The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) has invested $868,800 in six initiatives designed to strengthen and grow the tourism sector in the Northwest Territories. With additional contributions from project proponents, private investors, and the Territorial government, the projects have a total value of $1,104,300.
CDETNO Pan-Territory Francophone Tourism
CanNor Funding:
$100,000 in 2010-2011
$173,000 in 2011-2012
$180,000 in 2012-13
Total Project Value: $453,000
A pan-territorial francophone tourism marketing strategy will be delivered by the Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CDÉTNO) over a three year period. In phase one, CDETNO organized a two day pan-territorial forum bringing together Territorial governments and French economic development agencies to identify new ways to attract francophone tourists to the North. In phase two, CDETNO will develop a pan-territorial website, purchase travel website advertisements, promote northern tourism in Montreal, participate in the Tête-à-tête and Forum des Amériques trade shows, and develop a tourism marketing product that showcases unique aspects of each territory. In phase three, CDETNO will conduct surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the advertisements, trade show participation, and website.
Domestic Marketing Campaign
CanNor Funding: $250,000
Territorial Funding: $78,000
Private Sector Funding: $26,000
Total Project Value: $354,000
Northwest Territories Tourism (NWTT) used the funds to deliver an eight week domestic advertising campaign consisting of a series of coordinated two-page promotional features in the travel section of the Globe and Mail, an on-line campaign in the Globe and Mail, and a mobile application. The domestic campaign was designed to drive measurable traffic to special landing pages on the NWTT website and the websites of local operators who participate in the program. NWT Tourism also used the funds to conduct an international print and online campaign in Germany, with traffic driven to the newly developed German-language website www.spectacularnwt.de.
AGM Workshops
CanNor Funding: $40,000
Project Proponent Funding: $35,000
Private Sector Funding: $17,500
Total Project Value: $92,500
As part of this project, tourism operators participated in a series of workshops at their 2010 Annual General Meeting, delivered by Northwest Territories Tourism (NWTT). Workshop topics included utilizing social media to promote tourism products, marketing techniques for target market travellers, services offered by NWTT, and introducing authentic Aboriginal content into existing businesses. In addition, workshops were arranged to teach specific skills requested by tourism operators such as fly fishing and marketing on the web. The 2010 Conference theme was "Expand Your Horizons."
Artists Business Skills Workshops
CanNor Funding: $25,000
Total Project Value: $$25,000
CanNor's investment supported the delivery of workshops and professional development seminars for artists and the public at the 2010 Great Northern Arts Festival (GNAF). The workshops fulfilled the organization's strategic goals to expand the Festival package, provide promotional and educational opportunities for artists, and support tourism products in Inuvik and the Beaufort Delta Region. Funds were used for instructor fees and workshop supplies.
Arts and Crafts Marketing
CanNor Funding: $16,800
Territorial Funding: $12,000
Total Project Value: $28,800
A five-year Strategic Marketing Plan to promote Northwest Territories visual arts was developed under this initiative. The plan includes proposed geographic markets and campaign tactics, retail venues and trade shows, traditional and social media marketing opportunities, and opportunities to incorporate existing marketing products such as the NWT Arts website, Branding Logo Program, and Artists Database.
Tourism Measurement Strategy
CanNor Funding: $84,000
Territorial Funding: $62,000
Other Federal Funding: $5,000
Total Project Value: $151,000
The Government of the Northwest Territories conducts a territory-wide Visitor Exit Survey every four years to obtain baseline information on visitor numbers, spending patterns, and visitation characteristics. The CanNor investment was used to conduct a visitor phone survey, tally passenger flight counts, and distribute visitor exit surveys at major airports and aurora viewing and outfitters' establishments. These benchmark statistics will be used to guide future planning and investments in tourism product development, training, research, infrastructure development, and marketing.
Federal investment for this project is made possible through CanNor's Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program which focuses on long-term economic growth, economic diversification and capacity building in all three territories.
SINED is one of several economic development programs within CanNor. CanNor is responsible for coordinating and delivering Canada's economic development across the North, and for related policy development, research, and advocacy.
