Inuvik left out of tourism plans
Councillor: NWT Tourism campaign a 'slap in the face' to Inuvik
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, February 9, 2017
INUVIK
Town council seemed less than thrilled about a new tourism campaign that offers 150 free flights to Yellowknife.
Town councillors expressed displeasure that a new NWT Tourism campaign, which offers 150 free Air Canada tickets to the NWT, seemed to focus its prizes on trips to Yellowknife above the rest of the territory. - NNSL file photo
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A marketing campaign run by Northwest Territories Tourism, dubbed Revealing NWT Secrets, is designed to give 150 winners free flights to Yellowknife through Air Canada.
To go along with Canada's 150th anniversary this year, NWT Tourism will be revealing 150 secrets about the territory over 150 days and visitors to the NWT Secrets website will have the ability to win one of 150 free flights to Yellowknife.
Mayor Jim McDonald wondered why none of those flights were going to the rest of the territory.
"I was told that it was easier for them to get a partnership with Air Canada to offer flights to Yellowknife rather than offering flights throughout the territory," said Vicky Gregoire-Tremblay, economic development and tourism manager for the Town of Inuvik, at council Monday, Feb. 6.
McDonald responded that Yellowknife is in the NWT but there's a lot more to the territory than just its capital.
"I think we need to raise the concern with (NWT Tourism) and I'd like to see them offer at least some trips beyond Yellowknife," he said.
Gregoire-Tremblay said the concern had been raised and there is at least one super prize apart from the flights to Yellowknife that will offer two tickets for winners to travel to the Beaufort Delta region.
She said she was not consulted by NWT Tourism about the campaign beforehand.
"That's a slap in the face to our region," said Coun. Vince Sharpe.
He encouraged McDonald to send a letter to the GNWT from the town about the issue.
"We certainly have a lot to offer and I was disappointed when I heard that," said McDonald.
Communication snafus seemed a theme at the meeting, as it was also revealed that French TV show Les Echappees Belles cancelled its trip to Inuvik.
The show was supposed to film the region's trapping history and explore the ice road. The Town of Inuvik had agreed to assist the crew.
However, according to Gregoire-Tremblay, Destination Canada told the production crew that the town could not assist them, so the crew cancelled the Inuvik portion of their trip.
