Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Jun 19/98) - So, what did you think of your time in Fort Simpson?

While her presentation will be much more professional than that, long-time village resident Candy Brown will be spending this summer asking tourists from around the world variations on that very theme. And, she'll be finding out just who the tourists are, how they got here and how they fit into the demographic profile.

"It's a random survey of non-resident tourists," Brown says of the work she has been doing in recent weeks. "It started the first week of June and will be complete by the end of September."

Brown, who has served as instructor and co-ordinator for the federal government's Tourism Careers for Youth program locally for two years, which has been sponsored by the NWT Tourism Training Group, has been sub-contracted by Geo North by the GNWT in Yellowknife to do the work.

"It (the information gathered) is of great benefit to people in the community," she says. "We can see what the customer's needs are, what income ranges do those who come to Fort Simpson come from. We will know what kind of tourists we get here -- are they road tourists or fly-in tourists -- and other information."

Brown will be approaching visitors at the Visitor Information Centre, the campground and other areas in order to do the survey.

"Really well," is how she says tourists have responded so far to the exit survey. "They are willing to take time out to fill it out... Everybody has an opinion on tourism and their answers are quite thoughtful... Most of them would love to come back (and) the business tourists say they'd like to come back on a holiday visit."

Brown also says that tourism is each and everyone in the community's business.

"Everybody in town is our moment of truth," she says realistically. "We're the ambassadors for Fort Simpson with tourists."

Remember that the next time you see someone from afar.