March 24, 2022
Today, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), in collaboration with Northwest Territories Tourism (NWTT), released the Resident Readiness Strategy, a short-term strategy created to support NWT residents in welcoming back tourists to the NWT.
The Resident Readiness Strategy is an identified action of the GNWT’s Emerging Stronger plan, and aligns with the reopening of the Northwest Territories (NWT) to family, friends, and visitors from across Canada and the world.
The Resident Readiness Strategy focuses on four key areas that:
- promote a feeling of pride and safety among residents
- foster skill development for the tourism workforce
- invest in marketing to Canadian travelers
- support businesses to serve tourists
Supporting the GNWT’s five-year Tourism 2025 strategy, the Resident Readiness Strategy encourages residents to understand the value of the tourism sector and the opportunities that it brings to communities across the territory.
Quotes
“We are proud of our vast and beautiful territory, and are eager to show it off again. This strategy will guide the GNWT in working with residents to ensure they feel comfortable and safe as the territory welcomes back visitors. Tourism has been one of the hardest hit sectors during the global pandemic, and we are looking forward to taking the first steps toward recovery.”
- Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment
“We are excited to be having discussions and working with licensed operators on the upcoming tourism season. These past two years have been a significant challenge for all businesses that depend on tourism for their livelihoods, and we are glad to be moving forward. While we have certainly been listening to how the NWT population feels about returning visitors, working with residents to remind them of the value of tourism for both themselves and their communities is critical to our success. The Northwest Territories is known for its ambassadors in every corner, and we want to reconnect and celebrate that for our new and returning explorers looking for their spectacular.”
- Harold Grinde, Chair of Northwest Territories Tourism
Quick facts
- Over the past two years, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has provided consistent support for tourism and tourism-related businesses through a number of funding programs including:
- Growth and Recovery by Investing in Tourism (GRIT)
- Pandemic Relief Extension Program (PREP)
- Supplement for Tourism Accommodation Relief (STAR)
- Tourism Restart Investment Program (TRIP)
- In 2018-19 the Northwest Territories had 120,110 visitors, with $210.10 million spent.
- In 2019-20 the Northwest Territories had 117,620 visitors, with $204.60 million spent – the first year since 2015 that visitation and spending numbers dropped.
- The NWT’s borders reopened for leisure travel on March 1, 2022.