Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon (WTAY)

2000-2001

The Wilderness Tourism Association grew from 82 members in 2000 to over a 100 members in 2001.
A Project Yukon grant allowed the association to develop a two-day Wilderness Tourism Business Basics seminar that was offered in three Yukon communities.
Product Club funding (CTC and Tourism Yukon grants) financed the production of four issues of Wilderness Tourism News.
The following free member seminars were financed by the Product Club: Getting Found on the Net, Website Statistics, Cooking for Winter Trips, Lightweight Backcountry Cooking, Legal Liability, Risk Management, Wildlife Viewing Equipment, Map Reading and GPS use, Bear Safety, and Linking Tourism and Conservation.
The new WTAY website provides information about the Association, has links to members' websites, and promotes the Yukon wilderness tourism industry as a whole.
WTAY successfully leveraged $100,000 in marketing money for the Wilderness Tourism market. Participants in the Yukon Wild program receive maximum benefit. All members receive some exposure through their listings on the WTAY website.
In spring 2000 and 2001, the Association negotiated a members' group purchase discount on satellite telephones.
A winter and summer photo shoot funded by the Product Club resulted in the production of a CD containing 90 images that are available to members for marketing purposes.
The Environment Committee actively represented members' interests to governments regarding forestry and oil and gas development, national and territorial park management plans, and the Yukon Protected Areas Strategy.
WTAY was named first runner up for the World Wildlife Fund's Arctic Program Award for Linking Tourism and Conservation.
WTAY successfully lobbied for amendments to the Fuel Tax Act that benefit wilderness tourism operators.
During the Yukon Liquor Act review WTAY lobbied government to develop special liquor licences to meet the needs of wilderness tourism operators.
The Association is developing a comprehensive "Code of Conduct" that will provide guidelines for operating a wilderness tourism business in an ecologically sustainable and socially responsible manner.