NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: environmental impact, social sciences, traditional knowledge, hunting, beluga whale, economic feasibility, socio-cultural, Inuvialuit, traditional activities, cross-cultural, perspective, Mackenzie Delta, demography, nature-based tourism, traditional wildlife use

Objective(s): The objective of the study is to identify both the current and future positive and negative impacts of nature-based tourism within the Delta. The research seeks to determine the effects of beluga whale watching and observation of the beluga whale harvests. This project hopes to uncover tour operator, tourist and the Inuvialuit whale hunters' perspectives on nature tourism, particularly involving the beluga whale. The intent is provide baseline sociological data that reflects the needs of the Inuvialuit and the nature tourism industry. The study will examine the concerns of the stakeholders and apply them to existing guidelines and create new recommendations. Will also try to determine if present tourism guidelines work. The research will reveal the socio-cultural, economic and environmental impacts of nature-based tourism. Demographic data collected will provide a general profile of the type of tourist participating in nature-based tourism.

Project Description: The objective of the study is to identify both the current and future positive and negative impacts of nature-based tourism within the Delta. The study will be carried out through the Inuvik Research Centre. Tourists will be canvassed at drop-off points and surveys will be mailed out according to visitor listings. Visitor surveys will be left at camp grounds and hotels. The same procedure will occur for the tour operator. If permissible, the Inuvialuit whale hunters will be informally interviewed at their camps. Equipment used will be an IBM portable computer and a tape recorder/note pad. Meetings at hunting camps and with tourists at various destinations to be established.