Tourism 2020: Opening Our Spectacular Home to the World

News Releases

YELLOWKNIFE (October 6, 2016) – The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released an investment plan for the tourism sector designed to increase the value of the industry in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to $207 million annually by 2021.

Tourism 2020: Opening our Spectacular Home to the World is the third in a series of successful five-year tourism plans. It features planned investments in community infrastructure, capacity building, product packaging and Aboriginal cultural tourism.

The plan was developed collaboratively with input from NWT Tourism, the Aboriginal Tourism Champions Advisory Council, Parks Canada, Aboriginal communities, municipal governments, GNWT departments, and stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry.

The NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy highlights tourism as a robust sector with the potential to create opportunities and spin-off benefits in all NWT communities.

The Tourism 2020 plan reflects the GNWT’s commitment to advance economic diversity in the NWT through strategic investments in tourism.

Quote:

“The Northwest Territories has much to offer travellers – stunning landscapes, rich culture and unforgettable adventure. It also has much to gain. Tourism 2020 is an investment in our people, our communities and our future. This renewable resource has a high return on investment and will create lasting economic opportunities, careers and capacity building throughout the territory.” 
- Wally Schumann, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment 

Quick facts

  • The Tourism 2020 budget provides $9.497 million over five years and will target an additional $6.233 million in investment leveraged from other sources.
  • The Tourism 2015 Plan identified an ambitious goal of building the NWT tourism sector to a $130 million-dollar industry by 2015.   In 2014/15, visitor spending reached an all-time-high of $146.6 million.
  • Several new programs and services will roll-out over the life of the plan, including the debut of an Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Champions Program and a Community Tourism Program; as well as the graduation of the Tourism Youth Mentorship Program from a pilot to an ongoing program.

Relevant links

Media contact

Drew Williams
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Industry, Tourism and Investment
1-867-767-9202 (ext.63037)
Drew_Williams@gov.nt.ca