YK releases tourism strategy outlining strengths and weaknesses

“Yellowknife is a place where hosts eagerly share the essence of home and land, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in cultural richness, natural wonders, and sustainable adventures that honour the community and territory.”

So reads the “destination vision” in the City of Yellowknife’s new tourism strategy for 2025-28.

Representatives from consulting groups InterVistas, GainingEdge and GDAN Solutions presented the strategy to councillors during a Monday meeting at City Hall.

The document aims to guide the city as it works to grow the local tourism economy.

“In today’s competitive tourism industry, having a strong vision is crucial for success,” GainingEdge partner Stephen Pearce said. “It needs to be aspirational and provide a focus for positioning, brand development and marketing.”

The strategy details the city’s strengths, such as its strong base of passionate entrepreneurs working in tourism, year-round visitor centre, and role as a primary service hub for the territory. It also points to disadvantages such as a lack of research on visitors’ activities and spending habits and an absence of sustained municipal investment in tourism marketing.

“People want to connect with locals. They want cultural experiences. They want deep, meaningful, rich experiences. And as opposed to just being passive visitors, they want to be actively involved in the destination,” Pearce said.

“I think those are things Yellowknife can offer, and is already offering in some regard, but I think it can underline your whole strategy in terms of outreach and connection.”

The report outlines four strategic goals for the city to grow tourism: enhancing the visitor experience, building strategic partnerships, developing support for the industry and building destination awareness.

Initiatives to achieve those goals that were given high priority include:

• developing programming and on-the ground interpretation and signage to support the aurora experience;
• coordinating efforts to enhance downtown cleanliness, safety and beautification including public art;
• working with business operators to address accessibility standards;
• improving access to water for tourism activities;
• focusing on and showcasing Indigenous-led and interpreted experiences;
• refreshing, organizing and managing a tourism website and social media accounts;
• building and promoting recreational opportunities that position Yellowknife as a portal to Great Slave Lake; and
• developing a historical awareness and heritage program.

The city is already working toward developing a destination marketing organization, or DMO, one of the key recommendations in the report.

More: Read the 2025-28 tourism strategy

Councillors on Monday formally voted in favour of implementing a four-percent tourism accommodation tax. The city plans to use revenue generated from that levy, projected to be around $1.5 million a year, to develop Yellowknife’s tourism sector – including supporting the DMO.

Kerry Thistle, the city’s director of economic development and strategy, said the municipality can use the new tourism strategy “as a guidebook” in establishing the DMO.

“The tourism strategy, generally, is just a good document for the city to have when it’s looking at how we can grow the industry to diversify the economy,” she said.

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