Research conducted in partnership by ITAC and Destination Canada demonstrate the largest market potential for Indigenous tourism businesses

October 30, 2018, Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of Métis (Saskatoon, SK) – One in every three international visitors (37 per cent) to Canada say they are interested in Indigenous tourism experiences, according to new research conducted in partnership by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and Destination Canada.

The country with the highest percentage of visitors interested in Indigenous experiences is France, with 63 per cent of visitors wanting to partake in Canadian Indigenous activities. Following France’s lead is Germany, with 47 per cent of German visitors to Canada interested in Indigenous experiences.

The USA and China both offer the largest potential market opportunities, in terms of potential visitation with 33 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, interested in Indigenous experiences.
“We have suspected for a while that international interest in Indigenous tourism is growing, and it is fantastic to see that proved out in research, “said Keith Henry, president and CEO of ITAC. “Our goal is to have Canada’s Indigenous experiences at the forefront of visitors’ minds and these numbers are starting to reflect that our marketing and partnerships are really working.”

Destination Canada published the data from its Global Tourism Watch surveys, which provides consumer-based intelligence on 10 markets around the world, plus within Canada.

More information on the Global Tourism Watch surveys can be found at https://www.destinationcanada.com/en/global-tourism-watch.

The new research was announced today at the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC), being held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The two-day tourism conference started today and will see over 500 delegates taking part in panel discussions, breakout sessions, keynote presentations and local cultural experiences.

2018 IITC will bring together delegates from the Canadian tourism industry, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities, as well as representatives from global Indigenous tourism organizations to discuss Indigenous tourism topics, barriers, opportunities and trends across Canada and the world.

This year, the theme is, “The Indigenous Tourism Economy: Learning Together and Sharing Our Stories.” The full schedule is available online at https://www.indigenoustourismconference.com/agenda/.

About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) works to improve the socio-economic condition of Indigenous peoples through the provisions of economic development advisory services, tourism conferences, capacity development training and workshops, industry research and information for Indigenous 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 Indigenous tourism industry in Canada and works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. ITAC also just released their brand-new experience guide, detailing Indigenous experiences across Canada, in which visitors can learn about the values of the respect, honour and integrity that guides our communities while discovering the traditional territories, history, people and culture that has been a part of our country for centuries. To down load the full 2018/19 Guide to Indigenous Tourism in Canada go to: https://indigenoustourism.ca/indigenous-tourism-experience-guide/. The ITAC Board is made up of Indigenous tourism industry representatives from each of the provinces and territories. For more information, visit www.indigenoustourism.ca.
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Media contacts:
Jenna Hickman, Beattie Tartan: 250-592-3838, 250-215-8425 (cell) or jenna.hickman@beattiegroup.com
Keith Henry, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada: 604-639-4408 or keith@indigenoustourism.ca

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