Geotourism Venture for the Yukon: Great River Journey Inc.
by admin ~ February 9th, 2007
New tourism venture for the Yukon River is being proposed to attracted high-end destination tourists to riverboat excursions on the Yukon. Trips will last 8 days, and include overnight accommodations in wilderness outpost camps and lodges. INAC and the Yukon Government have provided funding for project development, market research, and training of staff. Project is said to be the first of its kind in the North, and represents an attempt to bring together adventure travel and an affluent clientele to a remote wilderness experience and the comfort of powered transportation. Project aims to have a small footprint, and take advantage of the sustainable development potential of regional geotourism. According to the tour company’s website, “The Great River Journey is a unique opportunity to develop a financially and environmentally sound, sustainable long-term business that features Yukon’s finest attributes. Joint investment by experienced private sector operators and First Nations will produce a stronger business, a superior tourism product, enhanced financial returns and long term strategic and economic benefits to both parties.” First Nations involved in the project include the Ta’an Kwach’an Council, Kwanlin Dun First Nation, Tr’ondek Hwech’in and Selkirk First Nation. Full tours are set to begin in June of 2008.
Sources:
- Press Releases: Yukon Government, Government Canada (INAC)
- Great River Journey Website
- NationTalk: Great River Journey is listed among the top Aboriginal Tourism Products and cultural experiences by Aboriginal Tourism Canada and the Canadian Tourism Commission.
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February 9th, 2007 at 9:22 am
This term ‘geotourism’ is new to me. How is geotourism different from ecotourism (or, indeed cultural ethnotourism)? Semantically, wouldn’t just about any tourism where going somewhere is involved constitute geotourism?
February 9th, 2007 at 9:43 am
It’s a new buzzword to me, too, and seems to highlight the exclusive clientele they are trying to attract. According to the Geotourism Editor of the National Geographic Traveler: geotourism “sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place?its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.” Rather than simply traveling in space, it’s tourism that enhances and defines space ? which is to say the land and human activity are not seen as independent of each other. It seems a lot like ecotourism, but involving a notion of personal accountability and global/international values of “sustainability” and “destination stewardship.”