Arviat tourism group “dismayed” by editorial

I am writing as the Tourism Co-ordinator for Arviat, to express our dismay and disagreement with your editorial on Sept. 12, entitled “The tourism mirage.”

In Arviat, we firmly believe that tourism can be one of the “pillars” of our local economy, and there is ample evidence to support this view.

Your negative messaging does not help our efforts to develop the Arviat Community Ecotourism initiative.

Unlike most of Nunavut, we are not far removed from the part of Canada which attracts lots of tourists – Churchill welcomes 20,000 real tourists every year. It is not that expensive for them to extend their trip by an extra half-hour in order to visit Arviat, to see polar bears in their natural habitat, or at other times of the year to see the caribou herds, and we offer a unique cultural experience as a bonus.

The operators already positioned in Churchill have recognized this fact — we are now working with them — with the first four such tours in 2011, including one group from Japan and another from Australia. Other international operators are not far behind.

You are correct in saying that “hospitality workers suffer from little training or experience.” This is perhaps where government ought to have invested, rather than in the succession of “tourism strategy” studies which you cite.

The good news is, that missing training — and much more, for eco-guides, community hosts, cultural performers, cooks, small boat operators, historical interpreters, etc. etc. — has been happening in Arviat over the past two years and will continue into the future.

The funding for this has all come from NTI and KIA, and we in Arviat greatly appreciate this. It is making a difference and, provided we can also attract Government of Nunavut support for some new start-up tourism-related small businesses, it will lead to a successful and sustainable tourism “industry” in Arviat in the years ahead.

Olivia Inuksuk Tagalik
Tourism Coordinator
Email your letters to editor@nunatsiaq.com.

Arviat