Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my return is to question 60-12(3), asked by Mr. Dent on November 23, 1992. It concerned the reason for Economic Development and Tourism staff travelling to the far east.
Mr. Speaker, the director of product development, planning and regulations for ED&T and tourism operator representatives from Northwinds, Nahanni Mountain Lodge and Adventure Northwest participated in Kanata 1992, between November 10 and 13 of this year. While the three operators sold their own packages the tourism director represented all other Northwest Territories' products.
Kanata is a specialized tourism marketplace in which both Canadian sellers and Japanese buyers assemble at one venue, enabling them to engage in travel, trade development and business negotiations. The department and private sector operators have participated in this marketplace since 1990. The Kanata annual marketplace is organized by the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, which selects and qualifies 55 Japanese travel agencies to sell Canadian tourism products in Japan. Canadian operators and government organizations apply individually to attend as sellers and are selected by the Canadian Embassy. As a result of past dealings with Kanata, the Northwest Territories has continued to grow. Key travel trade wholesalers are extending their tour offerings beyond the popular Aurora product in Yellowknife and there is now extensive interest in other parts of the Northwest Territories.
During the course of Kanata, Mr. Speaker, each of the Northwest Territories' participants held 45 private business sessions with Japanese buyers. Other open sessions provided additional contacts with interested Japanese buyers. Further, pre- and post-Kanata meetings were held in Tokyo with the Japan Travel Corporation, a company that initiated Japanese tour travel to the Northwest Territories. The department will provide Northwest Territories operators with a detailed contact list of interested Japanese travel agencies. Operators will be asked to report on sales related to the contacts. Subsequently, the net value of offshore marketplace activities can be determined. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.