Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Vancouver, BC —  The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), in collaboration with Destination Canada and Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC), sponsored and participated in Travel Classics West 2023 hosted at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and The Douglas Hotel from September 14 – 17, 2023, in Vancouver. ITAC, ITBC and Destination Canada worked together and partnered to make a lasting impact throughout the event.

Travel Classics is an exclusive event for top editors, journalists, and tourism industry professionals, and this year brought 17 editors and 45 journalists to Vancouver. It offered a unique opportunity for networking and building connections that can bring Indigenous tourism to a global audience. Ryan Rogers, ITAC’s Communications Manager, represented ITAC at Travel Classics, ensuring that Indigenous tourism experiences were shared with some of the most influential voices in travel journalism.

Here are some of the highlights from the event.

Collaboration for Culinary Impact 

On Friday, September 15, ITAC, Destination Canada and ITBC collaborated on two sponsored breaks. This collaborative approach exemplifies the shared vision of promoting Indigenous tourism and worked with Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations (ICAN) to select one chef from outside of BC and the other from BC. 

For the morning break, Chef Joseph Shawana and Chair of ICAN created a menu of scrumptious Saskatoon Berry Bannock with wild berry fruit preserves, wild rice granola with honey and seasonal berries, fresh strawberry juice.

Moving to the afternoon break, Chef Paul Natrall from Mr. Bannock Food Truck served savoury rosemary bannock crostini with tricolor beet bruschetta, balsamic and goat cheese, and Bison Meatball & Spaghetti Squash, topped with marinara sauce. 

Boreal Heartland tea was served at both breaks, adding a taste of boreal forest flora to the experience. 

Cultural Demonstrations and Engagements

One of the many highlights of the event was the partnership with Canoe Cultures, bringing immersive cultural demonstrations to the attendees. These demonstrations included canoe carving, cedar weaving, beading, and drum making. It was a chance for participants to witness the craftsmanship and artistry of Indigenous traditions up close. Additionally, attendees were gifted beaded orange shirt pins from Moonstone Creation, a meaningful symbol of reconciliation and remembrance.

The Power of Indigenous Tourism

The collaborative efforts of ITAC, Destination Canada, and ITBC at Travel Classics West 2023 brought the spirit of Indigenous tourism to top US editors and freelance travel writers that will inspire travellers to embark on a journey of authentic Indigenous tourism experiences.