SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Tourism in remote communities will get a much needed boost thanks to $2.8 million worth of federal funding announced last week by CanNor Minister Leona Aglukkaq.
"This is a great day for tourism," said Don Morin, executive director for NWT Tourism, who was also at the press conference.
The funding injection will be added to $7.2 million already earmarked by the GNWT (as well as another $210,000 from industry partners) to support new initiatives over the next two years.
Of the combined federal and GNWT funding, $7.4 million will go toward supporting a five-year marketing strategy aimed at attracting tourists in international markets in Asia, Europe and North America over the next two years.
According to Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Dave Ramsay, who was also at the press conference, the marketing strategy will fund advertising, support NWT representation at trade shows and to develop new ways to market tourism opportunities in the territory, with a particular focus on cultural tourism.
Although the territory's tourism industry brought in $160 million last year, Ramsay said it has lots of room to grow.
"In global terms, the (territory's) tourism industry is still in its infancy. There is much work to do if we are to reach our full potential," he said.
In order to target foreign markets, the GNWT will team up with NWT Tourism, which represents 200 tour operators across the territory.
"Funding like we're getting today to help market ourselves to the world really helps to attract more tourists to the Northwest Territories," said Morin.
The remaining $2.8 million will be used to build the capacity of five communities - Lutsel K'e, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Deline and Tuktoyaktuk - to deliver community-based tourism.
"People really want to come and get a glimpse into life in a small community, life in an aboriginal community," Ramsay said.
"They want the chance to go out on a boat, check fishnets, talk to an elder ... they want that type of experience."
Ramsay said the five communities were singled out because they have shown initiative in trying to expand tourism at the local level. He pointed in particular to Deline, where a Destination Deline program has already proven to be a success.
"Not all communities are created equally," he said. "These other communities need help in building that capacity."
Over the next two years Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Tuktoyaktuk and Lutsel K'e will receive $500,000 each for a variety of initiatives.
In Tuktoyaktuk and Fort Resolution, most of the money will go toward building campgrounds. Fort Simpson meanwhile will use the funds to beautify the town by painting murals, restoring a tepee monument that was built when the pope visited in 1986, and renovating its historical rectory.
Most of Lutsel K'e's $500,000 will go toward hiring a tourism development coordinator and researching how the community can address its lack of commercial accommodations.
Deline will receive $110,000 to upgrade the Grey Goose Lodge and provide its staff with hospitality training.
"We're hopeful that some of the other communities that we see here today will follow in Deline's footsteps," Ramsay said.
An additional $500,000 will be used to run regionally based tourism training workshops over the next two years.
"It's important for us that tourism doesn't just take place in Yellowknife and the regional centres," Ramsay said.
"We really believe that tourism has the potential to have a positive economic impact on the 33 communities we have in the Northwest Territories."
