With borders closed for the busiest tourism months of the year, North Star Adventures is pivoting to staycationers to share the gems of the NWT. 

Joe Bailey launched North Star in 2007 to share his love of the land and SA国际影视传媒渟howcase all that beauty we have in the territory to the world.SA国际影视传媒� 

Originally touting themselves SA国际影视传媒渁urora hunters," North Star has since grown to offer canoe expeditions, fishing trips, snowmobile and boat tours and sightseeing excursions across the territory. 

Bailey lists the Mackenzie mountains, the Arctic Ocean, Nahanni National Park, Tulita, Great Bear Lake and others among locations heSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渨orked, lived, and played.SA国际影视传媒� 

SA国际影视传媒淲e just have so much beauty here that people donSA国际影视传媒檛 realize.SA国际影视传媒�

But since the start of the pandemic, Bailey says weathering the storm has SA国际影视传媒渂een devastating.SA国际影视传媒�

Surmising losses is difficult, he said, since the tour companySA国际影视传媒檚 profits continue to decline steadily. By June, Bailey estimates North Star had lost over $100,000. Now it would probably be close to $300,000, he said. 

North Star initiated a screening policy back in January. Bailey recalls barring Chinese guests from booking with the company, followed by Iran, then Italy. North Star was completely shut down shortly afterwards when the pandemic was announced in March. Then came the refunds. 

This time last year, North Star had 15 staff members. Now, SA国际影视传媒渋tSA国际影视传媒檚 basically just me,SA国际影视传媒� Bailey said. 

Normally the aurora season from February to April generates enough revenue for the company to survive the summer months but the cancellations and the refunds were SA国际影视传媒渃rippling,SA国际影视传媒� Bailey said. 

Since their launch, 99 per cent of North StarSA国际影视传媒檚 clientele hail from outside territorial borders. As such, the company has redesigned their products to suit locals.

Every second person in Yellowknife has a boat or a snowmobile, Bailey said, so instead North Star begun offering products like the Mackenzie River canoe tour and Dehcho summer experience where even longtime Northerners can experience something new. 

One thing that sets them apart from other tour companies, Bailey said, is that North Star is 100 per cent Indigenous owned and incorporates elements of Indigenous culture into all of their products. SA国际影视传媒淎s a matter of fact a lot of the feedback weSA国际影视传媒檙e getting was that the best part of the tour was learning the Indigenous culture part of it,SA国际影视传媒� Bailey said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just think it's a natural fit to have a tour company that's 100 per cent Indigenous because we have a special connection to the land.SA国际影视传媒�

He describes watching new hires get out on the land and become SA国际影视传媒済reat workersSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒済reat storytellers.SA国际影视传媒� 

When guests sign up for a tour with North Star, SA国际影视传媒測ouSA国际影视传媒檙e going to learn about our culture, taste our food, hear stories and learn some of our language.SA国际影视传媒�

Bailey said his company would not have been able to survive without the federal government's funding support. He is counting the days to the next summer tourism season and keeping his fingers crossed that they can make it 120 days to when vacationers are booking their summer trips in March.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're doing all we can to redesign and restructure ourselves as a result of the pandemic,SA国际影视传媒� Bailey said, but admits SA国际影视传媒渋tSA国际影视传媒檚 a struggle.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淢aybe ISA国际影视传媒檒l be looking for a job next year but it will be the last thing I do because I believe we can still survive.SA国际影视传媒�

To promote small business week, MP Michael McLeod recently filmed a with Bailey encouraging viewers to support local businesses like North Star. 

SA国际影视传媒淪mall business is at the heart of our NWT community and their success is vital to our economic recovery,SA国际影视传媒� McLeod said in the video. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檝e been hit hard by the pandemic and yet theySA国际影视传媒檝e shown incredible strength and resilience.SA国际影视传媒�

Bailey said they were thankful for the exposure and excited to be chosen by the MP.

"I believe in the Yellowknife people and the Northwest Territories people," he said. "I can't wait to get back out there."