Tourists come to Carcross to taste the history of the Yukon, to admire the beauty of nature and to meet the friendly local people. The season is so short that any money made through tourism must be made in about three summer months. History sells, and a reconstruction of the visual Tutshi from the waterline up, beside the water, would be a great visual attraction. Incorporate tourist shops inside, forget condos and motels in the old downtown.
Ask White Pass to locate a static display of a steam locomotive and cars in the downtown for the summer. Put tourist information in there! Encourage buildings to retain their weathered rugged look. The worst thing ever done was to remove the lovely, picturesque, rickety bridge that the local children fished from. Tourists loved it. It could have been reinforced in place and retained.
Put some Klondike boats on the shore of Bennett Lake for the summer season. They are not expensive. Put tents, too. Consider a race with good prizes.
Encourage a cluster of miner wall tents to house native Yukon crafts and products. Get the stagecoach working and use it around the town in summer, charge for rides and photos, maybe. Where is the art of Ted Harrison? And others?
If these authentic Yukon things bring in more people, and they will, then consider lodging nearby. The construction and operation of these attractions will gainfully employ local people.
You are competing with Skagway for the tourist dollar.
Richard Smith
Peachland, B.C.