COVID-19 Update #6: Chief Public Health Officer Issues Order With New Travel Restrictions and Self-Isolation Protocol

Dear valued members,

I am writing to make sure all our membership is aware of the public safety order issued by the Government of the Northwest Territories at noon today that will prohibit all travel (by air, land, and port) into the Northwest Territories, with limited exceptions, as a measure to prevent and control COVID-19 in the territory. 

The Order can be found here:  

https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/sites/hss/files/resources/public-health-order-covid-19-travel-restrictions-self-isolation-protocol.pdf

The order makes no exceptions for individuals travelling to the NWT for tourism purposes. Please be aware that individuals who have arrived into the NWT in the last 14 days must self-isolate for the entire 14-day period. Please see the link for information for travellers which you can find here https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/information-travellers 

As many of you will have seen, the NWT confirmed its first case of Covid-19 today, and individuals within the NWT are being urged to take every precaution available to them. We can expect community sentiment and anxiety to be even higher given this new situation.

Many of our visitors planned their trips to the Northwest Territories because of our spectacular scenery, wide open spaces, the world’s finest aurora and because of the incredibly warm northern hospitality we are known for. 

Let's not forget what it would feel like to be a visitor away from home whose travel plans are being disrupted and who now are urgently trying to get home as travel options and local protocols are changing daily if not hourly. Let's also not forget what it feels like to be the tour operator, hotelier, airline staff member or others in the industry who are implementing new safety and health protocols and adhering to health advisories, while also scrambling to help guests to get home safely when border rules, airline routes, and health advisories are changing.

While this pandemic is not in our control, our collective response to the Advisories and Orders issued by governments who are working to minimize the impact of COVID-19 in the NWT is in our control. Whether we are tour operators, airlines, accommodation providers or NWT residents, how we talk to each other, how we talk about our visitors and how we treat our visitors is in our control. Let's be kind to our visitors who never planned to arrive in this situation while helping them navigate a new normal.  Let's offer encouragement to those in the industry and outside of it who are helping our visitors get home safely and, until they can, ensuring they are safe while also protecting the safety of our communities. 

SpectacularNWT is our brand and together we can deliver spectacular service that helps visitors get home and be safe until they do so. We are all called upon to follow Public Health Orders including the new travel restrictions and self-isolation protocols. The long-term success of our tourism industry in whatever the new normal is after this pandemic and the benefits that our industry brings to the Northwest Territories rely on all northerners showing spectacular hospitality to visitors and working together quickly to help them get home safe.

Cathie Bolstad
Chief Executive Officer
Northwest Territories Tourism

T:  867-873-5007, Extension 1005
Chief Executive Oficer 
Northwest Territories Tourism