by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Aug 15/97) - The "Dempster Highway is a good drive," wrote tourist Tom Scover of Los Angeles in 1995. "Ignore the warnings and doubts and just go. It's magic."

Ah, if only Scover's sermon could be heard -- or believed -- by more potential visitors.

Unfortunately, fewer tourists seem to be heeding Scover's clarion call. Tourism appears to be in a slump, and this summer isn't expected to be any better, according to figures obtained by the territorial Department of Economic Development.

Last year's out-of-territory licence-plate count on the Peel River ferry was the lowest in 10 years. Only 1,752 non-NWT vehicles crossed last year, well down from 1992's 2,370, a bumper year for tourism when the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Highway was celebrated.

This year's numbers aren't yet available, but regional tourism officer Judith Venaas expects more bad news.

Visits to Inuvik's Western Arctic Regional Visitors Centre are down 900 this year from 1996, and 500 fewer visits have been recorded at Dawson City's Dempster Delta Visitors Centre, a significant marketing venue for the Dempster Highway tourist traffic.

What's the culprit? Everything from reduced GNWT marketing dollars to the Dempster's chronically bad reputation, said Venaas. With this summer's rainy weather, fewer tourists seem willing to "risk" a drive up the Dempster, especially when fed exaggerated rumors about the road's poor condition while in the Yukon, Venaas said.

"When the (Dempster) is wet, less people want to drive on it, because it has the reputation as one of the most horrible roads going," said Venaas.

Marketing dollars spent by the GNWT on tourism have been in decline for the last five or six years, and that surely has played a negative role on tour numbers, said Venaas. The marketing budget is currently about $1 million, but that doesn't go far when a single ad in the Yukon visitors' guide cost $10,000, she said.

Statistics do not often tell the whole story, however, leading Venaas to question whether tourism is up or down. According to Venaas, tour buses are reporting a big drop this year, with many groups arriving with half-capacity or less, she said. Yukon visitors centres recorded tourism growth this year, while Yukon operators are calling 1997 "disappointing," she said.

Meanwhile in Inuvik, the Great Northern Arts Festival posted record sales this year, while the Inuvik Choral and Theatrical Society enjoyed record attendance. Bed and breakfasts are calling 1997 a brisk year, but hotels report a so-so year, she added.

Despite a booming global economy, Venaas said tourism across Canada appears to be slumping this year, and Inuvik may be riding the same wave.

To help remedy the problem, Venaas said she's focused her energies on improving the Dempster's poor reputation, one which she said is undeserved. She's also learning how to do "more with less" marketing dollars, by piggy-backing on Yukon tourism promotions to get more bang for the buck.

The NWT Explorers' Guide is now on the Internet, and she said her department is preparing to put the Dempster on the World Wide Web soon.

The town still needs to get more serious about tourism, said Venaas. Tourists have told her time and again that "there's nothing for them to do in the evenings ... some say they planned to stay for three days and then cut their trip short because there was nothing to do."

Events like ICATS' evening theatre production East Three: The Story of Inuvik, is the kind of popular and growing event that Inuvik could use more of, she said. "What visitors are looking for and what tour operators are providing may be different ... we need more product," like evening river tours, she said.

"Basically, we're doing fairly well," said Venaas, noting the most important criteria -- that those who do come leave happy -- appears to be a success. "I think the majority of tourists are going home very happy from here," she said. See the sidebar to read what tourists are saying about their Inuvik experience.