Planning for growth, Travel Nunavut announces leadership changes

By Kierstin Williams, Nunatsiaq News August 12, 2024
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Association focused on growing travel industry to generate billion dollars annually by 2030
Silver Endeavour, a cruise ship carrying almost 200 guests, stops for a tour of Kinngait on July 19. Travel Nunavut is hoping to create a billion-dollar travel industry in the territory by 2030, which would mean a lot more cruise ships like these. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)

The organization, with close to 150 members including hotels, airlines, artists and small businesses, named Alex Stubbing as its new president on July 31.

“Alex has a great background in terms of working with a number of agencies, governments and organizations and bringing people together to come up with the right solutions,” said Ed Romanowski, board chairperson at Travel Nunavut, in an interview with Nunatsiaq News.

Stubbing has held various positions with Parks Canada, Nunavut Parks and the Government of Nunavut, where he was assistant deputy minister for culture and heritage.

Alex Stubbing, a longtime public servant with the Government of Nunavut, will step into the role of president of Travel Nunavut in September. (Photo courtesy of Outcrop Communications)

“He’s quite well known, having worked in Nunavut for a long period of time. He’s worked in smaller communities and larger ones, taken on larger mandates with the GN as well so that will be important,” Romanowski of Stubbing.

Last November, Travel Nunavut announced its goal of growing the territory’s travel and tourism sector into a billion-dollar-a-year industry employing 5,000 people by 2030.

It was reported then that in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry employed 3,000 people and had an annual economic impact of $400 million.

Romanowski said Travel Nunavut hopes to complete its new economic impact study, with updated data, in time for its annual conference schedued for Nov. 6 to 8 in Iqaluit.

“We as a travel industry are looking to build on what is the most important lifeline to the 25 communities of Nunavut and is an important part of the day-to-day lives of everyone,” he said of the industry’s economic impact.

“The travel industry is the second-largest economic generator of income and jobs in Nunavut, and we know it’s going to grow.

In addition to Stubbing’s hiring, the travel association also announced appointments to three executive positions.

Norine Naguib is the association’s new executive director; Kristine Prud’homme becomes director of marking support and administration; and Colin Allooloo is director of membership and engagement.

Located in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, Nunatsiaq News is dedicated to covering affairs in Nunavut and the Nunavik territory of Quebec since 1973. It has been a partner to ArcticToday and its predecessors since 2016.