Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada president/CEO Keith Henry and Michael Nadler, Vice President of external relations and visitor experience at Parks Canada/Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) has renewed a three-year contribution agreement with Parks Canada to enhance and grow Indigenous experiences across the country.
The agreement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 and renewed in 2022. It provides a framework for the growth of Indigenous tourism at Parks Canada-administered places through the development, support and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism experiences created in collaboration between Parks Canada and Indigenous communities, businesses and entrepreneurs.
This agreement is part of a commitment to invest $500,000 ($366,000 USD) over three years.
“The renewal of this partnership with Parks Canada enables important work to continue building a strong future for Indigenous tourism,” ITAC president and CEO Keith Henry said in a news release. “Moreover, ITAC’s role is to ensure that any agreement between the association and Parks Canada is rooted in reconciliation for Indigenous people and that Indigenous culture and identity is authentically represented in ongoing marketing efforts.”
ITAC is a national non-profit Indigenous tourism industry organization.
Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault said Canada’s tourism industry is showing signs of growth as we move past the acute phase of the pandemic. “A fully recovered and robust Indigenous tourism sector is key to reconciliation, and to our government’s ongoing work in building an economy that works for everyone,” he said.
As part of the agreement, the two organizations will promote market-ready experiences by creating and jointly marketing travel itineraries. This will help authentic Indigenous experiences grow and develop throughout Parks Canada-administered locations across the country. There will be staff training opportunities and Indigenous arts and crafts will be sold at Parks Canada stores, its national historical sites and more.
