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INUVIK
A brainstorming session Feb. 26 just might shake up the Inuvik tourism sector.

Mayor Floyd Roland chipped in his thoughts during a tourism stakeholders brainstorming session Feb. 26. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

The meeting, organized by Jackie Challis, the town's economic development and tourism manager, attracted a cross-section of people and organizations with vested interests in the industry to the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex. Representatives ranging from Mayor Floyd Roland to Parks Canada to GNWT, Gwich'in and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation staff members gathered at the meeting.

Challis soon put them to work in an entertaining spinoff of the speed-dating concept. The participants were divided into groups of four and shuffled from table to table every five or 10 minutes to write down off-the-cuff ideas on marketing promotions, tourism products, events, festivals and summer tourism packages.

After a quick perusal of the hastily-scribbled ideas, Challis said she was delighted with what she saw.

"There was a lot enthusiasm in the room, judging by the level of noise," she told the group.

Dozens of ideas and concepts were offered by the rotating groups. Among the more interesting were more regional festivals, and eco-tours, including wildlife, birding, whale-watching, paddling, and so on.

The idea of expanding summer events like the Midnight Sun Fun Run into a full-fledged marathon also garnered excitement, including from Inuvik Chamber of Commerce president Newton Grey.

"That's an excellent idea," he enthused, noting the huge demographic who travels to such events.

Janet Boxwell, who was in the same group as Grey, jumped on the idea as well. She expanded it to suggest triathlons, iron man events and paddling competitions and festivals.

Boxwell also noted the need to offer a variety of choices for visitors, from longer-term and more adventurous packages to trips for people who might simply want to spend a day or two in the area.

She suggested activities like tours of the community greenhouse would be excellent and simple ways of appealing to that market segment.

As the discussion continued, Grey said emphatically that the partners attending the meeting had to be prepared to act on at least a few of the ideas for the summer season.

"We need to try a few of these ideas this summer, and people need to come to the table," he said.

Grey mentioned that some key operators, such as representatives from the Mackenzie Hotel and Up North Tours, weren't present at the meeting. Also missing were representatives of the local hunters and trappers committee, who are also key to the industry.

He said the stakeholders couldn't afford to wait for potential partners to show up, or nothing would get done.

Roland agreed with that sentiment. He also recalled how, before he embarked on his territorial political career, he had operated a boat-based tourism business that was actually the impetus for driving him into politics.

He said that approval for his venture was stymied at first by the myriad approvals and multiple groups needed for the business. Roland said his introduction to politics came as he fought his way through the obstacles.

"I wanted to know who was making the decisions and why," he said.

"We need to put some of this into action," Roland continued. "But we have to remember there are sensitive areas and we have to work around it. We need to work with the other groups."

Other participants, like Arctic Chalet's Judi Falsnes, were less optimistic. While she appreciated many of the ideas being put forward, she doubted whether the infrastructure was in place to accommodate any great increase in tourism.

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