Mr. Speaker, we continue to navigate our ever-changing circumstances as the pandemic continues around the world. After a long winter, I am sure we are all looking forward to summer, fresh air, and outdoor activities.
Northwest Territories Parks are ready for visitors and we have already received a record number of registrations from residents across the territory. In 2020, registrations from NWT residents booking overnight stays in territorial parks increased 46 %, and already this year we are seeing a further increase of 15 % on top of 2020’s impressive numbers.
Building off this momentum, the department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has recently released of a new logo and branding for NWT Parks. This new look will be reflected in all of the marketing and communication platforms for NWT Parks, allowing us to position our parks locally, nationally and globally, as premier wilderness destinations.
With that said, tourism remains one of the hardest hit industries globally. The NWT had been enjoying increases in visitors year over year and people now know, and want to experience, what our unique and beautiful home has to offer. Many Northwest Territories’ tourism businesses are adapting their company models to make sure they are ready when visitors return after travel restrictions are lifted. We, as a territory, must support our tourism operators and businesses as best we can, and we as a government, must provide the support to help keep them in business.
Mr. Speaker, last week was Tourism Week across the country. This year, to mark this national event, we developed a campaign that involved interviewing NWT residents who took advantage of the adventures and experiences available across our territory. They enthusiastically recounted their stories and shared their pictures. So many people across the NWT supported tourism operators and had, in their own words, some of their best travel experiences ever.
It is inspiring to see the resilience operators and businesses have demonstrated, and adapted to focus on opportunities for residents, while we wait for the pandemic to ease. The tourism industry has offered innovative packages for tailored to all budgets and opened residents’ eyes to the world-class experiences we have right here in our backyards. With every booking, we have shown operators how much we value their contribution to the economy. In return they have given us a new appreciation that the NWT is truly spectacular.
Mr. Speaker, Tourism Week is only one way we continue to celebrate and support the tourism industry. Building on the momentum of past supports, like the digital boot camp training for operators to enhance their online profiles and in-market presence in partnership with Northwest Territories Tourism, and the Growth and Recovery by Investing in Tourism program, delivered through a funding collaboration with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
Very soon, we hope to launch the newest support programs to bring relief to the tourism and accommodation industry; the Pandemic Relief Extension Program, or PREP, for licensed tourism operators, and the Supplement for Tourism Accommodation Relief, or STAR, for accommodation providers who have three or more rooms.
The federal government has been a critical partner throughout the past year, and they are planning to continue supports through federal recovery programs. However, we know that the STAR and PREP programs are needed to continue supporting relief measures for these heavily impacted sectors.
Accommodation providers in the NWT have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Average occupancy levels for hotels reporting these statistics dropped from 65% in 2019 to 39% in 2020.
The STAR program will provide financial assistance for eligible expenses to accommodation providers in the NWT with three rooms or more and helps to continue the support for the sector that CanNor offered through their Northern Business Relief Fund.
Mr. Speaker, although there are positive signs for a tourism restart as the territorial and national vaccination programs gain momentum, the majority of tourism operators cannot maintain their businesses without some form of support. In the fall of 2020, 75 % of tourism businesses had reported a decline in revenues of 50% or more.
The PREP will provide relief for eligible fixed costs to licensed tourism operators at a minimum of $2,500 to a maximum of $100,000. While home-based tourism businesses were not eligible for federal relief through the NBRF, they will be eligible for relief funding under the PREP.
Mr. Speaker, our tourism operators have demonstrated their resilience through their adaptation and refocus under never-before-seen conditions. When our travel restrictions ease, we are confident our tourism industry will rebound and continue to grow into one of the most robust areas of economic diversification for the Northwest Territories, supporting one of our primary mandates. We know that visitors are looking forward to returning, and we want to make sure our tourism industry is ready to welcome them with the unique experiences and opportunities that make our territory spectacular.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.