[Unceded Syilx Territory, Kelowna, BC] – GreenStep Solutions and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance both reconciliation in Canada and sustainability in Indigenous tourism. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering responsible and regenerative tourism practices that support Indigenous communities and tourism businesses, and sharing the message of tourism as reconciliation in action between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples across Canada.
As part of this collaboration, GreenStep will contribute to ITAC’s Indigenous Tourism Destination Fund (ITDF) by donating $5 for every Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge signatory. Launched in 2021, the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge is a free program for tourism businesses and destinations to help them begin their sustainability journey. For more information, visit the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge website.
GreenStep will also contribute $25 for every Sustainable Tourism certification purchased through GreenStep’s website.
The ITDF plays a vital role in advancing Indigenous reconciliation in Canada by fostering economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship within Indigenous communities, and GreenStep is proud to be able to contribute to this national movement of like-minded partners. Moreover, the ITDF aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #92, emphasizing the importance of economic opportunities and partnership with Indigenous communities.
In addition to financial contributions, GreenStep will work alongside ITAC to provide sustainable tourism educational support to Indigenous tourism operators. This will include guidance and resources to help businesses align with global sustainable tourism standards, ensuring long-term environmental and socio-economic resilience.
“GreenStep’s contribution to the ITDF supports ITAC’s research that has identified an investment need of more than $2.6B to meet the demand for Indigenous tourism experiences for both domestic and international travellers to Canada,” said Keith Henry, CEO and president of ITAC. “By working together, we are ensuring that Indigenous tourism businesses have the tools and support they need to grow in a way that honours sustainability, including social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits for Indigenous communities.”
GreenStep CEO, Angela Nagy, echoed this sentiment: “We are honoured to collaborate with ITAC on promoting the ITDF. The ITDF plays an essential role in Indigenous reconciliation through tourism, and we are proud to support this initiative by contributing to a more resilient, sustainable, responsible, and equitable Indigenous tourism industry. We are excited to work with ITAC in supporting Indigenous tourism operators to grow their businesses sustainably over the coming years. ”
This MOU marks an important step in GreenStep’s ongoing effort to support businesses in achieving their sustainability goals. Through shared expertise and financial contributions, GreenStep and ITAC aim to create lasting positive impacts for Indigenous communities and the Indigenous tourism sector as a whole.
About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)
Established in 2015, ITAC is a national non-profit Indigenous tourism industry organization, tasked with growing and promoting the industry across the country. Inspired by a vision for a thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences, ITAC develops relationships with groups and regions with similar mandates to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. For more information, visit www.IndigenousTourism.ca.
About GreenStep
Founded in 2008 in Canada by Angela Nagy, GreenStep is dedicated to empowering DMOs, industry associations, hospitality providers, and tourism operators with the tools and frameworks to meet the growing demand for sustainable tourism. As a tech-enabled consulting firm, GreenStep pairs technology with a team of sustainability experts to provide a wide variety of services, including carbon measurement, sustainability and net-zero strategy, action planning, certifications, and EcoFund, a decarbonization funding program. GreenStep’s Sustainable Tourism Certification program is the only Canadian program that uses Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)-recognized criteria; the program is also recognized by Travalyst, Booking.com, and Google. Since its founding, GreenStep has helped thousands of tourism businesses across North America identify opportunities to go green while attracting more trips and visitors. GreenStep is proud to be Climate Neutral Certified, Living Wage Certified, Rainbow Registered, and a Certified B Corp. For more information, visit GreenStep.ca.
GreenStep Media Requests:
Angela Nagy
GreenStep Solutions
1-800-469-7830
ITAC English Media Requests:
Bojana Duric
tartanbond on behalf of ITAC
647-271-2274
Jovily Martone
tartanbond on behalf of ITAC
416-319-8296
ITAC French Media Requests:
Jeneviève Dulude-LeBlanc
tartanbond on behalf of ITAC
403-707-7549