Cruise ship visits to Nunavut decline

Fewer cruise ships are coming to Nunavut this summer, meaning Inuit communities are seeing fewer tourists — and their money — compared with past years.

The Nunavut government says the economic slowdown worldwide has meant about 500 fewer tourists will visit Nunavut on cruise ships during this year's Arctic cruise season, between July and September.

The overall number of cruise ship visits to Nunavut communities has dropped to 47 this year from 70 in 2008.

The capital city, Iqaluit, has yet to see its first cruise ship arrive this year. It's expected to come in next week. By this time last year, two cuise ship groups had already visited the capital.

A total of four cruise ships are scheduled to stop in Iqaluit this year, compared with 15 last year.

Another Baffin Island community, Pangnirtung, will see only two cruise ships this year, compared with 10 last year.

"This is a result of the overall problems with the global economy that's resulting in a reduction of disposable income," Dushyenth Ganesan, manager of export development and investment with the Nunavut Economic Development Department, told CBC News.

"Consumers are being more frugal and there's less purchases by consumers of luxury items, which an Arctic cruise would qualify as."

The slowdown in cruise ship traffic is felt at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit museum in Iqaluit, which attracts visitors seeking Inuit artwork and crafts.

Speaking in Inuktitut, museum employee Eva Essemailee said she's had less to do at work because there are fewer tourists coming in and fewer people buying carvings and other artwork.