For sale: YK tour operator. Yours for $150,000

A Yellowknife tour operator looking to sell up has listed itself with a local realtor in a bid to find a buyer.

My Backyard Tours, part-owned by Amanda Peterson, is operating as usual until a buyer can be found.

The business is listed for $144,900 plus GST.

The company operates tours ranging from birdwatching to hiking excursions, alongside the North’s speciality: aurora-viewing expeditions.

“We have tours booked throughout the season and into the fall, and we have winter clothing rental bookings for the coming year already,” says Peterson.

Any buyer would inherit all existing bookings and most of the company’s equipment inventory.

The touring company has been operating since 2009, the listing on Century 21’s website notes. Peterson says business has increased significantly of late.

“The industry has really changed … it’s really quite exciting to see the dramatic growth over the last couple of years and, obviously, the interest in people coming,” she told Cabin Radio.

Peterson also runs Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge, north of Wekweètì, and is selling the Yellowknife-based tour company to concentrate on operating the lodge and its cabins.

“We want to spend some more time and focus on our lodge packages and our lodge offerings,” she said.

The tour company sale includes one of the company’s vans, the established company name, the booked business, and the winter clothing that is available for rent.

Elements of My Backyard Tours’ inventory for travellers needing winter clothing.

My Backyard Tours is currently ranked second, out of 31 operators, on TripAdvisor for outdoor activities in the Yellowknife area.

Peterson said anyone thinking of taking over should already “love showing off our backyard” to make the business a success, “whether that be the Northern Lights, the fantastic city, or features outside the city like the Cameron Falls.”