Nunavut Tourism sees challenges at AGM
With infrastructure an obstacle to attracting Chinese tourists, organization hopes to entice business travellers to stay extra day
Karen K. Ho
Northern News Services
Thursday, November 5, 2015
IQALUIT
Nunavut Tourism says the territory must address infrastructure challenges before it can draw more international visitors from places such as China after its annual general meeting was held late October. In the meantime, the plan is to focus on domestic travellers who typically arrive in smaller numbers.
Patti Balsillie presents on the Pan-Territorial Market Readiness Project at the Nunavut Tourism AGM and training sessions held from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26 in Iqaluit. - photo courtesy of Nunavut Tourism
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"We're not able to accommodate very large groups at this time. Our large groups generally max out at 30 people," said Sara Tomson, Nunavut Tourism's director of marketing and research.
Tomson said communities in the territory can generally accommodate short-term visits from cruise ships but there simply isn't enough infrastructure for longer stays.
"And the Chinese market generally seems to travel in large groups."
This is one of the issues discussed at Nunavut Tourism's annual general meeting and training sessions this year which took place in Iqaluit at Frobisher Inn's newly renovated conference centre from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26. This year's AGM, held Oct. 24, was the organization's 20th.
Tomson said packaging, where flights and accommodations or tours and activities are all sold together, is definitely a bigger topic in the industry now but members of her organization are more focused on Canadian tourists rather than international ones.
"We're not that quite far advanced," she said, "Especially because we're only accessible by air."
Tomson said getting lower or discounted rates from the airlines is very important and they're looking for ways to make package deals.
"It is easier for people to come here if they see one price and hopefully it's not too high of a price. They can just pay that one cost and get on a plane and arrive and go to their hotel and have an adventure. It's less worry for them," she said.
According to Tomson, business travel is also one of Nunavut Tourism's main target markets.
"It's always on our radar," she said, adding that a single-day extension of a business traveller's trip at the beginning or the end an easy sell. "They're already in the territory, in the community. To add on a fishing product or a boat tour or a hike. We're always talking with our members about small ideas that they can add on to a business trip if they know there's a conference in town or a school group."
According to a organization's news release, attendance was up this year, with participants from all across Nunavut.
Nunavut Tourism's workshops and information sessions this year included product development, pan-territorial market readiness (in partnership with the Yukon and the NWT), finance, as well as a final community consultation on proposed changes to the Travel & Tourism Act hosted in partnership with the Government of Nunavut and Tait Communications and Consulting.
Nunavut Tourism CEO Kevin Kelly stated his organization is moving forward with the implementation of Tunngasaiji: "A Tourism Strategy for Nunavummiut" and that the sessions and workshops were all key items in its implementation.
New board members and chair
The organization's board of directors were also announced during the meeting. Adventure Canada's Alana Faber was acclaimed the cruise sector position, Bathurst Inlet Lodge's Boyd Warner was acclaimed to the hunting and fishing sector director position, ACL - Inns North's John Simms was re-elected to the accommodations sector director position, Keewatin Air's Nicole Rebeck was acclaimed the transportation sector director position, Ian Kalinowsky was acclaimed to the travel trade sector director position and was also elected by the board to be the secretary/treasurer.
Sarah McNair-Landry of the Iqaluit-based outfitter NorthWinds Arctic Adventures is the Baffin representative on Nunavut's Tourism board. She was also elected the chair. Former chair Adamie Sakeeta said he decided not to run again due to scheduling conflicts with his new position at Canadian North.
Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony
Among the attendees of Nunavut Tourism's awards dinner and gala on Oct. 24 was recently elected Liberal MP Hunter Tootoo, who made his his first public speaking appearance.
Economic Development and Transportation Minister Monica Ell-Kanayuk was the keynote speaker.
Nunavut Tourism handed out three awards this year for outstanding customer service, business of the year and lifetime achievement.
The customer service award recipient was Calm Air. Nunavut Tourism stated the company's "commitment to the Kivalliq region and friendly Northern hospitality aboard aircraft and throughout their call centre" solidified the selection committee's decision.
Last year's customer service award winner, Enokhok Inn, was the recipient of this year's business of the year award. Nunavut Tourism said the inn's expanding client base, its new rooms in Kugluktuk and Cambridge Bay, as well as the importance of its locations as meeting places in their respective communities, made them the clear winner.
Nunavut Territorial Parks's David Monteith won the lifetime achievement award.
"He has been a huge part of Nunavut Tourism in various capacities since its establishment in 1995," the organization's news release stated, citing Monteith's status as an original founder of the organization and his presence at the initial discussions.
"David has lived all over Nunavut in Clyde River, Iglulik, Sanikiluaq, Pond Inlet and ... Iqaluit. Nunavut Tourism wants to recognize David's 20 years of outstanding service within the organization and tourism in Nunavut as a whole."
