By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter WINDSPEAKER.COM

The good news is that there is growing demand for Indigenous tourism across Canada.

But the not-so-good news is the industry is still falling short of post-COVID recovery goals according to a report released on Jan. 23 by the Conference Board of Canada (CBOC) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC).

91裸聊视频淚 was expecting it to be stronger,91裸聊视频� Keith Henry, who serves as the ITAC president and CEO, said of the report research that was delivered, adding he was disappointed with the data compiled.

Henry though was not shocked to see the non-Indigenous tourism industry is faring better across the country.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not surprised by the outcome because I know there has been limited support for actual Indigenous marketing and Indigenous tourism support,91裸聊视频� he said.

There91裸聊视频檚 no denying Indigenous tourism is capable of playing a significant role in the country91裸聊视频檚 economy.

According to the just-released report, Indigenous tourism in 2023 directly contributed $1.6 billion to Canada91裸聊视频檚 Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That was a decrease of 10 per cent compared to 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

When adjusted for inflation, the report said the GDP decrease was almost 24 per cent.

Henry said Indigenous tourism operators have been pleading with government officials and the private sector for much needed financial assistance for years.

91裸聊视频淭he lack of a real focus and commitment to Indigenous tourism has contributed to this outcome,91裸聊视频� Henry said. 91裸聊视频淲e feel that91裸聊视频檚 a missed opportunity for the industry.91裸聊视频�

Henry doesn91裸聊视频檛 foresee positive changes in the near future.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think Canada is going to put any money into it any time soon,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 haven91裸聊视频檛 seen any major investments for Indigenous tourism for the last few years. I91裸聊视频檝e been on record in the media talking the last few years. And people thought I didn91裸聊视频檛 make any political friends. But the truth was my job was to advocate for the needs of our industry.91裸聊视频�

Henry added talk can indeed be cheap, if not followed through with action.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a real disconnect between writing us in public statements and policy and then not really investing in it,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd so, I don91裸聊视频檛 see any major investments on the horizon from Canada. And any real investments or support coming from the private sector.91裸聊视频�

A report on the state of the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada was first released in 2015.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e back now to 2014 levels,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 unfortunate because the regular industry has rebounded (from the pandemic) and actually surpassed 2019 levels. We91裸聊视频檙e still below 2019 levels. And you91裸聊视频檝e got to ask why.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not that visitor demand is not there. There is a lack of support from marketing and infrastructure to continue to help consumers find our experiences and our product. We have to speak loudly about that because those are systemic challenges we91裸聊视频檝e got.91裸聊视频�

Henry also said he is disappointed that support has not materialized as anticipated.

91裸聊视频淧artners that we were hoping would be there and invest more strategically in the ways that we set through Indigenous-led strategy haven91裸聊视频檛 done that,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd my worry is that without those commitments in the near future, which we don91裸聊视频檛 have, how is Indigenous tourism going to resolve those issues. I see the gap widening, not getting better.

91裸聊视频淚t will still grow. But it will grow at a very, very nominal rate versus what it could grow had we been meeting the true visitor demand. And we can91裸聊视频檛 do that with the resources and the investments that we see today.91裸聊视频�

A positive note from the report, however, indicated that there were more than 2,750 entrepreneurs and organization that were part of the country91裸聊视频檚 Indigenous tourism sector in 2023.

That figure has dramatically risen from nearly 1,900 entrepreneurs/organization two years earlier.

Henry attributes the increase to the work done by ITAC and reps from Indigenous provincial/territorial tourism organizations that have raised awareness about the importance of Indigenous tourism.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 the problem now,91裸聊视频� Henry said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e raised such strong support and expectations. And we91裸聊视频檝e seen a lot of new artists and smaller businesses come online and more festivals and events. There91裸聊视频檚 a number of new businesses that have formed in the last five, six, seven years.91裸聊视频�

But without some external funding, getting word out about these Indigenous business operators has proved challenging.

91裸聊视频淲e always thought we were going to have stable, predictable resources,91裸聊视频� Henry said. 91裸聊视频淏ut we91裸聊视频檝e just never been able to achieve that.91裸聊视频�