Lots to see and do north of Lake Superior.

Tourism in northwestern Ontario is big business. According to Tim Lukinuk, president of North of Superior Tourism Association (NOSTA), tourism generated $636 million in the northwestern Ontario economy.

From that, approximately 18,112 people received direct and indirect employment in the Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora areas.

NOSTA's executive director, Bruce Fallen, says there are four categories in tourism and recreation. Outdoor adventures are for those who enjoy the pristine wilderness, hiking, camping, kayaking and canoeing. Fishing and hunting outings for the anglers and hunters create another category, while automobile or boat tours promoted by the Lake Superior Circle Tour account for the third. Events and attractions, such as summer blues and folk festivals, golf courses, Fort William in Thunder Bay, the Amethyst Mine Panorama, Kakabeka Falls, Ouimet Canyon and Eagle Canyon with its 300- and 600-foot suspension bridges, round out the fun.

Despite the many attractions, tourism seems to be down in northwestern Ontario.

"We've had steady decline since 2000," says Fallen. "It is most evident in American visitations, which are down as much as 30 per cent where visitors cross over at the Pigeon River border crossing."

Overall, numbers are down between five to 15 per cent in Fallen's region, even though Canadian/Ontario business is up 10 to 15 per cent.

Lukinuk says there is a lot of uncertainty with respect to tourism in the area.

Much of the region's tourism business, especially fishing and hunting, came out of the U.S. Midwest. But Fallen says now there is a lot of drive-through traffic from southern Ontario to the west and vice versa.

Many factors may have contributed to the decline. Lukinuk and Fallen speculate it could be the Iraq War, SARS (since 2000), border crossing issues with increased security since Sept. 11, 2001, and now the potential passport requirements for U.S. citizens upon re-entry to their country.

Fallen says he believes Americans want to stay closer to home because they feel safer in their own country, and that marketing programs in their own states are enticing them to stay.

Dr. Mike Yuan, director for the Centre of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Research at Lakehead University, says tourism in the Thunder Bay region is really behind the eight ball right now.

"We keep on falling further behind the eight ball because competition is so fierce," he says. "If we don't step up to the plate and provide the products that are demanded, then we get further and further behind."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

As a PhD in leisure behaviour specializing in resource-based tourism, Yuan says one of the problems is that there is little or no information about the supply and demand with respect to tourism. He would like to see more data collected in order to create a strategic plan.

"A plan is like a road map," he says. "Without it, how do we know the road we are going down will get us to where we need to be?"

Another challenge is that the lead agency for their region is the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines.

"I've been told there are upward of 12 to 13 ministries that have tourism as part of their portfolio," Yuan says.

This limits each ministry's resources, spreading them too thin. But if they all worked together, something special could happen. The enthusiasm is there, he says.

"It (tourism) is certainly one of those economic development vehicles that has a chance in this area," he says.

With little infrastructure required, the tourism industry is made up of small business people. By themselves, each one does not provide that much into the economy, but there are a lot of them contributing to the collective pot.

Yuan described a potential project called Premier Ranked tourism Destination, a supply audit project developed by the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation.

He would like to use that funding to examine the full supply and demand picture.

"If you know what people want, then you can develop the supply to satisfy that," he says. "I'm hoping we will leverage the Premier Rank process in developing a strategic plan for the region."

Should these initiatives go forward, there is a lot to be optimistic about in northwestern Ontario and its tourism industry, he says.

Lukinuk believes in the long term, the industry should improve and stabilize.

Fallen says they have demographics on their side.

"With an aging population and more people retiring in the next 10 years, they'll be looking for travel experiences," Fallen says. "As the world becomes busier, people will be looking for a more remote and pristine environment in which to spend time. I think the future bodes well."

www.nosta.on.ca

By ADELLE LARMOUR

For Northern Ontario Business