THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - When Fort Smith's Clayton Burke was 12 years old, his first job was at a tourist camp in Northern Ontario.

Clayton Burke is co-owner of a number of tourism-related businesses in Fort Smith, including a gift shop attached to a bed and breakfast. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Back than, he would chop wood and serve guests.

"I've stayed in tourism all my life," he said. For the last 15 years, Burke has been co-owner with his wife, Annie, of Thebacha Bed and Breakfast, and Taiga Tours Company.

The 67-year-old said he enjoys his career in tourism.

"It's a joyous industry," he said.

Burke has hosted people from all over the world - Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

"It really adds to your summer when you have the chance to meet these people from various places," he said.

Thebacha Bed and Breakfast has four bedrooms with two beds each, along with a small gift shop.

Burke, who has lived in Fort Smith since 1973, said tourism puts money into a community, but takes nothing out.

"The purest form of economic development is tourism," he said.

For example, he estimated that money coming into a community with tourists passes through the hands of a half-dozen people before it makes it to a bank.

"With what I do, I don't make money off the community," he said. "I make money off the tourists."

Burke said tourism is the biggest industry in the world and the second largest to mining in the NWT.

And, he believes tourism is a natural industry that is good for the environment.

Burke and his wife offer guiding and outfitting services into Wood Buffalo National Park and surrounding area with their Taiga Tours Company.

In fact, it is the only private company offering such services in the park.

The company also offers services for travellers in the South Slave area and out onto the Barrenlands.

"We provide expediting services, equipment to rent and logistics to get out," he said, adding that, in some cases, he and his wife guide the travellers.

Burke said his tourism businesses were severely affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001.

"We lost 85 per cent of our tourist market," he said. "The only reason we kept on going is we're too stubborn to give up."

However, he has never lost hope that things will improve.

Before 9/11, he said he would host about 300 tourists a year.

Burke said 9/11 decreased international travel by Americans and also led to increased restrictions at the border, such as the need for passports.

Besides that, he said the fluctuating U.S. dollar has also negatively impacted tourism.

Burke said Thebacha Bed and Breakfast is now more dependent on government travel.

Aside from his two businesses in Fort Smith, Burke also travels to various communities to offer guide training courses, something he has been doing since 1984.

"It's a major aspect in the off-season, in the late fall and winter," he said.

Plus, he said he enjoys offering the training. "You're giving people the tools to move ahead with their lives."

And, he literally launched a new initiative this past summer - a 36-foot boat to offer tours on the Slave River.

The boat, named River Dawn, operates from August to September.

"The whole idea is to take eight to 10 people on it for evening trips," Burke said.

Twice a week the boat - which has a cabin, kitchen and other amenities - travelled from Fort Fitzgerald to Fort Chipewyan, two Alberta communities south of Fort Smith.

Burke said the endeavour was very successful and will return next year.

"It's to fill in the gaps," he said. "It's to keep us going in tourism."

The boat was built by Burke and a friend of his from Germany.

Burke said he has no plans whatsoever to retire from the tourism business.

"Retirement is not something in my vocabulary at all."