University of Alberta Place Identity, Guides, and Sustainable Tourism in Canada’s Yukon Territory by Suzanne de la Barre A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation ©Suzanne de la Barre Fall 2009 Edmonton, Alberta Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission. Examining Committee Tom Hinch, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Naomi Krogman, Rural Economy Elizabeth Halpenny, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Judy Davidson, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation PearlAnn Reichwein, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Dianne Draper, Department of Geography, University of Calgary ABSTRACT The following is a qualitative and interpretive exploration of place identity, wilderness and cultural tourism interpreter guides, and sustainable tourism development in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Four research sub-questions are used to glean insights and advance this study: 1) how are Yukon place identities characterized in relation to remoteness?; 2) how is Yukon tourism positioned in relation to these place identities of remoteness?; 3) how is remoteness reflected in the place identities of wilderness and cultural tourism interpreter guides?; and 4) how do the place identities of wilderness and cultural interpreter guides influence the way they design and deliver their tourism activities? Recognizing the importance of “sense of place” as a tourism development tool, cultural geography was used to analyse guide place identity in relation to place-making and place-marketing processes. The study involved textual analysis of resident and tourist oriented documents, participant observation of guides and their tourism activities, and an analysis of place identity narratives identified in interviews with wilderness and cultural tourism guides. Three collective place identity narratives were used as a framework to examine place relationships in a tourism context: 1) Masculinist Narratives, 2) Narratives of the New Sublime, and 3) Narratives of Loss. In this study, place identity is explored in terms of the way it is expressed through, and influenced by, notions of “remoteness.” Remoteness is conceptualized as a social, cultural, historical and geographical construct that holds meaningful – if differently experienced and expressed – place identity values for residents and tourists alike. Remoteness is defined by the Yukon’s vast wilderness, its distance [real and perceived] from southern Canada and “civilization,” and its unique cultural makeup and history, especially with regard to lingering notions of an untamed frontier and its First Nations residents. Place identity captures remoteness as a critical value in developing and maintaining self and group identity; remoteness is also examined in light of how it is part of the Yukon tourism experience. Research findings include a description of cross-cutting themes that advance an understanding for the role remoteness plays in relation to place and identity in a tourism i context, including an analysis of critical features – climate, space and time – which act as “narrative reinforcements.” Findings also discuss infrastructure as a pivotal paradox; one that hinges on the “remote-accessible” nature of the Yukon’s tourism development question. Relationships between guide place identity, tourism experience authenticity and the nature of interpretation, type of tourism operation and tourism experience are identified and considered in relation to special interest tourism. Finally, implications for tourism and destination management and the goals of sustainable tourism development are discussed. ii This dissertation is dedicated to the people of the Yukon: past, present and future and to my parents, Pat and Ken de la Barre iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been lost and found so many times now in this vast place that is the Yukon Territory, that I can barely count them. This place is the minder – and reminder – of my growth as a person. It is place as point of reference: holding up for me, mirror-like, how I know/don’t know myself and understand/don’t understand my place in the world. I leave here, often, sometimes for years on end, thirsty for the big world “Outside,” only to be summoned back by the comfort of this familiar and the challenges and joys of living a day-to-day life immersed in the paradox of a place that is both awesomely huge and crushingly small. This project captures some of my own relationship to the territory, though there is more missing here than what is present. It has been an interesting journey, made possible only through the kindness and generosity of many people. Among them, and most importantly, two mentors who have been relentless in their support and interest in my work: my academic advisor Dr. Tom Hinch, and my father, fellow geographer and tourism enthusiast, Ken de la Barre. Tom provided me with timely, insightful and encouraging guidance from the time I first contacted him when I was searching for someone to work with, up until the final moments of this undertaking. Bad breakfasts with Ken at Ricky’s in Whitehorse, and really good ones at Caféteria on St-Laurent Street in Montreal, ensured I never went hungry and always, always, had someone willing to go through it all with me, every single step of the way. I am deeply indebted to both of them. Academic advisors Drs. Naomi Krogman and Judy Davidson were generous and enthusiastic and offered guidance and important insights throughout my doctoral program. I am grateful for their engagement with my ideas and their support of my work. I am also indebted to Dr. Elizabeth Halpenny for joining my supervisory committee at such a late date. I appreciate her interest in my work and the timely manner with which she responded to our request. I would also like to thank members of both my candidacy and defence exam committees. Time spent with Dr. PearlAnn Reichwein and fellow students in her Landscape and Memory course was an especially inspiring period for me. The course proved to be fertile ground that helped grow the seed of this project in its very early stages. I’m thankful for the discussions that were made possible during our class sessions, and remain motivated to teach a similar course somewhere – hopefully sometime soon! Without the participation and interest of Yukon wilderness and cultural tourism guides this study would have fallen flat. They were generous with their time and openly shared their love of the Yukon with me. They also provided me with useful insights that come from the challenges they face and frustrations they encounter with their chosen tourism activities. Not to mention those they face because lifestyles are morphed into livelihoods. In their honour, I hope my research will resonate in some way with the purposes and intentions I set out with: to help ensure the long-lasting beauty and dynamic character of the Yukon Territory. I’ve also been the lucky recipient of much encouragement and assistance from the Yukon’s tourism agencies and their representatives. In particular, I’m grateful to the Territory’s Department of Tourism and Culture for allowing me access to the 2005/2006 tourism branding research results. That research proved essential to positioning place iv identity in the context of Yukon place marketing processes. I’d also like to give special thanks to Patti Balsillie, former Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon (TIAY). I also owe great thanks to faculty administrative personnel, in particular Anne Jordan, Tana Farrell and Suzanne French, to the Canadian Circumpolar Institute (CCI), especially Elaine Maloney, and to members of the Circumpolar Students’ Association (2003-2005). I am grateful also for funding received from many agencies including the University of Alberta, the Association for Canadian University and Colleges for Northern Studies (ACUNS), Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), the Yukon College’s Northern Research Institute (NRI), the Yukon Foundation, and the Tourism Cares for Tomorrow US-based not for profit. Deconstructing home, an unwitting result of tearing apart the Yukon as “place” – a place that I (mostly) love – has not been easy. Nor has it been easy to ignore a near constant seduction to make innocent encounters with home part of a never-ending option to do more field work. Such encounters have required mental gymnastics that are worthy of a paper all on its own (which I may or may not ever get to). To help with the jumps and leaps, the highs and the lows, friends and family were waiting in the sidelines with emotional refreshments. In particular, siblings Tracy and Michel and their partners Dirk Rentmeister and Melissa Maione, provided me with much encouragement, and my nieces and nephews – Aliesha, Charlotte, Tristan, and Noah – were enthusiastic supporters and important diversions along the way. I am grateful to them for letting me take up space as the oldest – and most annoying – student at the supper table! I would also like to express gratitude to my mother who passed away just two months before this PhD project began. In her own way, Pat has been ever-present, pushing me along when things got tough and the urge to just “chuck it” was a strong and attractive option.