Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Dene First NationSA国际影视传媒檚 Frontier Lodge has received the prestigious Tourism Operator of the Year award for 2023.

Representatives of the fishing lodge, situated on the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, accepted the award at the 2023 NWT Tourism conference, which ran from Nov. 6-8 in Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are very humbled and honoured by the recognition,SA国际影视传媒� said Saniz Catholique-Baton, a Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Dene First Nation member and president of the Frontier Lodge board. SA国际影视传媒淐onnecting the community and culture, and maintaining the business through a pandemic and now wildfire evacuations has been a challenge, but through it all we continue to work towards the best future for our lodge and the North.SA国际影视传媒�

The Tourism Operator of the Year award is reserved for businesses that demonstrate SA国际影视传媒渁ll-around excellenceSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渟trong growth and/or a record of success,SA国际影视传媒� according to the official nomination form. The distinction also recognizes businesses that show a SA国际影视传媒渃ommitment to education and trainingSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渃ommunity involvement and leadership.SA国际影视传媒�

Frontier Lodge made its mark in the latter category during this summerSA国际影视传媒檚 wildfires. With the tourism season cut short, the lodge donated its remaining food to residents of Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈, and helped maintain the food supply chain throughout the crisis.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen times get tough, you want to pull together and help each other,SA国际影视传媒� said Corey Myers, Frontier LodgeSA国际影视传媒檚 general manager. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e a community-owned business. Yes, every decision we make is through the lens of the business and whatSA国际影视传媒檚 best for the business, but it always comes back to whatSA国际影视传媒檚 best for the community.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat was going on in the territory this summer was awful, and we wanted to help. We wanted to do what we could.SA国际影视传媒�

Frontier Lodge has been open to fishing enthusiasts for close to 60 years. It was purchased by Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 in 2019, at which point an effort was made to deepen the lodgeSA国际影视传媒檚 connection to the land and the Denesuline (or Chipewyan) people.

Those efforts have helped the site to become a hit among locals and travellers.

Less than 24 hours after the lodge announced its receipt of the Tourism Operator of the Year award on Facebook, dozens of people from the NWT and much farther afield chimed in with messages of appreciation.

Iris Catholique, manager at Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve, is one of many people in the area with immense appreciation for the lodge.

SA国际影视传媒淔rontier Lodge is located within Thaidene Nene, which has so much Denesuline history, so many stories and beautiful places,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that visitors often leave the lodge with SA国际影视传媒済reat memories and long-lasting friendships.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 would invite everyone to come and visit our piece of the world,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Myers has seen and heard plenty of similar feedback since the lodge received the award, and heSA国际影视传媒檚 honoured that the business has endeared itself to so many, particularly after staff were forced to postpone and cancel many customersSA国际影视传媒� trips during the pandemic, and more recently, due to wildfires.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a super loyal client base,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think weSA国际影视传媒檙e over 80 per cent return clients, year over year, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 one big family.

SA国际影视传媒淪eeing the outpouring of support, it means a lot for me personally and for the business,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e humbled.SA国际影视传媒�

Winning NWT TourismSA国际影视传媒檚 Operator of the Year award is certainly a cause for celebration for Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 and the staff at the lodge, and Myers said it will serve as a source of motivation.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 totally motivation,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e have a great team. This doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen without a great team, and that comes from community support, the hard work of our board and our staff.

SA国际影视传媒淸The staff] are the heart and soul of it, and theySA国际影视传媒檒l also tell you that ISA国际影视传媒檓 kind of never finished,SA国际影视传媒� he added, laughing. SA国际影视传媒淚 always want to improve. We have pretty big aspirations. We want to grow this business and we want to expand what we do.SA国际影视传媒�