Some tourism business owners are eager for the GNWT to start allowing vaccinated travellers to enter the territory more freely SA国际影视传媒� ending nearly two years of economic pain.
For now, non-residents are only allowed into the territory with permission from the chief public health officer (CPHO) for certain reasons: theySA国际影视传媒檙e travelling from Nunavut, vacationing at remote operations, visiting family or other exceptional circumstances.
In her opening statement during Northwest Territories TourismSA国际影视传媒檚 annual general meeting on Oct. 26, Caroline Wawzonek, the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 tourism minister, said could not provide a firm timeline on when border restrictions would be loosened.
SA国际影视传媒淚 closed my comments to you last year by saying how much I was looking forward to seeing you all in person in 2021. But here we are again, meeting virtually,SA国际影视传媒� she stated.
The NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 vaccination rate has surged, she noted, and SA国际影视传媒渁s vaccination certificates and passports become the norm, the confidence of the vaccinated traveller will increase and we expect to see leisure travel begin a slow but steady recovery.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 think I share the hope with many of you here today that with high vaccine uptake we have begun to turn a corner on a critical period for the Northwest Territories, and we can once again anticipate the eventual reopening of the territory to national and international visitors,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淲hen that reopening will happen, I cannot say,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淎s weSA国际影视传媒檝e all come to learn over the last couple years, and perhaps even more so in the last couple of months, the evolving Covid-19 pandemic has created uncertainty around timelines.SA国际影视传媒�
On Oct. 30, anyone aged 12 or over will need to show proof of vaccination when travelling in Canada by plane, train or cruise ship, according to new federal regulations.
Channeling her SA国际影视传媒渃olleague, Minister of Health, Julie Green,SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek championed the need to get vaccinated.
SA国际影视传媒淭here is an important role that you can play in this space: many of those who are in the remaining 10-15 per cent of the population who are unvaccinated may attribute their decision to a lack of confidence or trust in government. We need support in the public and private sectors for science, specifically for the medical science that underlies government decisions about vaccination policy,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
She noted NWT and most of the provinces have adopted the national standard passport, which can be used to show your vaccination history both within Canada and internationally, though it does not guarantee entry into other countries, which may have their own rules and regulations.
She also noted the GNWT has helped the tourism industry survive the pandemic, providing over $10 million in financial aid and $30 million for the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 airlines, in addition to the Tourism Recovery and Investment Program and other subsidies.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur support will not end when the borders reopen. The Tourism 2025 strategy will guide our ongoing recovery and help reposition our tourism industry for growth and prosperity,SA国际影视传媒� she stated.
Support Northern operators
Dan Wong, owner of Jackpine Paddle, commended the GNWT for allowing non-residents to access some remote touristic attractions during the height of the pandemic, which helped his business survive.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were able to run some guided canoe trips last summer with out of territory guests,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still a lot of restrictions and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of extra work for guests to do.SA国际影视传媒�
Impediments to his guests include self-isolation plans, the need for longer trips and a limit on the number of communities they were able to visit, SA国际影视传媒渟o any movement towards a broader reopening would be positive.SA国际影视传媒�
Despite the coronavirus, his company has grown every year since its founding, he noted, thanks to the SA国际影视传媒渃ombination of tremendous local support from northerners who want to get outside and canoe, combined with some out of territory guests last summer,SA国际影视传媒� but noted the industry as a whole needs to recover.
SA国际影视传媒淎s we bounce back, I think the focus should be on supporting local outfitters and operators so that the North can benefit more from tourism,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒楾heySA国际影视传媒檝e killed the economySA国际影视传媒�
Geoff Morrison, owner of YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Aurora Emporium Art Gallery, said the GNWT needs to, SA国际影视传媒渙pen the border, make sure people are tested and accept the fact that Covid is here.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e just hanging on all the time, basically, and hoping they will open the border,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut these people wonSA国际影视传媒檛. So, weSA国际影视传媒檙e just in limbo.SA国际影视传媒�
Though he still gets local business, his revenue has dropped by over two-thirds compared to before the pandemic due to the NorthSA国际影视传媒檚 struggling tourism industry.
He also said the government was employing SA国际影视传媒渉eavy handedSA国际影视传媒� restrictions that were SA国际影视传媒渒illing the economy.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭his is an economy with a lot of government workers and theySA国际影视传媒檝e served themselves, basically, theySA国际影视传媒檙e all getting their full pay, some are working from home for six figure salaries while one sector of the economy is just left to die,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey tried to keep the diamond mining going. They exempted certain businesses, but not others,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty unfair whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happened here and it continues to be that way.SA国际影视传媒�
