SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Francophones from Quebec, France and Belgium are the target of a new tourism campaign from the Conseil de Developpement Economique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CDETNO).

Sylvie Francoeur holds a copy of the 2010 Explorer Guide and booklet that the Conseil de Developpement Economique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest recently launched. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

The organization launched its tourism marketing campaign last week with a new website, booklets and 2010 Explorer Guides. The promotional material, including each of the 5,000 booklets and guides printed, will be distributed to visitor centres across the NWT and in Quebec as well as to the Canadian Tourism Commission in France.

The website has more information for visitors, said CDETNO's executive director Sylvie Francoeur. She added the new brochure will help visiting friends and family find things like playgrounds, parks and family activities. The explorer guide will give an overview of the activities, parks and services offered around the territory.

"The new website, the more complete explorer guide that we just put out and the new family brochure that we just also produced will help them make that important decision to actually stop dreaming and go to action, which is book a plane ticket, book a guided tour, book a hotel and actually make their way to the NWT," said Francoeur.

She said most visitors expect they will have to speak some English and will not be served exclusively in French when they come to the North.

"But to make a decision on whether or not to come, it is very important for them to have access to their information in French so that they can better analyze the type of services and the type of activities and what's happening here," Francoeur said.

The tourism campaign includes $125,000 in direct costs and about $200,000 worth of gifts-in-kind, such as the territory's permission to translate their website.

Francoeur said a number of restaurant owners and park managers have told her they've seen more tourists from French-speaking markets recently.

"The results have been positive over the past few years in regards to increased tourists from French-speaking markets, such as Quebec or even France. We're getting good feedback from operators, who are working with us to promote their business in French markets," she said.

"So far, the work we've been doing has been very well received by businesses and organizations."