Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 17/02) - The aurora tourism industry took a hit this winter that will never be recovered. But that didn't stop the small but dedicated Japanese community from calling Yellowknife home.

"Every autumn I get nervous before the aurora season starts and the tourists come to Yellowknife but this year I was especially uptight after Sept. 11," said Raven Tours' Chitose Kubo.

She's one of about 100 Japanese tourism workers who stay in the city for most of the year. The friendly and gracious Kubo co-ordinates other Japanese Raven Tours employees and helps organize guests.

This year after the Sept. 11 tragedy the number of Japanese tourists to Yellowknife plummeted to about 65 per cent of last year's numbers because many Asians fear visiting North America. Last year more than 13,000 Japanese tourists visited Yellowknife with the help of three Northwest Territories tour operators.

Kubo came to Yellowknife five years ago and has been loving it ever since. She thinks of the experience as an immersion into Canadianism.

"In Yellowknife I can learn English. I can learn the culture." She laughed when she referred to her language as Jangish, a hybrid of English and Japanese.

The number of Japanese visitors to the North has increased rapidly since the early '90s when there was virtually no market. Raven Tours, along with other Yellowknife tour operators Canadian Ex and Aurora Village, were expecting

this year to be a blockbuster. First Air even added a scheduled flight named the Aurora Express to accommodate thousands of visitors from Vancouver.

But after ramping up staff and operations the terrorism dealt an unforgiving blow. The route never made it off the ground and Raven Tours was forced to lay off nearly half of its NWT employees. Kubo was one of the lucky ones. She was happy to stay.

"This year my project is kayaking and English," she said.

She loves the Northern experience. The small-town friendliness appeals to her.

"For instance if there are people standing on the street looking at a map then people will always stop and ask if they can help with directions."

And that's what helps bring Japanese tourists to Yellowknife. Of course the key reason will always be the Northern lights, "but after that they talk about how comfortable the local people make them feel," said Kubo.

Next week is the last week for the winter aurora vacations and, like Canadians, Kubo is looking forward to spring. Aside from a month vacation she plans to spend most of her summer in Yellowknife.

"People forget that it isn't just guides. We buy office supplies and phone services, gasoline and car repairs. It filters through all the rest of the city's businesses," said Raven Tours' Bill Tait.

The money lost by the tour companies will affect all of Yellowknife's economy, he said.

Canadian Ex tour company entertained its last scheduled visitor for the year this week. Its business was down about 20 per cent from last year's more than 2,000 people.

"Senior citizens didn't want to go out," said Canadian Ex's Sage Suzuki. And that caused problems for all of the tour companies. Younger Japanese travellers were adventurous enough to make the journey to Canada, but unfortunately they aren't the demographic with extra money to spend once they get here.

"I love to give the aurora experience to people," said Canadian Ex's Loko Murakami. None of Canadian Ex's employees were laid off. His face lit up as he explained how awed Japanese tourists are when they see the Northern lights for the first time. Murakami came to Canada to work in 1991 but has called Yellowknife home for the past two years. He loves to canoe and enjoy the Northern scenery, but, like most Canadians, he doesn't like the cold and hates the bugs.

With the season over Murakami is busy with the last order of business: wash clothes, check equipment and clean up to get ready for next year's crew.