IMAX film could boost tourism in Nunavut

I read “Nunavut’s Tourism Industry Stagnant” in your July 23 newspaper with great interest. Tourism is one of the world’s best economy boosters, it is educational and inspirational to the visitor and the visited. It is clean and non-polluting.

The Inuit, The People project, an IMAX format film, is trying to boost more tourism to Nunavut for many years to come in a big way.

This project is about how we live in Nunavut today. It is the biggest billboard for Nunavut’s tourism and its art. Some IMAX format films show for over 20 years around the world when they are made with great care and Inuit, The People is going to be made the best way possible, to promote Inuit, Nunavut, culture, language, art, great scenery, hospitality, the will to survive, and how we use traditional knowledge mixed in with modern ways. After reading your article, it gave me more determination to do my part to contribute to Nunavut’s economy.

There is much opportunity in the tourism industry as we know, but we who live in Nunavut will have to be trained properly in the hospitality industry. There is the bed-and-breakfast model we can learn from, since running hotels is very expensive in the smaller communities.

To promote Nunavut through an IMAX format film (15/70 film) is a very expensive project, but it is going to be worth every penny spent because it is going to be seen by many more people, for many more years.

Also, when the profits starts to flow in, it will be put into a foundation which will directly benefit Nunavut students who wants to continue their education in the media and communication arts. To do this, the Nunavut government, the federal government, Inuit organizations and big businesses need to fund this huge project. This project belongs to all Canadians, since visitors will have to go through the southern cities to get up here, so all Canada will benefit.

The direct benefits to the Inuit during its production are huge. We will have Inuit managers, we will use local outfitters, stay in hotels, buy local materials, buy local foods, rent boats and snowmobiles, hire elders as advisors, hire seamstresses, Inuit clothing designers, local airlines. Inuit, The People will be shot in all areas of Nunavut.

If this is not the answer to Nunavut’s tourism industry being stagnant, I don’t know what is.

Ann Meekitjuk Hanson, C.M.
Iqaluit