SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Getting NWT tourism operators onto the national and international stage is something Ron Ostrom, marketing director for NWT Tourism, said was one of the main goals of the tourism conference this past weekend.

Margaret Peterson, right, of Peterson's Lodge describes some of the programs the lodge offers. Peterson said the lodge has recently diversified their product to help make up for the loss of caribou tags in the recent years. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

The NWT Tourism conference brought in over 50 tourism operators from around the North, giving them a chance to showcase their products to 10 large tourism operators from the south, including Jonview Canada Inc., the largest tour operator selling Canada across the country and around the world.

"It's hard for our operators to go down to these shows internationally, or even in Canada, so we're trying to get our operators ready as quickly as we can and we're trying to give them the avenues to do just that," Ostrom said.

By connecting tourism operators with larger operators, Ostrom said it helps put the NWT on the map as a popular place to travel. Ostrom said it's part of their goal as an organizations to bridge the connection between tourists, operators and big market companies selling Canada within and abroad.

Amanda Peterson, co-owner of Peterson's lodge, located over 100 km north of Yellowknife, said the opportunity to rub elbows with big tourism companies gives them a new opportunity to share their product.

"This year we've got buyers here and we're getting the chance to learn more about the process of working with bigger operators," she said, adding it's also a benefit for networking within the territory to help sell the NWT as an industry.

"I'm meeting people I normally wouldn't meet and it gives us more chances to market our product."

Margaret Peterson, also a co-owner of Peterson's Lodge, said they've recently diversified their product, due to the tag limitations put on caribou outfitters. "We had to find ways to make some money," she said. "We're able to offer more things and try to fill up some of the winter months with other products."

With the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver just around the corner, Ostrom said the NWT is going to have a chance to shine in the international spotlight. This will offer tremendous opportunities for the territory's tourism industry, according to Trevor Wotherspoon of Watta Lake Lodge.

"There are going to be billions of people watching (the games)," he said, adding the video produced by the Canadian Tourism Commission on regions of the territory will help showcase all the North has to offer.

Wotherspoon said the chance to learn about new ways to market and coming together with other tourism operators is refreshing for him.

"It helps get you energized about tourism again," he said.

Ostrom said working together as an industry will help to raise awareness of the North and its beautiful landscape and show people around the world what there is here. Having a variety of operators market themselves as a tourist destination improves the overall perspective of the NWT as a tourism spot.

"It's a whole team approach and everybody working together as a cohesive unit will keep us building toward success," he said.