Destination Canada and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada partnered together at Canada Media Marketplace in San Francisco this week to share and showcase Indigenous music through a luncheon inspired by transformational travel.

Emmanuelle Legault, VP International at Destination Canada, introduced the luncheon by defining transformational travel as “any travel experience that empowers people to make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives” and went on to acknowledge that “transformation requires that our travellers explore themselves and recognize that their perspective defines them.” She then went on to introduce Dené Sinclair, ITAC Director of Marketing, who presented Indigenous tourism as an opportunity for changed perspectives and new perspectives.

ITAC has partnered with Destination Canada on a marketing campaign in the USA this year, which will include partnered content with the New Yorker where journalist Katie Bain authors an article on the rise of Indigenous artists and music. Bain writes that “musicians like this address the challenging history Indigenous peoples have with Canada while celebrating the vibrancy, beauty, and resilience inherent within their cultures. This is not just entertainment, it’s a revolution.”

Media and delegates at CMM remained captivated as Anishinaabe musician and storyteller Leonard Sumner shared stories and songs over the luncheon. Alec Scott (www.alec.ugali.com), San Francisco based writer says, “the lunch presentation by Indigenous Canada was extraordinary, the short, moving set and storytelling by Leonard Sumner, the video of the artist working on Manitoulin Island. Thank you for including me”.

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