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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Traffic numbers almost tripled at the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre during the Canadian Medical Association conference, indicating big revenue increases for many local businesses.

The Canadian Medical Association held its annual conference at Saint Patrick High School from Aug. 12 to 15. Approximately 300 delegates, in addition to their families and additional staff, visited Yellowknife before, during and following the event. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo

When comparing 2012 and 2011 visitor numbers at the centre in a ten-day period overlapping the conference dates, the Northern Frontier Visitors Association reported an increase of over 1000 visitors.

"I just don't know now to express enough how valuable these conferences are to the community," said Tracy Therrien, general manager of the centre. "Everybody benefits from the taxis, to the hotels, to the restaurants, to retailers, to operators."

The conference brought approximately 300 delegates plus family members and other staff into Yellowknife from Aug. 12 to 15. Many visitors arrived early or stayed late to explore more of the North, to the benefit of many local businesses.

"The CMA, what they did was they put out a call to all operators and invited them to create packages specific to the conference, pre- and post- (conference) tours," said Therrien.

"Our local operators were run off their feet."

Therrien is also owner of the Bucket List Tour, and customized a five-day Nahanni tour which many delegates registered for, she said.

Over 10 local artists were also featured during breakfasts held at the visitor's centre and run by a CMA conference planning committee.

"It provided (the artists) the venue, it provided them the traffic, and there was no cost to the artist," said Therrien. "It was really good that way."

"I think that anything that brings some additional money and investment in from out of town ... helps the local economy," said Jason McEvoy, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

"For example, this week I'm supposed to be in Rankin Inlet for a trade show. That was $1600 in trade booth money alone plus all the meals that I would eat and the hotel I would stay in for five days."

Therrien added even smaller conferences mean a boost for the community, such as a group of 45 out-of-towners in Yellowknife for a wine and cheese event this past month.

In addition to the money they spend on their stay, conference and event attendees spread the word about Yellowknife when they get home.

"Remember, 600 visitors are now going back to their communities or home cities (from the CMA conference) and they're taking Yellowknife stories with them," said Therrien. "Word of mouth in selling a destination is invaluable."

Therrien said greatest possible addition to making Yellowknife a prime conference destination would be a conference centre.

"The ultimate wish would be a conference centre," she said. "That's an extreme wish list (item) because that's a lot of money. But that's what the visitor's centre was at one time, it was a wish."

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