Tourists say the darndest things.

Just ask Anna Aaluq, who香蕉视频直播檚 waiting on a pebbly beach to guide a group of cruise ship passengers around her hometown of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut.

香蕉视频直播淭hey ask if we still live in caribou-skin tents. They ask if we still live in the wooden cabins,香蕉视频直播� she says, pointing to the square homes that house nearly everyone in the town of 1,400 on King William Island along the Northwest Passage.

香蕉视频直播淭hey are surprised we have TV.香蕉视频直播�

But Aaluq, who香蕉视频直播檚 paid for her services, is happy to see the visitors splashing onto the beach from the inflatable boat that has ferried them off Le Boreal, a French-flagged ship carrying 166 passengers.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e interested in our community,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播漈hey ask what is this building or how do you use this type of tool, for example a komatik 香蕉视频直播� a snow sled 香蕉视频直播� how we pack it up with our grub if people want to go camping.

香蕉视频直播淪ome are very nosy. They just want to take pictures. Some are very kind.香蕉视频直播�

Arctic cruise tourism has come a long way from its early days.

In the past, tourists would be dumped on shore and left to wander about in hamlets without even a coffee shop or public bathrooms. Inuit children would tag along, posing for pictures in exchange for handouts.

Now, cruise ships warn communities well in advance of a planned visit. In Gjoa Haven, the tour companies pay the town $50 a head.

Passengers arrive in manageable groups. Local guides show them the sights and answer questions. Tourists get a cultural program, as well as a chance to buy art and crafts, and often a meal of country food.

The Nunavut government has passed new regulations for cruise ships that are expected to be in effect for next year.

Cruise operators could be required to file economic benefit reports, to limit the number of passengers disembarking at any one time, to notify communities within a certain time if a ship香蕉视频直播檚 schedule changed and to distribute visitor guidelines to passengers.

Cruise ship tourism can pose safety and environmental concerns.

Arctic seas remain poorly charted. In 2012, a 200-passenger ship ran aground in the passage, although the weather was calm. Everyone was helped off safely.

While Canadian regulations already forbid discharging oil, oily waste, or any kind of garbage into Canadian Arctic waters, some marine fuels emit particles that darken sea ice and snow, hastening their melt.

Still, Aaluq香蕉视频直播檚 visitors seem to be enjoying themselves.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e just fascinated,香蕉视频直播� says Heidi Canarelli of Las Vegas. 香蕉视频直播漈he people are just so nice, and the thought that they can live in this environment year round is overwhelming.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲hat I香蕉视频直播檝e noticed the most is the amount of pride in their traditional way of life,香蕉视频直播� says Charlotte Howard of Colorado Springs, Colo. 香蕉视频直播漈hat mixture you get between development and what we would call the modern world.香蕉视频直播�

Numbers are down slightly since 2014, when almost 2,900 passengers sailed the Northwest Passage. Still, more than 2,600 visitors were scheduled in both 2016 and 2017, with 13 communities and 11 ships on this year香蕉视频直播檚 itinerary.

Pleasure craft bring more people. In 2014, there were 30 of them with another 240 people aboard.

The most recent figures, from 2011, suggest tourism left about $40 million in Nunavut香蕉视频直播檚 economy.

香蕉视频直播淎verage spending has been low in the past off the cruise ships,香蕉视频直播� says Bob Cheetham, Gjoa Haven香蕉视频直播檚 economic development officer.

香蕉视频直播淏ut a lot of that香蕉视频直播檚 about how we haven香蕉视频直播檛 had the promotional stuff on the cruise ships in advance to prepare them for what they might be able to purchase here. That香蕉视频直播檚 changing.香蕉视频直播�

These passengers have money, says Cheetham.

香蕉视频直播淭he cruises are not cheap. They香蕉视频直播檙e typically people who are 50 and above. They香蕉视频直播檙e people who have travelled the world and know what it香蕉视频直播檚 about 香蕉视频直播� most of them with very expensive cameras.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 worth the money for Harriet Litt of Seattle.

香蕉视频直播淭he landscapes are fabulous. Every day the light is different,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e always been fascinated with this part of the world and it香蕉视频直播檚 kind of fun to come to a place where a lot of people don香蕉视频直播檛 know about and don香蕉视频直播檛 come.香蕉视频直播�

They香蕉视频直播檙e welcome, says Aaluq.

香蕉视频直播淧eople don香蕉视频直播檛 mind. They know who the tourists are because they香蕉视频直播檙e dressed all in one colour and they walk in groups and they always have a camera out.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檒l be welcoming and say hello or give them a smile. The community香蕉视频直播檚 figuring it out.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播� Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press