High standards and professionalism
Communities need training to maximize potential, says NWT Tourism executive director
Daron Letts
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 24, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Quality and selection have long been recognized as ingredients for commercial success and members of the new NWT Tourism board plan to use that time-tested recipe in 2015.
Cathie Bolstad, executive director of NWT Tourism, and board chairperson Don Morin met with more than 140 delegates during the not-for-profit marketing organization's conference from Nov. 18 to Nov. 20. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo |
More than 140 delegates from all regions of the territory gathered in Yellowknife last week for the organization's annual three-day conference, which concluded on Nov. 20 with an annual general meeting followed by an awards gala at the Explorer Hotel.
The board expanded to 14 members from 11. The structure provides for a minimum of 10 members and a maximum of 16.
The two remaining seats are reserved for an Akaitcho Territory Government representative and, following a new motion passed last week, a representative from the NWT Metis Nation.
Don Morin, former NWT premier and Aurora Village tour operator, remains as board chairperson for a one-year term. The expanded board, which includes Deh Cho, Tlicho, Inuvialuit, Sahtu and Gwich'in representation, strengthens NWT Tourism's voice and vision.
"It brings the whole NWT into the board and that's so important because we represent the whole NWT," said Morin. "Making sure to have people from every region, from every area and from every sector, as well, is very, very important so we get all that in to any decisions that we're making."
In order to maintain the benefit of a broader reach in the territory, the board is going to require more resources, he added.
"We have very clear direction from our membership that we have to work with the GNWT and lobby the GNWT to ensure that all those communities and all those regions have a voice on this board. The only way they're going to have a voice on this board is if they're funded properly and able to participate and they need that and we're going to try to assist them to make that happen," he said.
Established in 1996, the not-for-profit marketing organization is contracted by the GNWT to promote the territory's $100 million tourism industry to increase visitor numbers and spending.
Visitor numbers recently increased to 75,300 in 2012/13 from the 65,200 who traveled to the territory in 2010/11. Spending also rose to $105.8 million from $94.1 million two years earlier.
The goal of the 2014/15 marketing plan is to increase visitor spending by another 10 per cent.
"No matter what kind of tourism it is, it's real, fresh money coming in. The vast majority of people that work in tourism are in the NWT. We don't have to fly over people like the diamond mines. They're people that live here and a lot of the things that they do is sharing our lives, our culture and traditions that are all unique. That's what tourists just love. They love the story about the North so it's very easy to sell it," said Morin.
High standards are key, he added.
"We need to make sure we treat people right and they leave with a very, very good impression of the North - they leave with a warm feeling in their heart that they want to come back or they want to tell their friends to come here. We can do all other kinds of marketing, but that's the very best. Make sure to give them everything that they expect," he said. "We need to make sure that we set standards so that we have a very high standard in the NWT for product. That way, when you do compete in the world market and people come, they're going to compare you to what happens in the rest of the world. The standard is high."
From July to September, Cathie Bolstad, executive director of NWT Tourism, visited all the regions of the territory, meeting with aboriginal organizations, town councils, chambers of commerce and tour operators to gauge their needs and solicit their ideas.
The people she spoke with supported the need to meet high standards for all tourism products, but the need for training was also identified as a priority, she said.
"We need to not only set the standards, but also make sure that the government provides the training programs so that it doesn't become elitist and it becomes capable that everybody can meet it with proper training for the standards," she said. "So, they're embracing standards, they want the bar set high, but they want the support from government that they're going to train them to meet the standards that we set.
"It's all about packaging the regions."
A tourism labour force development strategy is being developed by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment in collaboration with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It is expected to be delivered in the new year, said Bolstad.
Fact file
2014 NWT Tourism award winners
Service Excellence Award:
Aklavik Community Corporation
Operator of the Year Award:
Harold Grinde (Gana River Outfitters)
Mike Stillwell Lifetime Achievement Award:
Greg Robertson (Bluefish Services)
Source: NWT Tourism
New NWT Tourism board
Executive
Chairperson: Don Morin (Aurora Village)
Vice-chairperson: Carlos Gonzalez (Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures)
Secretary: Kathy McBryan (2 Seasons Adventures)
Treasurer: Greg Robertson (Bluefish Services)
Aboriginal government appointed directors
Tlicho Government: Antonia Dryneck
Dehcho First Nations: Michael McLeod
Gwich'in Tribal Council: Margaret Nazon
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation: Gerry Kisoun
Sahtu Secretariat: Judith Wright-Bird
Akaitcho Territory Government: vacant
NWT Metis Nation: vacant
GNWT appointed director (ex-officio):
Kelly Kaylo, assistant deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment
Directors
Ken Yoder (Hearne Lake Lodge)
Harold Grinde (Gana River Outfitters)
Bobby Drygeese (B Dene Adventures)
Source: NWT Tourism
