December 3, 2019, Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Vancouver, BC – The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) was in Ottawa this week, meeting with the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Economic Development.

The Chiefs Committee on Economic Development provides leadership and guidance on strategic economic development matters.

“I was pleased to have my Director of Marketing, Sébastien Desnoyers-Picard, join me as we presented an update on the national Indigenous tourism strategy (2019-2024),” says Keith Henry, ITAC’s CEO and President. “It is gratifying to see how the value of tourism as an economic generator is gaining respect. I am very proud of the work we are doing at ITAC.”

“The timing is right to accelerate the growth of Indigenous tourism,” says Sébastien Desnoyers-Picard, “and we are happy to see that First Nation and Indigenous leaders are providing us with time to present the current situation. This is a very strong signal for our industry and we look forward to working hand and hand with current leadership.”

Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is the lead organization tasked with growing the Indigenous tourism industry across the country.  Inspired by a vision for a thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences, ITAC develops relationships with other groups and regions with similar mandates. By uniting the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada, ITAC works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol.  With Indigenous tourism outpacing Canadian tourism activity overall, and international demand for Indigenous experiences at an all-time high, ITAC recently updated its five-year plan. Additionally, ITAC just launched their Nations magazine, highlighting Indigenous people and experiences across the country. To book packages and experiences travellers may visit IndigenousCanada.Travel.

For more information on ITAC visit IndigenousTourism.ca.

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Media contacts:
Deirdre Campbell, Beattie Tartan
250-592-3838, 250-882-9199
Deirdre.Campbell@BeattieGroup.com

Keith Henry, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
604-639-4408, 778-388-5013
Keith@IndigenousTourism.ca