Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada capitalizes on Rendezvous Canada networking to achieve national coverage with three-part series on CTV’s Canada AM
July 24th, 2015 – CTV Canada AM’s travel expert Loren Christie has showcased Aboriginal Tourism in Canada with a three part series focusing on Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario, a result of the successful networking undertaken by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada during Rendezvous Canada in Niagara Falls, ON in May 2015.
Canada’s national media has renewed interest in showcasing the growth of Aboriginal tourism in Canada. This most recent mainstream national coverage is a direct result of Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada’s (ITAC) work through the Rendezvous Canada trade show in Niagara Falls, where Keith Henry, Chair of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Tourism BC, met with producers of multiple national television outlets, including CTV.
The three-part series has also been showcased through the CTV Canada AM website:
Part One: Alberta’s Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/travel/first-in-a-series-aboriginal-tourism-in-canada-1.2481302
Part Two: The Art of Hoop Dancing at the Wanuskewin National Heritage Park, Saskatoon
http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/travel/second-in-a-series-aboriginal-tourism-insaskatchewan-1.2483214
Part Three: Ontario’s Manitoulin Island
http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/travel/third-in-a-series-aboriginal-tourism-in-northernontario-1.2485444
“To see our national media embracing and marketing Aboriginal tourism in so important,” says Henry. “This type of coverage is to be celebrated and makes us thankful for the great partnerships we have been able to create.”
The Aboriginal cultural tourism industry has witnessed unprecedented growth across Canada, reflected in the recent study commissioned by ATAC, which studied the economic value of Aboriginal tourism in Canada. Building on this momentum ITAC created and began implementing a global marketing plan and one milestone that ITAC envisioned was establishing the first national Aboriginal tourism showcase as part of the Rendezvous Canada trade show.
Rendezvous Canada brings together over 450 domestic and international tourism operators and travel agents, classified as buyers, from approximately 32 countries with Canada’s tourism sellers. The Aboriginal tourism industry is just one of the many selling organizations.
About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada:
Originally formed as the Aboriginal Tourism Marketing Circle, in 2014 the Aboriginal Tourism Association was formally established. Over 20 Aboriginal tourism industry organizations and government representatives from across Canada are represented with ITAC. 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 in Canada. http://IndigenousTourism.ca
-30-
Media contacts:
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-888-8729 (cell) or brian@tartangroup.ca
Keith Henry, Chair, ITAC: 778-388-5013 or khenry@aboriginalbc.com