Tourism Series: Marketing the Northwest Territories

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You may have noticed the number of visitors to the Northwest Territories (NWT) increasing over the last few years – do you ever wonder how they learn about the NWT?

To keep the territory’s tourism industry going strong, we have a two-fold approach.

  1. Build a Base

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) is responsible for tourism licensing, training, research and program and policy development. This work helps to equip our local tourism and hospitality industry with the resources, skills and support they need to provide enjoyable experiences for visitors.

  1. Spread the Word!

The other half of the equation is promotion. ITI provides funding to NWT Tourism, the Destination Marketing Organization, to carry out marketing work. This means promoting awareness of the NWT as a spectacular travel destination and enticing visitors to book their next trip.

NWT Tourism promotes our territory around the world with marketing campaigns, media, advertising, and by working with international travel agencies. NWT Tourism also runs the Conference Bureau, which offers assistance to organizations planning to host meetings, events or conferences in the territory.

Did You Know? The NWT has over 200 tourism operators!

150 NWT Secrets Worth Sharing

One example of NWT Tourism’s marketing efforts is the recent Discover Our Secrets campaign. It’s using the excitement around Canada’s 150th birthday to shine a spotlight on the NWT. From January 1st to May 3oth, a total of 150 “secrets” are being revealed that highlight reasons why the NWT is such an incredible place to visit and live. From coast to coast to coast, Canadians are learning about attractions like the Rabbit Kettle Tufa Mounds in Nahanni National Park Reserve, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, the Canol Trail, Ice Road Truckers and Fort Smith’s annual Paddlefest.

Click here to view all secrets to date.

The campaign included five grand prize packages that will take five couples (one each) on all-inclusive adventures into each of the NWT’s five regions. There are an additional 140 subsidiary prizes for single flights to Yellowknife, and all winners have been encouraged to travel further into our spectacular territory.

The campaign has exceeded all original benchmarks and goals. Here are a few of the exciting results!