Cook Inlet Region Inc. (CIRI) announced this month that it has sold its travel business to Alaska Denali Travel, owned by Phoenix-based Viad Corp.
The Alaska Native regional corporation had been in the tourism business for two decades. Its Alaska Tourism Corp. owned numerous attractions including Talkeetna Alaska Lodge, Seward Windsong Lodge and Kenai Fjords Tours.
Viad, which has a marketing and events division, is looking to grow its travel and recreation businesses with properties that have iconic destinations and perennial demand. Alaska Denali Travel has been owned by Viad since 2011. Viad approached CIRI and the two had been in talks for several months.