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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
NWT Tourism has the second-lowest marketing budget in Canada and, until its funding is increased, it won't be able to keep pace with competing destinations, according to the organization's latest marketing plan.

The aurora borealis remains one of the territory's biggest tourist attractions, but to stay in competition with the Yukon, NWT Tourism needs a major increase in its marketing budget, says its executive director. - NNSL file photo

"We do the best that we can with the current funding we receive," said executive director Brian Desjardins. "In order for us to even be competitive in the marketplace, versus other destinations like the Yukon, we need more marketing dollars and we need more funding."

In NWT Tourism's 2012/2013 marketing plan, tabled in the legislative assembly on Feb. 17, the organization outlines the stark contrast between its budget of $2.5 million and its competitors'.

Quebec has the largest marketing budget, at $59.2 million per year, followed by Alberta at $47 million. British Columbia, which competes with the NWT for aboriginal tourism, has a budget of $45.6 million and Yukon, which competes for aurora tourism, has a budget of $5.2 million.

In its marketing plan, NWT Tourism outlines social media campaigns, special events, media tours and trade promotions that would boost visitors and also help expand into growing markets like China, Europe, India and Brazil.

Desjardin said with a budget increase of $1.2 million, visitor spending could increase by 30 per cent. Currently, it contributes approximately $100 million to the economy each year.

"With more marketing dollars we would be able to advertise and promote in new and emerging markets," he said. "There would be a trickle down affect, not just to the tourism industry."

David Ramsay, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, said it was too early to say whether more funding for NWT Tourism would be earmarked in the government's upcoming budget.

"We're really pressed financially and we're hard pressed to maintain the level of programs and services that we have today," he said. "Finding additional marketing money will be difficult, but certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. We're going to do our best."

The organization's marketing plan focuses on five main attractions – aurora borealis, lakes and rivers, parks and wilderness, culture and people, and "Northern realities" such as ice roads and the midnight sun.

Ramsay and Desjardins both agreed aboriginal tourism is a sector with much untapped potential.

The Aboriginal Tourism Champions Advisory Council was established last summer to help expand the industry. Desjardins said the main challenge will be to define what aboriginal tourism is in the NWT and how it is different from its main competitor, British Columbia.

"I think that we have quite a unique aboriginal product in the Northwest Territories," he said. "The challenge and the opportunity is for us to define ourselves and our aboriginal product in a way that sets up apart or makes us unique, makes our aboriginal cultural product unique in Canada, versus the other destinations."

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