Forget the sunny south, aim for the natural north

Holiday. Vacation. The mere mention of the words conjures up images of white sandy beaches, palm trees, hotel rooms with ocean views and postcards to make the friends back home drool with envy.

#But, recently, more and more people are packing their bags and getting back to nature and to tradition in Canada's north country.

The end result is still a vacation you won't soon forget and, of course, there's still the pictures and stories to make friends wish you had packed them in your bag and taken them with you.

By most accounts, the tourism industry in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory is in the early stages of a boom. People are looking for a get-away that will offer wilderness and wildlife, away from the hustle and bustle of conventional tourist destinations.

Adding to the northern appeal is the growing interest in Aboriginal culture. The progression from a geographical destination to one of cultural interest is an obvious one, said Debbie Delafosse, the executive director of the Yukon First Nations Tourism Association.

Where the Yukon has become a destination for many travellers from the United States and Europe, because of its natural beauty and unspoiled landscapes, it is the people of the northern territory who are fast becoming the focal point of tourist traffic.

"The people are becoming the product," said Delafosse, adding that an estimated 30 per cent of the Yukon's population are First Nation people.

Delafosse said more First Nations people need to realize the strong economic opportunity of the tourism trade.

"We need to be developing an economic base for the Aboriginal people, and tourism fits into that so well," she said.

Over the past decade, the Yukon has marketed itself to tourists based on the historic anniversaries of the Alaska Highway and the gold rush, but the focus on Aboriginal culture can be marketed much easier, since it has a history which goes back much, much further, said Delafosse.

The Beringa Land Bridge, which once connected Asia and North America and is believed to have made the migration of First Nations people to North America possible, is a big tourist draw in the north, so the connection to First Nations people is obvious, she said.

It has taken Aboriginal people a long time to realize that potential, however. The real push to market Aboriginal life in the north has only started during the last decade.

The demand from European tourists for Aboriginal culture is so strong that direct flights are now available from Germany to Whitehorse, "and the charters are coming in all the time," said Delafosse.

Aside from the big planes bringing in visitors by the hundreds, there are still the remote cabins accessible only by float plane or boat. There are many sights to see in the northern territories, and a rule of thumb seems to be the further away from civilization you go, the more relaxing the trip. The demand for the isolation and beauty of the north grows each season.

This year, there's a new business on the northern horizon to cater to the growing demands.

The Ancient Voices Wilderness Camp will offer tourists hands-on activities at a working Aboriginal camp.

Not only does the camp teach hide tanning, fish drying and the preserving of plants and berries, it also offers workshops on such topics as traditional medicines and drum making. Visitors can either take part in the traditional activities offered or choose to relax in the very peaceful setting, located an hour up river from Dawson City, said Margie Kormendy, who runs the camp with husband Peter and friends Bertha Blondin and James Babineau.

Kormendy said all of the people working at the camp have their own specialty to show visitors.

Margie, a Yup'ik Inuit, teaches beadwork, hide sewing and the stories of her Elders. Peter, a Gwich'in from Dawson City, uses his skills of fishing and hunting to teach visitors about the land and the water.

Blondin, a Dene Elder from the Norhwest Territories, teaches the holistic way of life, and her stories will captivate visitors at nightly campfires.

Babineau, from Saint John, N. B., is a carver and woodworker specializing in the making of ceremonial tools, drums and pipes.

Kormendy said the idea of the camp is to get people back to the simplicity of life.

"People need to step out every now and then from the business of life and become more genuine. They need to go back and learn some of the more basic things," she said, adding that the camp is a perfect retreat for people looking to unwind.

"It is healthy, very healthy."

Getting ready for their first season this year, Kormendy said the camp is made up of small cabins, wall tents, a cook house, a large tipi and a "makieik" - a recreational Yup'ik sauna.

"Close your eyes and envision this awesome piece of land in the Yukon wilderness. There's cabins, a hill, with the river in front. There's smoke coming from the chimneys. . . " she said.

In describing the site, Kormendy also summed up many of the destinations opening up in the north.

"The Elders call it a place of healing," she said.

The camp is just one of many tourism ventures opening up in the Yukon where visitors can spend as little as one day on a tour or up to several weeks at similar traditional camps.

For more information on Aboriginal destination spots in the Yukon, the Yukon First Nations Tourism Association can be reached at (867) 667-7698.

Across the eastern border, and still, "north of 60," is the equally unspoiled beauty of the Northwest Territories. This area is also becoming more of a tourism destination than ever before.

Unlike the Yukon, the Northwest Territories is a little off the beaten path as far as highways go. Visitors from the U.S. or Canada driving north - known as the "rubber tire market" - tend to stick to the popularAlaska Highway, which takes them directly to the Yukon, but doesn't go to Canada's largest territory.

For that reason, th tourism industry in the Northwest Territories has to work that much harder to attract a market. The area is already known for its isolated lakes, remarkable fishing, abundant wildlife and a exquisite landscape, but the marketers of the north have only recently started to use the culture of the area's Aboriginal people as a tool to attract the tourist trade.

"Tourism in general is only several decades old," said Cynthia Chocolate, who works for the territory's tourism industry.

She said that compared to European or tropical tourist locations, which have been vacation destinations for hundreds of years, the north is virtually untapped.

Chocolate said there is room for more tourism businesses to open up because the demand is growing.

"The interest has certainly increased, but I can't say there are very many tour operators that are taking advantage," she said.

Some of the existing companies offer traditional camps, where visitors take part in hide tanning and help to cure caribou meat. Many of the camps are made up of only tents, but Chocolate said that is what the tourist want - just the basics.

"They are looking for a natural, cultural and traditional experience," she said.

Vacation trips to the north can be planned for the summer or winter months. Many tourist camps offer ice fishing, snowshoeing and dog sled tours in the winter months.