INUVIK
Inuvik's pitch that this is the last year to drive the ice road to Tuktoyaktuk appears to be proving popular to foreign media.

Tourism Development Officer Anne Kokko gives an update on the GNWT's Tourism 20/20 plan at a meeting Thursday, Jan. 19. Another issue discussed was the idea to hold the Arctic Market more often during winter. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"I do understand that (the Department of Transportation is) getting bombarded with lots of requests," said Anne Kokko, tourism development officer, at a tourism meeting Thursday, Jan. 19.

Vicky Grégoire-Tremblay, manager of economic development and tourism for the Town of Inuvik, said a Swiss media company is currently filming a TV show about driving a truck on the ice road, a French show might visit and the town is working with the New York Times for coverage.

"People are really interested in coming to visit Inuvik," she said.

Kokko said there are probably another half-dozen media organizations talking to the GNWT about visiting.

Interest in a winter Arctic market

Grégoire-Tremblay said the town has received a number of requests in the past few months to have an Arctic market during winter months.

"We are trying to make that happen," she said.

She was looking for ideas on when to host it. Some options floated at the meeting were holding it in conjunction with the Muskrat Jamboree or once a month at the Midnight Sun Complex.

Speaking of the MSC, the town has received funding for flooring to cover the ice in the arena, opening up another venue for conferences or indoor events.  

Aboriginal tourism draws interest

In her presentation about the GNWT's five-year plan called Tourism 20/20, Kokko said an elders and residents program would hopefully embed elders at lodges, visitor centres or in similar places where they can share knowledge with youth or visitors.

"Talking to elders is high, high on the list of a lot of the experiences our visitors have," said Kokko.

"(They would be) sharing their knowledge but they're being paid for their time, so you get that cultural exchange happening."

Kokko hopes to fund that program next fiscal year.  

Cruise ship management

Jackie Challis, CEDO project coordinator with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, said the IRC is developing a cruise ship management strategy.

"It's becoming a bigger and bigger beast in our region," she said.  

Tourism talks upcoming

Kokko is now busy working toward a tourism development conference likely in March this year.

She's looking to bring in people from around the Beaufort Delta to work on tourism skills, increase tourism capacity in the region and more.

"It looks like we'll probably be able to fund about 50 people from Inuvik and from other communities," she said.