage in the late afternoon, the group were welcomed to Anchorage with a lovely local dinner at  Simon & Seafort's, following dinner,  the Northern Lights started dancing in the sky over the city, before settling into the Snob Hollow Inn overnight.  What a delightful start!

The trip officially kicked off the following morning on a summer wildlife tour hosted by Greatland Adventures at Turnagain Arm - a waterway that borders the scenic Seward Highway and offers a spectacular setting for wildlife watching, nature photography, and hiking - located just south of Anchorage.  Enjoyed stops at Alyeska Resort, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center,  and a one hour cruise to the face of Portage Glacier, Portage Glacier Cruises.

The following morning, it was “all aboard” with Alaska Railroad for a GoldStar Servicescenic train journey to Talkeetna, the historic village nestled at the base of North America's tallest peak Denali. Today, it’s a creative, buzzy community and popular destination for a variety of activities including flightseeing, rafting, hiking, zipline tours and biking. 

In Talkeetna, an afternoon was spent adventuring with Alaska Nature Guides on a lake hike, before checking in at Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge for a leisurely stay including dinner at the on-site Foraker Restaurant. Built atop a high bluff, the lodge captures an incredible view overlooking the Susitna River Valley and the entire Alaska Range.

A new day welcomed a new, incredible Alaskan exploit. The morning started with mushing their own dog sled teams and then getting lots of  puppy dog kisses with  Alaska Sled Dog Tours.  Thrills soared to new heights as the group embarked on an exhilarating Knik Glacier Landing Tour from Palmer with Alaska Helicopter Tours before relaxing overnight in their own cabins in the Eklutna Valley at Blue Water Base Camp. A following full day of adventure was spent on a guided hike and kayak tour at Eklutna Lake courtesy of Lifetime Adventures before the group returned to Anchorage for the final leg of the visit.

In Anchorage, a delectable Alaskan Sights & Bites food and sightseeing van tour was on the menu, sampling Anchorage like a local.

A final day was spent unearthing more about the destination at the Anchorage Museumfollowed by a city tour with Anchorage Trolley Tours to uncover the rich culture and history of Alaska’s largest city.

Tia Froehle, Director, Tourism Sales at Visit Anchorage, "It was a privilege to welcome the winners of the 'Sell Your Way to the USA' incentive program to Anchorage, to showcase our destination’s natural beauty with a diverse variety of adventure, cuisine and cultural experiences that Southcentral Alaska has to offer. We aimed to provide these travel professionals with a first-hand look at why the Urban & Wild city of Anchorage is such a remarkable place to explore, and hope their  experiences inspire them to share the wonders of our destinations with travelers from Australia and New Zealand."