The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada launched a brand new mark called The Original Original to help consumers learn and identify indigenous-led tourism products and experiences in Canada, which is the first of its kind in the Americas.This is part of a massive promotional push to save 1,000 of the pre-Covid indigenous tourism businesses and put them in the forefront of Canadians' minds when the country reopens for domestic tourism.Keith Henry, CEO of Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, stated that the mark signals a start for them. He also said that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on indigenous tourism businesses. We are trying to rebuild sentiment. A lot of it speaks to our indigenous communities, and our businesses about how we can begin rebuilding.A new website, which uses the Original Original brand, simplifies digital bookings of indigenous tourism experiences in Canada. The campaign's $2.5 million budget was largely funded by Destination Canada. It features storytelling and heartfelt messages, as well as testimonials from Canada's diverse indigenous peoples.It's like the true, authentic Canadian experience, one protagonist says, while the other declares that it is time to celebrate our relationship to this vast, beautiful country.The message boldly addresses Canada's past exclusion of Indigenous identity and how indigenous tourism can be used to bridge the gap.The association hopes to save a sector that took 30 years to develop and contributed $1.9 Billion to Canada's GDP in 2019. It also serves as a regional model to encourage economic growth through tourism.ITAC is a great organization. They have shown leadership and remained there for these companies during this difficult time. The rebranding exercise was a strategic decision in that direction. Seleni Matus, director at the George Washington University international institute of tourism studies, stated, "I am extremely proud of ITAC."Matus said that the branding would help to refocus attention on domestic tourism while focusing on the educational aspects of indigenous tourism.It is an opportunity to provide a deeper understanding and to move beyond the traumatic past that Canada has with Indigenous Peoples.ITAC's historical branding efforts coincide with Canada's reckoning of its past, as evidenced by the discovery of hundreds unmarked graves near former residential schools. The conversation has been pushed to the forefront by the #CancelCanadaDay hashtag on social media.Henry stated that ITAC's intention is not to be commercial, but that it has a new brand and platform that ITAC has created. This will allow Canadians to get together and indigenous tourism can play a role in reconciliation.Henry stated that in all the years I have worked in my community and in indigenous tourism, I've never heard Canadians talk about indigenous culture or issues as much as they do right now.Businesses are available to help them understand the history of this land and how it was used.The Americas' Beacon of Hope: Indigenous Tourism in the AmericasHenry stated that it took three decades for indigenous tourism in the communities to become established. He said that they didn't want to be Disney-fied at first, and had to learn to dance and sing.The focus of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada on supporting and training businesses, as well as early government support is what made the sector legitimized and allowed indigenous communities to realize the potential for economic growth through tourism.In 2019, Canadian indigenous tourism was growing faster than overall tourism growth. The levels of interest were so high that one third of Canadians and one third of international visitors were interested in Canada, ITAC was having difficulty meeting the demand.The industry grew by 14.5 percent between 2014 and 2017, and we were growing at 23.5% over that. Our growth was actually accelerating. We would have been doing our next major economic evaluation this year ironically, stated Henry.According to the Conference Board of Canada research, one year after Covid, the sector of indigenous tourism saw a 65.9 per cent decline in direct gross national product and a 59.4percent drop in employment.There were roughly 40,000 employees in indigenous tourism and 1,900 owned businesses by indigenous peoples in 2019. There are still 15,000 employees, while 900 businesses have closed.If there is no tourism revenue or the government reduces its support for this sector, more are likely to go extinct by the end of the year.The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada was awarded $16 million in funding by the government in August 2020 to help it deliver its services to 640 Indigenous Tourism businesses by the end of 2019.ITAC asked the Canadian government to adjust the allocation of $68.3 millions for 2020-2024 in light of the continuing border closure and Covid impacts. This would ensure that Canada's indigenous tourism sector can return to the $1.8billion in direct gross domestic product revenue.The federal budget was released in April 2021. However, the association received $2.4 million for a year and no information on long-term funding. Henry stated that the path of funding for the federal agencies was not the best strategy. He preferred an indigenous-led approach.Matus believes that the consequences of Canada's indigenous tourism sector being left unsupported have greater implications for the region. It was once a beacon for hope for indigenous tourism throughout Americas because it is well-organized and has received decades of support from the government in developing it.It is the only country with an indigenous tourism industry if you look at it from a hemispheric level. In most other countries, there are some indigenous experiences that may be integrated into the national tourist product but Canada stands out, Matus stated.Henry agreed with Henry that it was true in the past.Henry stated that Henry was proud to state that Canada is a leader in the development and maintenance of indigenous tourism. It's something I don't think we can say anymore.The Domestic Traveler: Your Lifeline70% of the $1.8 billion in revenue that Canada's indigenous tourism generated for its gross domestic product was contributed by international tourists, including the U.S.However, with the borders between the two countries still being closed and international travel slowing down, it is a challenge for local tourism businesses to market to local tourists amid funding shortages. This makes ITAC advocacy and marketing crucial as summer travel resumes.Henry is optimistic that this summer looks better than last. As restrictions ease, Canadians will be able to travel freely and explore their own backyards.Henry stated that we were creating packages, have stuff in the queue, and there is a buzz in Canada because it appears like we are reopening more.Insignia Research's independent study on domestic travelers shows that Canadians are becoming more aware of core values in indigenous culture. They want to live a slower and more mindful life, embracing simplicity, nature, spirituality, and soulfulness.It was also reported that road trips are on the rise, with three-day trips turning into one- and two week escapes.Covids devastating blow on indigenous tourism businesses is going to take more than one summer to repair and rebuild.Henry stated that it would be extremely difficult this year. We are lucky to have a 500 million dollar estimate for sales at the tills this year. Direct employment has also been reduced by a lot. It is clear that we are not going to recover this fiscal year. Recovery will take several years.The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada encourages Canadians to book Original Original Indigenous Tourism Experiences and support Indigenous-owned Businesses this Summer.Henry said that now is the right time to demonstrate that you are at a crossroads.We are asking you to visit our companies and spend some money there, rather than leaving the country as soon and as possible. Let's make this a summer-long pledge.
