Andrea Markey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 20/05) - The Northwest Territories is one of only two areas in North America, along with Nunavut, without a convention bureau. A group of industry associations continues to try to change that.

Representatives from five industry associations met with MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew and Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Brendan Bell earlier in the month to update each of them on the marketing strategy and business plan and seek funding for the second phase of the project which involves community consultations.

Approximately $30,000 in total has been secured from both levels of government for a consultant with Western Management Consultants to travel to Inuvik, Norman Wells, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson and Hay River to discuss regional convention plans, said Steve Meister, chair of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

"The consultant won't just be meeting with town officials," he said. "When people come into town for conventions, they often want to go to other communities or purchase arts and crafts to take home. We want to work with entire communities."

Phase one was the development of the marketing strategy.

The industry groups are proposing an NWT Conventions and Meetings Marketing Bureau, similar to the Yukon Convention Bureau.

They are looking to first develop a market for business meetings of between 300-500 people using existing facilities, and then build an actual centre if needed, said David Connelly, co-chair of the business development committee of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

Since conventions are most often booked three years in advance, the bureau would be self-funded by its fourth year, he said. Until then, the group is looking to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the GNWT and industry groups to fund the bureau at $300,000 per year for the three years.

They hope to have between one to three people working full-time on the bureau during 2006, he said.

"The North is a unique destination that would attract conventions," said Jenni Legge, chair of the Northern Frontier Visitors Association. "Right now there isn't the necessary funding to market ourselves as such."

In 2003/2004, corporate travel accounted for 46 per cent of the $93 million spent in the NWT, she said.

"We have a lot of travellers in the winter to view the aurora borealis," she said. "There is a huge opportunity to bring a lot more people to the North in the spring, summer and fall when most conventions take place."