The purpose of doing SWOT analysis is to
do an analysis of a product made before it is marketed. SWOT analysis
is an effective way to
identify Strengths and Weaknesses as well as define the Opportunities
and Threats being faced by a product or service.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
The following were noted:
People
• Local Carcross/Tagish First Nation populations with a wealth of local
knowledge, skills and abilities and cultural history;
• Local, Territorial, and adjacent Provincial and State stakeholder
interest.
Geography & Climate
• Close proximity to Skagway/Whitehorse railway route as well as to
highway traffic provides access to large tourism markets;
• Diversity of local geography and huge lake system with spectacular,
natural beauty provides abundance of opportunity to develop wilderness/adventure
products;
•
Carcross can boast having the best beach and smallest desert – a
marketing bonus;
• Favourable weather for the delivery of summer and winter tourism
product;
• Micro-climates provide opportunities for education and interpretation;
• Exotic location;
•
Low rainfall and an intact ecosystem – also product and marketing
bonuses;
• Close proximity to the White Pass summit with its large quantity
of annual snowfall.
Government
•
First Nation’s self-government;
• CTFN - has a goal of seeing a more prosperous tourism and business
community in the Carcross area.
History
•
The region’s abundance of Gold Rush & frontier history – product
development opportunities;
•
First Nation’s cultural history;
•
A variety of famous historical people (i.e. Donald Trump’s
grandfather) provides the opportunity to create name association/interest
in the Yukon;
•
White Pass & Yukon Route – has a rich history closely tied
to Carcross.
Tourism Opportunities
• Carcross and area has access to a wide range of wilderness and wildlife
species;
•
Existing products (i.e. heli-skiing & dog-sledding) have an opportunity
to grow and improve;
•
White Pass & Yukon Route – an International Historic Civil
Engineering Landmark (designation shared with the Panama Canal, the
Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty) creates marketing opportunities.
• Opportunity to create strategic alliances and leverage marketing
dollars with existing tourism operators and industry associations;
• Present products and services have the ability to offer tourism opportunities
year-round;
• Spectacular foliage colours in the Fall offers numerous product opportunities
(photography, hiking, etc);
• Carcross has ability to revive and/or develop special events;
•
Carcross, because it’s in the Yukon, is already branded (somewhat);
• Carcross has the only sandy beaches in Yukon;
•
Prevailing winds provide opportunities for kite flying & other
wind-dependant products;
•
Carcross can also market midnight sun & aurora borealis products.
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The following were noted:
•
Unpredictable airline prices & scheduling into Whitehorse;
• The lack of developed/packaged product in Carcross;
• Carcross has a fragile ecosystem;
• Housing issues (i.e. Tent city), sewage, etc;
•
The Yukon’s inability, thus far, to differentiate itself in
the market’s eyes from other northern jurisdictions
(i.e. Alaska,
NWT & Nunavut);
•
Perception that there aren’t many services in Carcross & the
effect that this has on potential clientele;
• Completion of land claims;
• Need for community or regional land use plan.
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The following were noted:
•
The ability for Carcross & area residents to define their own
vision;
• Opportunity to provide training and employment opportunities to present
and upcoming generations and, to offer year-round employment
opportunities;
•
The opportunity to develop educational, experiential, cultural and
wilderness (water & land-based) tourism product;
•
Community-defined ‘appropriate’ development provides
an opportunity to preserve what Carcross & area has;
• The ability to capitalize being on a main route connecting the Yukon
with the massive cruising market out of Skagway;
•
To learn from other people’s/jurisdiction’s mistakes;
• Tagish/Tlingit/First Nation culture;
•
To partner/ally/develop synergies with other local/regional/territorial
tourism product & service-providers (see Partnering);
• Gold Rush interpretation;
• Creating opportunities for locals to derive benefits and employment
opportunities from tourism, and;
•
Opportunity to create authentic "real experiences" for
tourists.
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The following were noted:
• Lack of planned development;
•
Issues arising from transient populations (tourist & service
providers) in area;
• Lack of available infrastructure to house/support service/staff people;
• Potential for lack of partnership support, and;
• Airline service in/out of Whitehorse.
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