Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), (Vancouver, BC) — The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is pleased to announce its new Business Support Program — a complement to its Accreditation Program. This program considers that market readiness evolves differently for each Indigenous tourism business, depending on factors such as the availability of resources, cash flow and market conditions.
ITAC’s Accreditation Program recognizes Canada’s best Indigenous tourism experiences. Developed with an Indigenous lens, the first-ever quality standards for Indigenous tourism operators enable ITAC to apply consistent and fair criteria to any Indigenous business seeking formal recognition as being market ready. Indigenous tourism businesses that are market ready provide consistent quality, authentic, and safe guest experiences.
The goal of ITAC’s Business Support Program is to help Indigenous tourism operators in Canada meet market readiness standards. The program will reach this goal by asking businesses to identify projects that will help them address gaps identified through the accreditation process.
Projects must be completed by March 31, 2023 and the maximum funding per Indigenous business operator is $10,000. Due to the high volume of applications anticipated, ITAC may present an offer of less than the full amount requested.
For complete information on project eligibility and its requirements, view the Business Support Program here.