New learning program launched to strengthen competitiveness of tourism sector across Canada’s North

Press Release

May 03, 2018

The three Canadian territories are launching a new Business, Market and Trade Ready Learning Program to help northern tourism suppliers increase their global competitiveness when selling their products and experiences.

The program outlines tourism sector standards for the three levels of readiness (business, market and trade) and provides insights, explanations and examples for businesses to utilize and incorporate in their operations. The resources will help businesses establish and maintain consumer confidence through the development of consistent policies and processes. It is also aimed at growing capacity in the tourism industry and promoting a better understanding of the opportunities and requirements of working within the travel trade.

This program is available for tourism suppliers online and through in-person workshops conducted in Canada’s North. Participants who complete the workshop – either online or in a classroom setting – will gain a deeper understanding of how to enhance their readiness and make successful connections with consumers in a global marketplace.

To request a workshop, Yukon organizations and communities are encouraged to contact the Industry Services unit of the Government of Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture.

Developing these resources has been a shared effort – one that will help tourism businesses to be more competitive in the global market, benefiting both Yukoners and our northern partners. Each territory has its own unique approach to tourism and we are proud to collaborate on enhancing this sector across Canada’s North.

Yukon Minister of Tourism and Culture Jeanie Dendys

Training for our industry to these standards is a key success ingredient identified in our five-year marketing strategy aimed at growing the Northwest Territories’ visitor spend to $235 million. It has been a pleasure working with our Yukon and Nunavut destination marketing colleagues to develop this program and we are delighted to have the partnership of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the implementation of the training in our territory.

CEO of Northwest Territories Tourism Cathie Bolstad

Nunavut Tourism is pleased to have been a part of the collaboration between the three Northern Territories which has been an important driver behind the success of this project. Tourism operators in Nunavut now have another tool to succeed in the global tourism market! We are excited to working in a unified environment with Destination Nunavut and the Government of Nunavut, Tourism and Cultural Industries division, on the Implementation of the program in Nunavut!

CEO of Nunavut Tourism Kevin Kelly

• This project is a development partnership between the Government of Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture, Northwest Territories Tourism and Nunavut Tourism with partial funding from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. It was developed as part of the Canada’s North project; a partnership formed by the three territories in 2015.
• The first Business, Market and Trade Ready workshop was hosted in Yellowknife on March 13, 2018, with support from the Government of the Northwest Territories. Participants were from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut and the workshop was facilitated by Tourism Yukon.
• Tourism suppliers are businesses engaged in selling their products and experiences through travel trade distribution or direct to consumers. This learning program was developed to support northern suppliers, enabling them to operate with Business, Market and Trade Ready Standards in order to work effectively with international tour operators in a highly competitive global market.

Contact

Sunny Patch
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7478
sunny.patch@gov.yk.ca

Linnea Blum
Communications, Tourism and Culture
867-332-2625
linnea.blum@gov.yk.ca

Cathie Bolstad
Chief Executive Officer, Northwest Territories Tourism
867-873-5007 ext. 1005
executive@spectacularnwt.com

Kevin Kelly
Chief Executive Officer, Nunavut Tourism
867-979-6551
ceo@nunavuttourism.com

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