Global award for Arviat
Top consultant has contract end on emotional, proud note
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, May 7, 2014
ARVIAT
Emotions ran high as the Arviat Community Ecotourism (ACE) program was a big winner at the World Travel and Tourism Council Summit in Hainan, China, this past month.
The chance to be entertained and to interact with elders such as traditional performance artist Anita Iblauk is among the many draws of the Arviat Community Ecotourism (ACE) project, which captured the prestigious international community award this past month in Hainan, China. - photo courtesy of Michelle Valberg |
ACE took the community award for being committed to sustainable tourism leadership in local community development, empowerment and cultural heritage.
The award means a lot to Mike Robbins of the Ontario-based Tourism Co., who was involved with ACE since its beginning.
His contract with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. expired in March 31.
Robbins paid his own way to the ceremony.
He said it was an emotional affair for him, seeing the project the people of Arviat had worked so hard on win a major international award.
"Arviat tourism co-ordinator Olivia Tagalik and I were sitting side by side when ACE was announced as the winner," said Robbins.
"I noted her response, and felt the emotion welling in me as we went up onto the stage to accept the award.
"I was very proud to see Arviat achieve this, the most prestigious and rigorous award in global sustainable tourism.
"This is the big time and there we were, accepting the community award."
Robbins said the award was an affirmation of the effort that's gone into ACE over the past five years.
He said a lot transpired with ACE during those years, and it wasn't all clear sailing.
"The award is a validation of the community-based-tourism approach we took in Arviat.
"And it's validation from some of the leading minds in sustainable tourism, globally.
"That's pretty cool."
ACE moves forward with Tagalik staying on-board, and economic development officer Keith Collier overseeing the initiative.
Robbins said being acknowledged globally will help ACE attract tourists to Arviat, but not overnight.
He said marketing for a remote destination like Arviat remains one of ACE's biggest challenges, and successful marketing takes resources, patience, persistence and time.
"These awards recognize the approach and what has been accomplished as internationally significant.
"The community award will help enhance ACE's credibility and, obviously, broaden awareness.
"But, at the end of the day, it comes down to the work ethic and abilities of the individuals involved.
"The hamlet has decided to retain an ongoing involvement with ACE, so it has to become more knowledgable and aggressive about marketing, and be creative in pursuing funding to do the necessary marketing."
A new tourism venture in the south can take up to five years to generate significant visitation.
That can increase dramatically with a remote community that's very expensive just to get into.
Robbins said it's an extreme tourism situation that takes time to succeed.
To this point, he said, he's pleased with the connections ACE has made and the volume of business that's happened to date.
"We calculated ACE brought around $150,000 in new revenue to the community this past year.
"That doesn't sound like a lot, but it's new money going into a diverse range of pockets from performers to carvers, hosts, accommodation operators, etc.
"So that's important."
ACE would benefit greatly from a consistent marketing fund, but its business volume simply can't provide that ability.
Robbins said having to seek funding elsewhere can create troublesome gaps.
He said the tourism industry works in cycles, citing this month's Rendez-vous Canada as a perfect example.
"Suppliers like ACE set up a desk for arranged meetings with foreign tourism operators who have an interest in that type of product.
"Olivia has attended the past two, but isn't going this year, so, hopefully, Nunavut Tourism will represent ACE at Rendez-vous Canada because you have to be a consistent face at these events.
"She sat there for two years and didn't generate any real business, but the reality is you have to be there for three to five years before you see the rewards.
"You have to stick with it and persevere, but you also have to have the budget, and right now, ACE doesn't."
Robbins, a tourism specialist for about 35 years, said it can take 10 years to build a tourism business from the ground up to a point where it's self-sustaining.
He said ACE was just an idea five years ago.
"We had cooking students at the beginning of the training process who didn't know what a measuring cup was, or how to read a recipe.
"So, we started to build capacity at ground level.
"ACE has come a long way, but realistically, it's going to take that full 10 years to become self-sustaining.
"But in a community like Arviat, with 60 per cent youth and not a lot of economic options, 10 years is nothing to develop a small tourism economy that pays dividends going forward."
