March 15, 2022
On March 1st the ITI Minister Caroline Wawzonek tabled the Northwest Territories Tourism (NWTT) 2022-23 Marketing Plan in the NWT Legislative Assembly.
Northwest Territories Welcoming Visitors - 2022-23 Marketing Plan
NWTT is the GNWT’s destination marketing organization (DMO) for the Northwest Territories. Its plan highlights the strategies and tactics that will be used to promote the NWT as a destination for visitors and travellers from around the world.
While target markets for tourism are traditionally outside of the NWT, this year’s plan includes a second year of northern staycation marketing aimed at encouraging NWT residents to travel within the territory.
“Enabling stronger connections between local residents and tourism operators offering spectacular visitor experiences, will build pride of place and resident hospitality for visitors. These are important foundations that will help NWT residents become comfortable and welcoming to visitors from outside of the territory once again, when the time is right,” the plan reads.
As part of its commitment to Increase economic diversification by supporting growth in non-extractive sectors and setting regional diversification targets, the GNWT’s mandate highlights the need to increase tourism in the NWT with a focus on increasing tourism outside of Yellowknife.
With borders re-opening across Canada (including the NWT’s 60th parallel), NWTT will begin to re-establish the NWT’s brand as the world’s Spectacular tourism destination be showcasing Spectacular Stories designed specifically to encourage and compel Canadians to visit the NWT while invigorating communities to once-again be tourism champions.
The NWTT will continue to nurture long-term travel relationships with general sales agents in key international markets to position the territory for a return of international travellers.
Meanwhile, strategic partnerships with Destination Canada and Canada’s Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) will solidify the GNWT’s core support for the NWT tourism industry.
Behind some of the initiatives and activities outlined in the NWTT’s plan, are eight formal objectives that guide its work and investments to showcase and share the NWT.
They are:
- Grow tourism visitation and tourism-related expenditure in the NWT.
- Expand destination and brand awareness.
- Encourage regional distribution of tourism benefits.
- Expand awareness of Indigenous experiences within the NWT.
- Promote the NWT as a Meetings, Conferences, and Incentive Travel (MCIT) destination.
- Ensure effectiveness in media marketing channels - earned, paid, shared, owned.
- Build resilience in travel trade networks; and
- Ensure marketing in all channels is based on relevant data.
In addition to being the GNWT’s destination marketing organization, NWTT serves as a non-profit business chamber for its (approximately) 200-member businesses connected to the tourism industry. The organization is governed by a board of directors that includes elected representation from the tourism industry, reflecting the varied sectors and regions; as well as appointed directors that represent Indigenous governments from across the Northwest Territories.
In a Minister’s Statement to the Legislative Assembly prior to tabling the NWTT’s Marketing Plan, Minister Wawzonek paid tribute to the NWT tourism industry and its representative organization.
“Behind our territories’ world-renowned tourism product, exists a community of dedicated and resilient individuals; many of whom have made it their lifework and passion to present and represent our land and its people to the world,” she noted.
“One of these critical partners is Northwest Territories Tourism, who has tirelessly advocated and represented their membership throughout the past two years. They have carefully and consistently continued to strategically market the NWT both domestically and internationally, positioning the territory as a spectacular destination.”
Read the full Minister’s Statement here.