YELLOWKNIFE, NORTH WEST TERRITORIES--(Marketwire - Sept. 26, 2012) - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), and Minister of the Arctic Council announced today an investment to foster increased tourism in the Northwest Territories to contribute to long-term economic prosperity in the North.

"The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in tourism promotion and development in the NWT," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Tourism offers a fantastic opportunity for Canadians and international visitors to get to know the people and landscapes of the North - while the tourism sector contributes to economic activity and jobs in communities across in the Northwest Territories."

"Our lands, Aboriginal cultures, traditions, and arts and crafts are proving to be a marketable global attraction for visitors from around the world," says Hon. David Ramsay, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). "With these visitors come opportunities for the owners, operators and service suppliers to our Tourism sector. This in turn benefits those who work in our territory's traditional economies: our hunters, trappers, and world-class artists."

CanNor's investment of $100,000 will support the development of a multi-year marketing strategy that focuses on iconic attractions such as the "Aurora Borealis" and "Northern Lakes and Rivers". The strategy is expected to encourage growth in this sector and help the NWT capture and maintain a market share in a competitive global market.

This funding aligns with other multi-year tourism projects supported by CanNor in the NWT, such as a pan-territorial francophone tourism strategy, business and marketing workshops for tourism operators, a tourism measurement strategy, a visual arts marketing plan, and a domestic marketing campaign.

Investment in this project is made possible through CanNor's Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program, which focuses on long-term economic growth, economic diversification and capacity building in all three territories.

SINED is one of several economic development programs within CanNor. CanNor is responsible for coordinating and delivering Canada's economic development initiatives across the North, and for related policy development, research and advocacy.

For copies of CanNor news releases, visit: http://www.cannor.gc.ca.

For more information on Canada's northern strategy, visit: http://www.northernstrategy.gc.ca/index-eng.asp.