HANGZHOU, CHINA
Tourism industry wholesalers throughout the Asia Pacific region are learning about the magic of the aurora borealis, the thrill of dogsled racing and the beauty of fall fireweed this week.

Photographer Dayi Zhu prepares to take a group portrait of fellow Chinese aurora tourists from Shenzhen, Nanjing, Beijing and Sichuan and Guongdong provinces during a stop at Yellowknife's Northern Frontier Visitors Centre earlier this month. The number of visitors from mainland China is swiftly growing. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo

Representatives of the NWT tourism industry are attending a trade show in Hangzhou in mainland China to encourage more Chinese tourism to the territory, a market that is fast building momentum in the North.

NWT Tourism marketing director Ron Ostrom flew to China on Oct. 10, where he plans to meet with 120 wholesalers from across the region as part of Showcase Canada, an annual trade show hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission from Oct. 14 to 18.

"We've always attended that event because Showcase Canada brings in all the Asia-Pacific market – China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia," said Brian Desjardins, executive director of NWT Tourism.

Ragnar Wesstrom, owner of Enodah Wilderness Travel and Trout Lake Lodge, and Verda Law of Yellowknife Tours are attending, in part to promote packages specially designed for the Chinese market.

"We've been going back for three years now, so people are getting to know the NWT – before nobody knew where Yellowknife was," Law said.

Hideo Nagatani, manager of Aurora Village near Yellowknife, is representing the company at the showcase for its 10th year to reach out to Japanese, South Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese, Indian and other Asian markets.

"The Asian market has always been an important one," said Nagatani. "We cater to all markets. We are interested in the Chinese market, as well."

NWT Tourism launched a $140,000 marketing campaign in China for the first time earlier this year. The new Chinese campaign almost stacks up to the $213,000 committed to NWT Tourism's main Asia Pacific marketing strategy, which focuses on Japan. Promotional activity in China includes Mandarin and Cantonese literature and online material, a Chinese social media page, and television promotions.

The commission assisted NWT Tourism in a bid to attract Canada You Can be a Star, a Chinese reality television series, to Yellowknife and area lodges, Inuvik, and Hay River this past summer.

More than 7,100 couples registered to appear on the show, garnering 86,500 online votes. The broadcast reached 300 million viewers, according to Desjardins.

The NWT's Chinese campaign was made possible by new funds from a 2013 budget increase, to $2.8 million from $1.6 million, representing the first parcel of new tourism funding allocated by the Department of Industry Tourism and Investment in five years.

With the second lowest tourism budget in Canada, ahead of Nunavut but well behind the Yukon's $9 million budget, NWT Tourism seems to be getting some bang for its Yen in China.

"It's working," said Yellowknife Tours Ltd. operator Angela Law.

Earlier this month, the Yellowknife-based tourism company hosted about 60 visitors from mainland China and 250 from Hong Kong during its fall season, which ended early this month. The winter season begins in late November.

"The great thing about Yellowknife Tours is they're bringing a new market over, new clients from China, and it's benefiting everybody," Desjardins said.

Yellowknife Tours partners with other area operators, such as B. Dene Adventures, Beck's Kennels, Enodah Wilderness Travel and Trout Rock Lodge, Blachford Lake Lodge, Nahanni Mountain Lodge near Fort Simpson and 2 Seasons Adventures in Hay River. The company is also in discussion with The Arctic Chalet in Inuvik.

"The future is for the Chinese market," said Ted Grant, owner of Nahanni Mountain Lodge.

Grant has visited China 15 times and plans to return early this winter to attract more tourists. He has translated his promotional materials into Mandarin and Cantonese, including printed items and a 20-minute photo presentation.

"It's going to be the big market in the world, so we might as well get ready to take part in it and the money they're going to be spending," he said.

NWT Tourism is building relationships with wholesalers from China and other Asia Pacific countries by attending the Canadian Inbound Tourism Association's Asia Pacific event in early December in Vancouver and global wholesalers at Rendez-vous Canada, hosted by the commission in Vancouver next spring.

Business partnerships are made during these events between NWT Tourism or NWT businesses and wholesalers based in China or Vancouver who sell tourism packages directly to the Chinese market.

"That is the best way of bringing people from whatever country to your destination," Desjardins said. "We're also investing a little bit of money right now into some advertising in China with the Canadian Tourism Council."

Most, but not all, of the tourists from China visiting the territory come through Yellowknife Tours, Desjardins said.

This fall, tourists from Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Beijing and Sichuan and Guongdong provinces in mainland China and Hong Kong participated in Yellowknife Tours' packages.

"I expect the Chinese market is going to progress very fast," Angela said. "We're expecting more in 2014."

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