The Yukon will receive $3 million in federal funds to help sell the territory as a tourism destination to the rest of Canada and abroad.

Bardish Chagger, the federal minister of Small Business and Tourism, made the announcement Thursday at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. She spoke during a luncheon hosted by the Yukon Chamber of Commerce.

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) will invest $1.8 million over two years in the Yukon Now TV and online advertising campaign.

It will also devote $1 million over three years to the Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes First Nations culture and artists in the territory.

“We are thrilled and very thankful for this three-year funding from CanNor,” said Shirlee Frost, the association’s president.

“It will have a huge impact on our ability to deliver meaningful programs and services to our stakeholders.

“We look forward to working with our many partners across the Yukon to help communities, artists and tourism entrepreneurs maximize the growing opportunities in the culture and tourism industries.

“We are very excited about the future and know that the cultural tourism industry is a steward for sharing and preserving our culture, and a very important economic driver for our communities.”

Chagger pointed out that just recently, “the New York Times and the Lonely Planet Travel Guide chose Canada as their number one country to visit in 2017.

“This presents us with an amazing opportunity to bring more international visitors to live Canadian experiences, particularly northern experiences.”

The CanNor funds for Yukon Now announced Thursday are in addition to a Yukon government investment of the same amount over two years.

This is not the first time CanNor has made this exact contribution to Yukon Now.

The first $1.8 million CanNor investment came in 2014, matching a Yukon government investment for a total of $3.6 million. That money was doled out over two years.

Last March, the former Yukon Party government promised to renew its contribution to Yukon Now, and to ask CanNor to do the same.

At the time, the government promised to invest $900,000 annually for three years, for a total of $2.7 million, and said it was seeking “continued equal investment” from CanNor.

Chagger’s announcement Thursday represents CanNor’s response to the Yukon Party government’s March 2016 request.

It appears now that federal governments committed to two years of funding for Yukon Now, rather than three.

A Department of Tourism and Culture official explained this morning the territory would provide three years of funding totalling $2.7 million over the entire three years or $900,000 per year subject to legislative approval.

Meanwhile, the federal government will provide $1.8 million over two years, or $900,000 each year.

During last fall’s territorial campaign, all three parties promised to invest $1.8 million annually in marketing the Yukon as a tourism destination. This could include initiatives other than the Yukon Now campaign.

The Yukon Now marketing campaign includes six TV commercials and three web series.

These ads, said Tourism and Culture Minister Jeanie Dendys, “have aired thousands of times across Canada, and have received 300 million views.

“That’s pretty amazing.”

Previously, emphasis was placed on advertising the Yukon to other jurisdictions within Canada.

Now, the Yukon’s Tourism department is expanding the ad campaign to the American, British and Chinese markets.

“The first phase of the Yukon Now project saw some great results,” said Chagger.

“Traffic to the Travel Yukon website doubled, and the territory is getting more visitors.”

The $1 million going to the First Nations tourism association comes in addition to $600,000 from the Yukon government and other industry funding programs.

“We really want to see the indigenous peoples be able to have access to the resources they need, and that’s a million-dollar investment,” said Chagger.

In addition to advising and promoting First Nations artists, the association hosts the Adäka Cultural Festival, a seven-day summer celebration of First Nations arts and culture in Whitehorse.

These CanNor funds will help the association “increase capacity and opportunity,” said Chagger.

“We want to ensure that we’re creating authentic experiences. We want to ensure that we are setting people up for success.

“ ... It takes collaboration and partnership from everyone – every level of government and every corner of our industry – to create and maintain growth in tourism, because tourism is part of every Canadian community from coast to coast to coast. Investments in tourism create jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it.”

As Canadians celebrate the nation’s 150th anniversary, Chagger added, “it also provides an excellent opportunity to draw attention to the industry and the people who drive it.”

Dendys said the Yukon government “looks forward to partnering with the Government of Canada and the tourism industry as we build on the momentum of the Yukon Now tourism marketing program.

“We are pleased to support the Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association’s incredible efforts in working with Yukon’s many talented indigenous artists to create meaningful and authentic cultural experiences for visitors.”