Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • West Coast Galleries
      • Nature Photography
      • Wildlife Photography
      • Cityscapes
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • Newsletter Sign-up
  • Contests
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Terms of Service
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok Icon
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok Icon
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • West Coast Galleries
      • Nature Photography
      • Wildlife Photography
      • Cityscapes
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • Newsletter Sign-up
  • Contests
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Terms of Service
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / Travel / A lot is riding on Indigenous tourism recovery in Canada

The Squamish-Liloet Indigenous Cultural Centre’s Great Hall features 22-foot-high ceilings and curved 220-foot glass plank walls, hand-carved cedar welcome figures, pictograph-embossed boulders, massive spindle whorls and cedar canoes. Jennifer Blyth / West Coast Traveller photo

A lot is riding on Indigenous tourism recovery in Canada

March 15, 2022 //  by The Canadian Press

Share this:

By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com

Building Back Better.

That was not only the name and prevalent theme at the three-day National Indigenous Tourism Conference, which wrapped up March 10 in Calgary, it was also the name of the opening keynote address delivered by senior management members of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

It’s been no secret the Indigenous tourism industry across the country has taken a significant beating the past couple of years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indigenous businesses have suffered greater than some others in the tourism sector in part because many Indigenous communities across Canada had their own lockdowns and restrictions, prohibiting visitors.

“We want to make sure we can rebuild because we are resilient,” said Sebastien Desnoyers-Picard, ITAC’s chief marketing officer, during the keynote. “Our communities are strong. Our people are even stronger. And I want to make sure that we highlight that and we continue in that same sense and the same spirit of showcasing, highlighting and sharing our culture to the world.”

Desnoyers-Picard and his ITAC colleagues are keen to play a significant role in the bounce back.

“As soon as international travel restrictions are lifted, ITAC will continue to lead Indigenous tourism industry into the resiliency phase,” he said. “Our objective really is to hit and bring back all the 2019 numbers and rebuild the industry by 2025 or 2026.”

In 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic started having major impacts in Canada, about 39,000 people were employed in Indigenous tourism jobs across the country.

Today, just over half of those jobs are around.

READ MORE: How storytelling in tourism can support truth and reconciliation

As part of their three-year strategic plan, from 2022 through to 2025, ITAC officials are asking the federal government for a $65 million investment over those years.

“We want to bring back roughly 21,000 jobs,” said ITAC’s CEO and president Keith Henry. “That’s what it’s going to take get us back to the 39,000 or so level of jobs, full- and part-time.”

Henry said ITAC officials are hoping about 4,200 jobs are regained in 2022. And then 8,400 more are gained in each of the following two years.

Neskonlith knowledge keeper Louis Thomas, Neskonlith Councillor Brad Arnouse and Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison discuss the first Trailhead post in the Secwépemc Landmarks Project on June 1, just after it was officially unveiled. Martha Wickett / Salmon Arm Observer photo

Henry and ITAC officials are waiting to see how much funding they will receive when the 2022 federal budget is unveiled next month.

“The truth is if we don’t see those kinds of strategic investments, we don’t know how the industry will grow fast enough,” he said. “There’s not enough marketing in our opinion, enough drive, enough tools in the toolkit to actually drive more customers, whether it’s Canadians domestically or as we re-enter international markets.”

READ MORE: An experience shared: Coastal BC’s Klahoose Wilderness Resort

Henry said plenty of consumer research has been done in the past 24 months.

“There’s a change in the way people look at this planet,” he said. “And the truth is more than ever they want to understand Indigenous culture and values because people fundamentally believe this planet is not savable unless we do. That’s an advantage for this industry.”

Henry had previously predicted it could take until 2028 or possibly even 2030 for the Indigenous tourism industry to fully recover without proper federal investments. That would be several years longer than the anticipated tourism recovery across Canada.

“The truth is Indigenous tourism is going to take much longer to recover,” he said. “And we’ve been saying it will be 8 to 10 years without a significant about face and tools to continue to stabilize.”

Brady Smith, ITAC’s chief strategy officer, said there are three priorities his association is eager to emphasize in its latest strategic plan. They are inspiring, leveraging and strengthening.

“We want to inspire our businesses across the country,” Smith said. “We know the past two years has been really, really difficult and in many cases, people have said to us through emails and phone calls, by the hundreds over the past several years, why are we in tourism?”

Smith said ITAC provides guidelines for those business operators on the importance of continuing on in tourism.

“We need to leverage,” Smith added. “We’re going to be leveraging our partnerships.”

Another focus will be on strengthening ITAC as an industry leader.

“We really need to strengthen the ITAC leadership across the country and globally,” he said.

Teresa Ryder, ITAC’s director of business development, said representatives from the national association are currently doing plenty of work alongside other tourism organizations across Canada.

“We’re working with our provinces and territories to build toolkits to reopen,” she said. “Some of these are specialized, some of these are national but making sure that when doors open, export ready businesses are supported through their provinces and territories.”

***

Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: TravelTag: Canada, Indigenous Tourism

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

13 of the most surreal places to visit in the western US

You know those places that feel so dreamlike that you ask yourself, “Did I just…

13 of the most surreal places to visit in the western USRead More

Ancient species spotted along Trail shoreline offers hope for Upper Columbia sturgeon

What could be greater than a lunchtime stroll along the Trail Esplanade, with the sunshine…

Ancient species spotted along Trail shoreline offers hope for Upper Columbia sturgeonRead More

Sidney, B.C. museum launches exhibit on ‘most fascinating frontier’: space

A southern Vancouver Island museum invites you to explore the reaches of space with a…

Sidney, B.C. museum launches exhibit on ‘most fascinating frontier’: spaceRead More

Cloverdale heritage railway rolling out 2nd annual music festival

Surrey’s heritage railway is off to a busy start. The historic rail line in the…

Cloverdale heritage railway rolling out 2nd annual music festivalRead More

Crossing the Canada-U.S. border this summer? CBSA shares tips for a smooth trip

If you’re planning to cross the Canadian border during this summer travel season, the Canada…

Crossing the Canada-U.S. border this summer? CBSA shares tips for a smooth tripRead More

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest transitioning to cashless collections on June 21

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest will transition to primarily cashless collections for day and annual…

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest transitioning to cashless collections on June 21Read More

5 ways to take an affordable family vacation this summer

You want to create memories and have a great time with your family this summer.…

5 ways to take an affordable family vacation this summerRead More

48 hours in Nelson, B.C.: Trails, taps and laid-back charm

I rolled into Nelson on a warm Friday morning, welcomed by a mix of fresh…

48 hours in Nelson, B.C.: Trails, taps and laid-back charmRead More

Brick-by-brick, stories beyond the history come alive in Kelowna this summer

Brick-by-brick, Canadian artist Ekow Nimako re-imagined ancient African kingdoms by building and envisioning a journey…

Brick-by-brick, stories beyond the history come alive in Kelowna this summerRead More

Previous Post: « B.C. video shows reintroduced elk are thriving
Next Post: Disney’s Food & Wine Festival returns with 8-week culinary celebration »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

13 of the most surreal places to visit in the western US

June 18, 2025

Ancient species spotted along Trail shoreline offers hope for Upper Columbia sturgeon

June 17, 2025

Sidney, B.C. museum launches exhibit on ‘most fascinating frontier’: space

June 17, 2025

Cloverdale heritage railway rolling out 2nd annual music festival

June 16, 2025

Recent Posts

13 of the most surreal places to visit in the western US

June 18, 2025

Ancient species spotted along Trail shoreline offers hope for Upper Columbia sturgeon

June 17, 2025

Sidney, B.C. museum launches exhibit on ‘most fascinating frontier’: space

June 17, 2025

Cloverdale heritage railway rolling out 2nd annual music festival

June 16, 2025

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • TikTok Icon
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved