Page 49 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Owner of Simpson Air and Nahanni Mountain
Lodge since 1981, Fort Simpson pilot and
businessman Ted Grant has been working
tirelessly to promote and develop tourism in the
Northwest Territories on an international scale for
over three decades. He was honored in 2013 with
the Mike Stilwell Lifetime Achievement Award
from Northwest Territories Tourism, in recognition
of his leadership skills and integrity, the high
esteem of his peers in the field, and his significant
impact on the tourism industry.
Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly describes
Grant as single-handedly being the biggest
promoter of Nahanni National Park, and because
of its position as gateway to the Park, of the Village
itself and local businesses. He regularly sponsors
community and sports events and activities,
advocates for upgrades to the Territory’s highway
system, particularly the Mackenzie Highway 1 and
Liard Trail Highway 7, and has been a key employer
in Fort Simpson. After purchasing Simpson Air
and finding no local tourism operators, Grant
convinced four Nahanni outfitters to move their
bases to the Village from Watson Lake in the
Yukon.
For many years, the number of visitors to
Nahanni National Park grew consistently and Fort Simpson Visitor Center
up until the early 1990s, tourism officials and photo by:
the territorial government worked together VC TRAVEL GUIDE
to promote the NWT at travel trade shows
throughout North America, the UK, western
Europe and Japan. At that time, Nahanni saw breakfasts, restaurants, a wide variety of stores Please see our feature on Hugh Grant and Simpson
nearly 1,400 day trip visitors each year, many carrying everything from groceries to computer Air.
arriving on bus tours marketed by Simpson Air, equipment, a nine-hole golf course with club house The Visitor Information Centre is the first building
with Fort Simpson businesses catering to an and pro shop, and nearby territorial campground with on the left as you come into town. The VIC is a
average of 16 to 18 tours annually. Once a new showers and electricity. wealth of information relating to Fort Simpson and
Fort Simpson is rich with artists, offering many arts
government regime reversed that cooperation, and crafts ranging from traditional birch bark baskets, the area. There is a small museum with displays on
the history, culture and geography of the region, as
tourism numbers fell well behind neighboring fine beadwork, moose hair tufting, quillwork and well as a movie theatre. The VIC is staffed throughout
provinces, with only about one Nahanni bus tour moccasins to carvings, paintings and custom made the summer months providing helpful information to
scheduled per year. knives. all visitors as well as guided historic walking tours
In addition to years of promoting the NWT as Known as the “Gateway to the Nahanni,” Fort of town covering prospector Albert Faille’s cabin, the
a tourist destination throughout Canada, the US Simpson is the jumping-off point for visitors traveling Papal Grounds and Fort Simpson Heritage Park, a
and Europe, Grant has also traveled extensively in to the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Visit a small likely location of the first trading post.
China and Southeast Asia to garner interest. After lodge on a mountain lake or travel the North Nahanni
the Chinese government approved Canada as a River by jet boat on a camping trip into the Nahanni SPECIAL EVENTS
travel destination, Grant quickly took the initiative Range. The administration office for Nahanni is in Beavertail Jamboree: March
to translate promotional materials into Mandarin Fort Simpson and provides information, reservation Open Sky Creative Society Festival: early July
and followed up with overseas trips. Fortunately and registration services. Deh Cho Friendship Centre’s Aboriginal Day
for all, more recent years have seen an upswing in Air charter companies based in Fort Simpson Golf Tournament: June
worldwide travel interest in all that the Northwest offer visitors service into Nahanni and surrounding John Tsetso Memorial Library Christmas
Territories has to offer: pristine beauty and communities within the Deh Cho region, for flight- Bazaar: November
thunderous waterfalls, glittering urban centers, seeing and fly-in canoeing, camping and fishing. Merchants Bonspiel: January
festivals celebrating aboriginal culture and all the
arts, and endless outdoor adventures of a lifetime.
Fort Simpson, NWT...

gateway to the Nahanni.
INQUIRIES TO:
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: Village of Fort Simpson
•Large Territorial Campground 9401 100 Street
with showers and power Box 438 • Fort Simpson, NT X0E 0N0
•Historic Heritage Park Ph: 867.695.3182 Fax: 867.695.2005
•Many local outfitters and www.fortsimpson.com
suppliers of tourism products
•Experienced air charter companies
connecting to the Nahanni Park
•Craft shops and Dene artwork
•Full service gas stations
•Hiking trails
•Great restaurants

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