Action plan part of five-year strategy with goal of maximizing growth within the industry

March 13, 2018, Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Vancouver, BC – The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) has outlined its strategy for 2018-2019 to enhance the Indigenous tourism sector as a continuously growing segment of the country’s tourism industry.

As the association marks year three of its five-year plan (2016-2021), “The Path Forward,” the 2018-2019 action plan will focus on an update to the guiding research for the organization. The updated research will allow ITAC to measure economic growth against the 2012 targets of increased revenues to $300 million in annual Canadian GDP for Indigenous tourism; a total of 40,233 Indigenous tourism workers; and 50 new Indigenous tourism operators at export-ready status.

“We are setting the stage for continued growth among our members, sector, and industry after a tremendously successful 2017 year,” says Keith Henry, President & CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. “The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada is building on this momentum to help our members and stakeholders meet visitor demand for authentic Indigenous tourism experiences from coast to coast.”

The five-year plan is based on four performance areas of marketing, development, partnership, and leadership. The 2018-2019 plan highlights key opportunities that include:

  • Marketing efforts in key markets of Canada, Germany, UK and France to increase awareness and demand for Indigenous tourism and an increase in marketing investments in China as a part of the Canada-China Year of Tourism (CCYT)
  • Increase to product and business development investments to grow market-ready and export-ready Indigenous tourism experiences
  • Support Indigenous tourism industry growth through the development of provincial and territorial Indigenous tourism associations
  • Securing additional long-term funding support and industry expertise from major organizations through strategic partnerships
  • Creation of standards, guidelines, and best practices for Indigenous tourism businesses to achieve market-ready and export-ready status
  • Focused growth in partnerships and relationships with travel trade and tour operators

[su_button url=”https://indigenoustourism.ca/reports/” style=”flat” target=”blank” background=”#A20000″ size=”6″ radius=”8″]View the 2018-19 Action Plan[/su_button]

 

About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) works to improve the socio-economic condition of Aboriginal people through the provisions of economic development advisory services, tourism conferences, capacity development training and workshops, industry research and information for Aboriginal tourism operators and communities within the 13 regions; 10 provinces and three territories of Canada. ITAC develops relationships with other groups and regions with similar mandates, uniting the Aboriginal tourism industry in Canada and works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Aboriginal cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. The ITAC Board is made up of Aboriginal tourism industry representatives from each of the provinces and territories. For more information, visit www.IndigenousTourism.ca.

-30-

Media contacts:
Brian Cant, Beattie Tartan: 250-592-3838, 250-888- 8729 (cell) or brian.cant@onlybeattie.com
Keith Henry, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada: 604-639-4408 or keith@indigenoustourism.ca

[su_button url=”https://indigenoustourism.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/ITAC-2018-Planning-Update.pdf” style=”flat” target=”blank” background=”#A20000″ size=”6″ radius=”8″]Download this press release as a PDF[/su_button]