Beothuk, Mi’kmaq (Meeg-mah), and the ancestral lands of the Innu and the Inuit Nations – From June 12 – 16, 2024, Ryan Rogers, ITAC’s Communications Manager, attended the Travel Media Association of Canada’s (TMAC) annual conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. This year marks the 30th anniversary of TMAC, which welcomed approximately 100 Canadian travel media, including writers, editors, photographers, videographers, bloggers, social media curators, and 140 tourism industry professionals.
TMAC is a Canadian not-for-profit association serving industry and media travel professionals. They cultivate relationships that result in relevant connections, comprehensive opportunities, and successful outcomes. The organization strives for inclusivity, openness and forward-thinking in the ever-changing travel industry environment.
During the conference, Ryan engaged in 16 one-on-one meetings with media representatives, providing a valuable opportunity to highlight ITAC’s initiatives and stories. In addition to these meetings, he participated in various networking and professional development sessions with media and industry professionals.
In addition, provincial and territorial Indigenous organizations, the Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous Tourism Association (NLITA) and Indigenous Tourism Quebec (ITQ) attended. NLITA collaborated with the host province to include Indigenous experiences in the pre/post media familiarization (FAM) trips, and will co-hosted a post-FAM event. These efforts brought Indigenous tourism experiences prominently featured and appreciated by attendees.
A highlight of ITAC’s participation was sponsoring the award for the Best Indigenous Tourism Experience in Canada Story. Congratulations to Tim Johnson, a Canadian Travel Writer who won the award for his article featured in The Globe and Mail, Encounters in remote Northern Saskatchewan are also lessons in preserving Indigenous languages. This award invited submissions that share and celebrate engaging, authentic, and transformative Canadian-based Indigenous experiences. The aim was to amplify and give voice to the stories from Indigenous communities in Canada.