The 2023 federal budget is SA国际影视传媒渉orrible for Indigenous tourism,SA国际影视传媒� as it ignores calls for significant investments in the emerging sector that saw its flourishing growth wither during the global pandemic, says an industry leader.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e nowhere near the investments that we feel is needed to fully recoverSA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 just a missed opportunity,SA国际影视传媒� Sebastien Desnoyers-Picard, VP of operations with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), told a conference in Yellowknife last week.

SA国际影视传媒淚 know, this pandemic has been extremely difficult, especially here (in the NWT), when the closures kept on going here. It was painful, painful to see and painful to hear. We had a lot of people connecting with us, you know, crying on the phone. And itSA国际影视传媒檚 been devastating, like we know, but I just commend you guys, all of you Indigenous or not, for the resilience that youSA国际影视传媒檝e shown.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I know the tourism will get back to what it was.SA国际影视传媒�

ITAC is working to return industry activity to where it was in 2019. Desnoyers-Picard said that was the best year ever for Indigenous tourism.

SA国际影视传媒淎t one point we were contributing $1.9 billion to the GDP of this country, with 1,900 Indigenous tourism businesses and 39,000 jobs,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Desnoyers-Picard noted at one point during the three years of Covid-related travel restrictions and border closures, there were fewer than 15,000 people working in the Indigenous tourism industry across the country.

The federal government needs to invest some $65 million to fund long-term and Indigenous-led initiatives required to secure the industrySA国际影视传媒檚 future, according to ITAC, which is predicting Canada can be the global leader in Indigenous tourism by 2030.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need investments in infrastructure, to address labour market shortages and provide tourism training (for community members) SA国际影视传媒� the reality is, itSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to sell our culture if itSA国际影视传媒檚 a non-Indigenous person that does it for us,SA国际影视传媒� said Desnoyers-Picard, a member of the Huron-Wendat Nation in Quebec. SA国际影视传媒淲e also need our people to understand that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a career waiting for them. Tourism can be fun SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 active SA国际影视传媒� and there are also benefits other than economic goals for the communities and vendors. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 about pride SA国际影视传媒� and pride is very important because for too long, our pride was taken away.SA国际影视传媒�

The federal budget includes funding earmarked for festivals and events, including Indigenous cultural celebrations, but ITAC suggests this funding is not enough and possibly difficult for Indigenous communities to access.

This wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the only time Ottawa fell short of ITACSA国际影视传媒檚 funding request. As News/North reported in 2021, Indigenous operators in the NWT were shocked to learn that yearSA国际影视传媒檚 federal budget provided $2.4 million in 2021-2022 to ITAC SA国际影视传媒� far from the $68 million that ITAC requested, with $50 million of that targeted for the period of 2020 to 2024.

At the time, Joe Bailey, owner of North Star Adventures in Yellowknife, told News/North his company had received about $37,500 in program development assistance and Covid-19 relief funding during that time from ITAC.

Bailey said OttawaSA国际影视传媒檚 funding shortfall was SA国际影视传媒渟hocking and devastating to Indigenous tourism,SA国际影视传媒� and that it was SA国际影视传媒渦nbelievable to see the federal government failing Indigenous tourism.SA国际影视传媒�

NWT TourismSA国际影视传媒檚 website lists 16 Indigenous owned and run businesses SA国际影视传媒� or majority Indigenous owned SA国际影视传媒� with most being ITAC members and ranging from sole proprietorships to larger tour companies catering to overseas tourists.

Desnoyers-Picard noted there are many forms of Indigenous tourism, and it really just depends on what the local community is prepared to support and how potential operators can access training and start-up funds.

Having tourists visit communities large and small to learn about history and experience culture is a key element of reconciliation, as stated in The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Calls to Action.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have to make sure that we provide this opportunity for them to be able to grow and to be proud of sharing their culture, be proud of talking their language, be proud of standing in front of people,SA国际影视传媒� said Desnoyers-Picard. SA国际影视传媒淎nd you know, just being able to tell their stories. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just amazing that we have so many great storytellers in this country. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just hard to understand sometimes how, you know, we donSA国际影视传媒檛 get to see more money for our sector.SA国际影视传媒�

Last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 day-long Tourism Town Hall at the Explorer Hotel was the NWT stop on The Tourism Industry Association of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 (TIAC) cross-country trek, with its stated mission to better understand efforts on national and local tourism issues and provide a forum for open dialogue, discussion and constructive debate.