Monday, June 28, 2021
With COVID-19 restrictions related to travel getting easing with each passing day, Indigenous tour operators are pushing for more financial help in tourism as many are still in struggling mode post-pandemic.
To quote Keith Henry, president and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), “The present state is still very critical. Yes, there have been some investments but we’ve lost hundreds-of-millions of dollars in revenue, jobs and people that were providing cultural experiences,” “Indigenous tourism is really on life support right now.”
Indigenous tourism comprises lodges and resorts, outdoor adventure experiences, and galleries and gift shops. Of late, indigenous tourism businesses in B.C. have received more than $28 million for 60 projects to help their pandemic revival.
“Indigenous tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in B.C. tourism because it provides opportunities to share Indigenous cultures and experience communities in a new way,” said Melanie Mark, minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.
“This funding demonstrates reconciliation in action by creating and expanding tourism economic development projects with Indigenous Nations and supporting self-determination for Indigenous businesses.”
Saturday, April 27, 2024
