One year ago this October, we welcomed representatives of the Arctic Europe Tourism Cluster (AETC) to the Yukon, beginning a relationship that has brought new connections, shared learning and fresh inspiration to our work in the Yukon. As we celebrate that first year, we also want to congratulate our European partners on completing their latest project in July—and share how their achievements are inspiring possibilities for tourism across Canada’s North.
A special thank you to Air North, Northern Vision Development and the Government of Yukon for supporting the visit, and to the Yukon Convention Bureau for helping organize the tour. Together, you helped us showcase the very best the Yukon has to offer and laid the groundwork for the relationships and collaboration that have grown since.
Arctic Europe: A Partnership More Than a Decade in the Making
The Arctic Europe Tourism Cluster grew out of years of cooperation among regional tourism organizations and businesses across northern Finland, Norway and Sweden. Through Visit Arctic Europe I (2015–2018) and Visit Arctic Europe II (2018–2022), these partners worked to develop and promote their regions as one connected tourism destination across national borders.
The Arctic Europe Tourism Cluster project (August 2023–July 2026) built on that foundation, taking the partnership into a new phase. With a budget of approximately €4.1 million, supported by Interreg Aurora and other funders, the project was organized around three areas of work:
- Arctic culture and year-round development: Strengthening the role of Arctic culture in tourism and supporting year-round business development, including developing products to meet changing visitor needs and presenting them to tour operators.
- Arctic sustainability: Building trusted networks that created new business opportunities while helping address societal and sustainability challenges.
- Arctic digital innovation: Helping businesses strengthen their digital skills and test new digital marketing approaches. Marketing directly to consumers and working with tour operators and other partners helped position Arctic Europe as a sustainable, year-round destination.
Working with around 110 tourism suppliers, AETC supported product development and international sales, with particular attention to opportunities outside peak seasons, including August through November.
Among its reported achievements:
- Connecting businesses with international buyers: Three sales workshops brought together 199 international buyers from 15 countries and generated more than 4,500 business meetings. The project also organized 13 Knowledge Transition Tours involving 108 participating tour operators, helping buyers experience the region’s tourism offerings firsthand.
- Testing new digital tools: Working with Tietotalo, AETC developed Destination Direct Search, a pilot helping visitors discover tourism experiences across the three countries and connect directly with providers.
- Putting responsible tourism into practice: Building on guidelines developed in Arctic Sweden, AETC worked with BehaviorSMART to develop a shared Care for the Arctic code of conduct, six responsible travel norms and an activation toolkit. These address respect for local cultures, environmental care, safety and support for local economies.
Inspiration for Canada’s North
For TIA Yukon, their experience shows what sustained collaboration can make possible: organizations and businesses working across borders, building on each other’s strengths and turning shared priorities into practical projects.
That thinking has helped inform our collaboration with Northwest Territories Tourism and Travel Nunavut through the Arctic Canada Tourism Network, which brings a collective industry voice to issues shaping tourism across Canada’s Arctic.
We have also drawn on their experience by introducing Care for the Arctic in the Yukon. The framework provides a starting point for exploring what responsible, resilient and community-minded tourism means here—and how we can put those principles into practice in ways that reflect Yukon communities and priorities.
While this latest three-year project has concluded, the European partners have committed to continuing their collaboration.
Congratulations to the AETC team, participating businesses and partners on this milestone in a much longer journey. One year after welcoming you to Whitehorse, we thank you for sharing your experience, opening doors to collaboration and helping us imagine what we can achieve together across the North.
