An agreement between Air North and Condor Airlines could make for an easier travel experience between Germany and the Yukon.

Moreover, the head of the Yukon airline believes it has the potential to bring between 4,000 and 5,000 more visitors to the territory during the summer months.

The deal was announced Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Air North's hangar.

Also signed by the two airlines and the Yukon government was an accord that will see all three parties work to raise awareness in Europe of the Yukon as a tourist destination.

Premier Darrell Pasloski and Tourism and Culture Minister Mike Nixon were joined Thursday by others in the tourism industry– including Air North president Joe Sparling – to talk about the recent trade mission to the U.K. and Germany, where the deal was signed.

Nixon and Pasloski spoke of the overall benefits of partnerships formed and alliances made with tourism operators overseas. Much of the focus, however, was on the deal inked between Condor and Air North.

Sparling told the crowd gathered outside the hangar the arrangement means about four times the number of flights will come north for those looking for Condor flights to the Yukon.

Previously, it was just the once-a-week flight direct from Germany to Whitehorse which came up for those searching for flights through Condor. Luggage would also be transferred between the two airlines.

"For Yukoners, this agreement will provide convenient access to and from Europe, not only on Condor's direct flights but also via Calgary or Vancouver, with convenient connections and affordable through-fares,” Sparling said.

"From the Air North perspective, the signed co-operative accord between our airline, Condor and the Yukon government is a huge benefit. The agreement Air North reached with Condor has the potential to be even bigger.

"Both were greatly facilitated and perhaps even made possible through the efforts of the premier and the minister of tourism, as well as their support staff.”

Sparling explained that Condor has been largely focused on its agreements to work with WestJet across Canada.

However, having the Yukon politicians at the table helped the smaller airline reach the agreement for the territory, Air North's president said.

Nixon suggested "the sky's the limit” in terms of the additional tourists the plan could bring to the territory.

Sparling commented that though that remains to be seen, he thinks it will be in the neighbourhood of between 4,000 and 5,000 more visitors in the summer months.

German-speaking Europe is the Yukon's largest overseas market, with nearly 11,000 visitors during the summer 2012, the government reports.

The U.K. is a secondary market, with approximately 3,300 visitors coming to the Yukon last summer.

With a "softening economy” and more competition, businesses must find more customers to grow or sustain their operations, Sparling said in explaining his reasons for taking part in the trade mission.

He went on to state that continued growth and success require looking outside the Yukon for opportunities, such as with airlines like Condor.

Neil Hartling, the chair of the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) Yukon, praised the deal. Just 12 years ago, he recalled, air service in and out of the territory was limited.

Now, Air North provides extensive service to the south, and this deal will only help to expand that service, Hartling said.

Meanwhile, the territory has renewed its memorandum of understanding with Goodyear/Dunlop (Fulda) for 2014 and 2015 for the Fulda Challenge event which happens each winter in the territory.

The two will also move forward on a public relations initiative in 2014.

Another 12 co-operative marketing agreements with tour operators in Germany and Britain were also signed, with four more in the final stages of negotiation.

It's estimated the $592,500 in tourism investment will reach a possible 3.7 million potential tourists in Germany and the U.K.

Throughout the press conference, Pasloski, Nixon and other delegates from the trade mission praised the Yukon Bay display of the Hannover Zoo in Germany. The zoo was holding its Gold Rush Days celebrations during the trade trip.

The display was impressive, Nixon said, pointing out a full crowd attended the reception for the Gold Rush Days event at the zoo, with tickets costing $100 Euro each.

As Hartling assessed the Yukon Bay display, "this will benefit Yukon for years to come.”

At the Hannover Zoo, protesters donning "Protect Democracy, the Plan, the Peel” T-shirts made their points in favour of protecting the territory's Peel watershed to government and tourism officials during a press conference at the zoo.

As reported in Wednesday's Star, one protester – Kai Andersch, the CEO of Wilderness International – posed as a reporter. He questioned Pasloski on how the Peel Watershed Planning Commission's

recommendations would be implemented.

A press release then circulated. Drafted by various conservation organizations, it detailed the premier's response that implementing the commission's plan could cost billions of dollars in compensation to those with commercial interests in the watershed, as well as continuing to stress the importance of preserving the watershed.

Questioned about his response Thursday, Pasloski reiterated the government's goal of producing a plan for the wilderness area which strikes a balance with the territory, continuing to focus on jobs for Yukoners, training and offering iconic tourism opportunities.

This marked the first time a provincial or territorial premier has led a tourism trade mission.

The nearly 20 delegates on the mission visited Germany and the U.K. over nine days ending Wednesday.

See premier's commentary, p. 14.