Visitor centres counting fewer warm bodies
Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services
NNSL (Aug 03/98) - Fewer tourists are making their way North this summer, according to visits tallied at a couple of main tourist chalets in the Western Arctic.
Evelyn Tregidgo, supervisor at the Hay River visitor's centre said 294 less adventurers have dropped by the centre this summer compared to last year.
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Fewer visiting western capital
Numbers are also down at the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre in the NWT's capital.
Kathie Adam said it is difficult to tell how the number of visitors to Yellowknife compared to last year but Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is currently conducting an exit survey which will give a fuller picture of Northern visitors.
As of July 20, the centre has served 551 people -- that's people buying an item or making an inquiry. This compares with 1,980 people for all of July 1997.
In June, 688 people visited the centre compared to 1,237 the year before.
But the 1998 figures do not include people visiting the city by bus. This year, tourists travelling by bus get an information package from the tour operator instead of visiting the centre.
Adam also said that 250 Ingraham Trail passes have been sold in June and July this year, up from 1997.
It remains to be seen how the forest fires will effect the number of people coming to Yellowknife.
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"We used to get 30 people per day in July and now we're getting 28 per day on the average," she said.
"I'm struggling to think why. One reason I think is because a lot of visitors who return to Hay River go straight to the campground and they don't check in at the booth. When there are other things going on in town people don't necessarily come into the visitors centre as well."
Tregidgo is not concerned about visitor statistics. She expects those numbers to pick up next month with Hay River's homecoming celebration August 17 to 23. The homecoming is also in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Mackenzie Highway at the end of August. Past and present Hay River residents and visitors will celebrate the completion of the all-weather highway from Grimshaw to Hay River in 1948.
"We're hoping for a shot in the arm," she said.
Most tourists who drop by the centre -- which is open seven days a week during summer -- are from across Canada, the U.S. and Germany. Many visitors are interested to learn about wildlife, nature and the Wood Buffalo National Park.
This year, a lot of people from Switzerland have visited the community, Tregidgo added.
Due south from Hay River at the NWT/Alberta border, chalet staff are also reporting fewer travellers coming North.
"At current, the number of visitors through the visitors information centre at the 60th parallel on the highway is about 80 to 90 visitors a day. It's down somewhat from up around 90 to 100 visitors a day," said Lloyd Jones, resources, wildlife and economic development's regional superintendent for the South Slave region.
"Based on the information to date this year, the numbers indicate that we may be just above last year at this point and time, however, it's slowing down a little earlier than usual."
Lower numbers may be in direct relation to the lower summer temperatures the Western Arctic has experienced in recent weeks, Jones added.
