The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada unveils the 2017/18 Guide to Aboriginal Tourism in Canada
May 3, 2017, Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Vancouver, BC – The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) has unveiled the new 2017/18 Guide to Aboriginal Tourism in Canada, developed in partnership with Toque & Canoe, an award-winning online magazine featuring stories on Canadian travel culture.
The new guide aims to pique interest in Aboriginal tourism experiences across Canada, presenting each experience through the Aboriginal culture of storytelling.
Sharing in the energy and power of Aboriginal tourism, the guide tells the story of ITAC members and their businesses by emphasizing the importance of distinct community voices. The guide highlights storytelling as a way of expression and connects the profiles of each of the members to both the individuals and their communities.
“Our ancestors have been sharing stories with visitors to our traditional territories since time immemorial. Storytelling is our way of life, engrained in our culture so deeply that it makes perfect sense to present the Aboriginal tourism businesses in Canada in this way,” says Keith Henry, President & CEO of ITAC. “We are thrilled that we can now share our storytelling with visitors through this new guide, which is filled with rich tales and images of our communities and relatives.”
Throughout the guide, points of interest across Canada are presented each in its own unique way, with gorgeous photography, stirring stories and personalized testimonials by individuals who stand behind the tourism businesses. For people wanting to explore Aboriginal Canada, it opens up a world of possibilities.
At Tourism Wendake complex just outside Quebec City, daydream to an elder’s storytelling in Onhoua Chetek8e, a reconstructed traditional Huron village. Cycle, stroll or snowshoe along the Akiawenrahk’ River to the thundering Kabir
Kouba Falls. Explore the contemporary Huron-Wendat Museum. Dine on gourmet traditional meals featuring game meats, fish, seal, forest herbs and bannock. Bed down in the chic luxury Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, or
sleep in a longhouse, which a fire-keeper keeps toasty until morning.
With Haida Enterprise, you can travel to one of Canada’s wildest places, the rugged archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northwest coast and experience cultural ecotourism with a stay at the Haida House at Tllaal. Tour the rich archeological sites of Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatchewan, home to Canada’s longest-running dig; go on a medicine walk, sleep in a tipi, dine on bison stew, take in art and dance performances. Dive into the winter wonderland of Churchill, Manitoba, while dogsledding with Wapusk Adventures. Go “glamping” on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Ontario with Spirit Island Adventures, to watch millions of stars hanging in the sky over your head.
The experiences featured in the new guide demonstrate how Aboriginal communities, both urban and rural, welcome visitors to learn, share, and celebrate together. Peruse through the Aboriginal tourism experiences available across Canada and take your pick of perfect adventure.
For more information on the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), visit www.IndigenousTourism.ca.
About Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
Originally formed as the Aboriginal Tourism Marketing Circle, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) was incorporated in 2015 as a not-for-profit society. Today the ITAC Board of Directors includes representation from 15 Aboriginal tourism industry representatives and organizations from across the country who understand the challenges and opportunities to grow Aboriginal tourism. Through a unified Aboriginal tourism industry voice, ITAC focuses on creating partnerships between associations, organizations, government departments and industry leaders from across Canada to support the growth of Aboriginal tourism including 80 Aboriginal experiences from every province and territory in Canada. The ITAC research findings were from the “National Aboriginal Tourism Research Project” completed in 2015 by ITAC in order to: develop a current profile of the Aboriginal tourism industry in Canada; understand Aboriginal tourism industry trends and identify opportunities and challenges associated with these trends; and determine the direction and needs of Canada’s Aboriginal tourism industry to move forward. www.IndigenousTourism.ca.
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Media contacts:
Keith Henry, CEO, ITAC: 604-639-4408 or k.henry@aboriginalcanada.ca
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-888-8729 (cell) or brian@tartangroup.ca
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