Advance bookings for next summer's tourist season are down by an average of 23 percent, according to a survey of tourism businesses released Friday by the Alaska Travel Industry Association.

While the figure isn't the dire 40 to 60 percent drop that some had predicted, it underscores what the travel group has been saying since Sept. 11: fewer visitors will travel to Alaska next year.

The main factors expected to keep people closer to home are nervousness about hijackings and terrorism in general, and the slowdown in the U.S. economy.

http://www.adn.com/business/story/738701p-786564c.html

Looks like the time to finally make my trip to AK!!

Can only imagine good deals will start appearing.

Go for it! The destination is spectacular.