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Tourism 2020 on-pace after record breaking year

Cameron Wilkinson
By Cameron Wilkinson

Tourism is reaching new heights for the Northwest Territories.

The 2016-17 numbers are in, and for the first time, visitor spending surpassed the $200 million mark. That was thanks to over 100,000 visitors travelling to the NWT.

The numbers show progress toward the GNWT’s five-year strategy to increase tourism. The overall goal of Tourism 2020 projects the territory at bringing in $207 million annually by 2021.

Close to $50 million of the spending came from aurora viewing, a 23% increase.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Wally Schumann, says the record-breaking numbers are proof Tourism 2020 is working.

“The Department, local tourism operators, and our destination marketing organization NWT Tourism, are working together to build this sector – and with it, the strength and diversity of our regional economies.”

The GNWT says that as the single largest renewable resource-based industry in the NWT, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is committed to growing the sector and the economic opportunities it creates.

Cameron Wilkinson
Cameron Wilkinson
News Reporter

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