b'NORTHERN TOURISMA visit to Kluane National Park and Reserve in the Yukon organized by Who What Where Toursfrom primarily fishing to include moreauthentic experience and meeting therespectful, be polite, to travel lightlyIndigenous activities. I added how todemands of tourism. As she explains,all things weve learned throughout our set up a teepee, and I use a teepeePeople ask, How do you make itlives. People want to go with someone to do my cooking, too. I show peopleauthentic? The word authentic and thelocal, and its an added bonus when how to tie the poles together andword Indigenous are thrown aroundthat guide is Indigenous, but Ive never measure it, says Desjarlais. Its just aa lot. But if youre from here and havesold us as an Indigenous company. If process that I like to do. Cleaning fish,been raised in the North, its wovensomeone asks, theyll find out, or Ill offer filleting fishI can tell people howinto youits just how you operate. Itsit if I feel they deserve to hear that story. to do that too. A lot of people fromhow we interact in the community, itsBut only certain people deserve to hear offshore wouldnt have any idea howour stories that we tell. We only hireit. Others need to come back, learn more, to do something like that. local people, and it all comes downand be ready to really listen.to values.According to Teena Dickson of WhoMULTIPLE CHALLENGES What Where Tours, there is a bit ofDickson further explains, I talk aboutAside from the cultural nuances of a balancing act between offering anhow important this land is, how to beproviding an authentic Indigenous experience, there are numerous other challenges facing tourist operators in the North. The landscape can be harsh and rugged, the weather extreme and We buildfickle, and the infrastructure insufficient to cover the needs of large-scale tourist numbers. The cost of living can be high, trusting, equitable,especially transportation, and the hotel industry is still trying to catch up to the and lastingincreased demand. partnerships. High living costs, hotel availability and flight costs remain challenges for running a tourism business here, relates Nunavut Travels Alex Stubbing, The relationships formed across our many projectsNunavut is remote, and the communi-create employment opportunities and driveties are isolated, meaning it is expensive economic growth. Valard is proud to workto get to them.alongside Indigenous Communities across Canada.Climate change too is having a profound effect, as outlined by the challenges valard.com faced by Dickson week in and week out. We see it every day, she says. The lakes not frozen. The dog sledding experience 72A CCIB PUBLICATIONFall 2024'