The Hamlet of Pond Inlet is consulting on how to manage the financial returns from this year's cruise ship season, said senior administrative officer Daryl Dibblee.
Mike Beedell/Adventure Canada photo
The hamlet earned $250,000 in cruise ship docking fees and has hired a consultant to determine how that money should be used to maximize the benefit to the community, he said.
Last year, 10 cruise ships passed through the community, but that number more than doubled to 23 this year with an average of 150 people per ship, said Dibblee.
A total of 3,500 people came through the community, and that number is expected to rise in coming years, he said.
The consultant will weigh how to use the funds and whether to reinvest the $250,000 into new infrastructure investments for tourism.
Tourism allows craftspeople to sell their wares, and the community anticipates as many as 40 cruise ships will visit the community in the coming year, he said.