N.W.T. needs to get ready for influx of Chinese tourists, says tour operator

As Canada gears up for the Canada-China Year of Tourism, the Northwest Territories might not have the resources to satisfyincoming tourists, saysa tour operator based in Yellowknife.

The Canada-China Year of Tourism, which was announced in September 2016, is an agreement between the two countries to promote tourism and facilitate travel within one another in 2018.

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According to a newsrelease from the Prime Minister's Office, in 2016 there were 610,000 tourists from China who spent an estimated $1.25 billion in Canada. The goal is to double the amount of Chinese tourists by 2021, with the help of the China-Canada Year of Tourism and Canada's seven new visa application centres in China.

But Bobby Drygeese, the owner of B. Dene Adventures offering traditional Dene cultural programs, said the N.W.T.doesn't offer many opportunities for tourists to participate in traditional Indigenous culture, which is one of the reasons they are coming to Yellowknife.

"I think the City and especially NWTTourism need to push more for these programs, like individual companies like myself, [what] we do. They should be supporting more businesses," he said.

NWT Tourism is a non-profit that's contracted by the territorial government to market the territory and represents 200 tourism operators.

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Instant noodles and hot drinks

Liang Chen, who was born in Beijing and learns about tourism as part of his role as managing director of Northern Gateway Consulting Services, said Chinese travellers are experienced travellers and they will want to participate in the customs and culture of the North.

He said other ways toprepare for Chinese tourists arebringing in interpreters, making sure tour equipment is up to date and keeping in mind what Chinese people are used to.

"When a Chinese patron goes to eat at a restaurant, almost no Chinese [people] will drink ice water. They always expect something hot, a hot beverage. So, you know, just simple things like that," he said.

Chen said a Chinese guest will probably prefer instant noodles as a gift, over chocolate and water.

Winfred Gatsi, who is the marketing director for Arctic Tours Canada, said the Yellowknife company is getting ready for Chinese tourists by hiring more Mandarin and Cantonese interpreters and learning more about Chinese culture.

He says that will make it easier for their guests to adapt in Canada, and learn Canadian practices.

"It also helps us to learn how they do their own things and what they expect when they do visit our territory," he said.

Wally Schumann, the N.W.T. minister of Industry, Tourism and Infrastructure, said the government is preparing for the Canada-China Year of Tourism by placing emphasis on safety and making sure that every tour operator has a safety plan going forward.

He says he hopes that the Canada-China Year ofTourism will help the territory's tourism industry bring in more than$207 million, which was one of the goals in the territory's Tourism 2020 plan.

Yukon is also hoping for an increase in Chinese tourists. Around 3,500 Chinese citizens visit the Yukon every year and according to Tourism Yukon it's a growing market with a lot of potential.

"China is the holy grail in a way, especially for North American provinces, territories and states that are on the West Coast. It is a massive market and so even a tenth of a percentage point of the market [is a] huge number of travellers," said Robin Anderson of Tourism Yukon.

Tour operators in Yukon are also prepping for the potential influx. The Arctic Colour Lodge, which focuses on winter tourism, has seen increased interest from Chinese travellers and is catering to the market by offering tours in Mandarin.

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