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    • Overview
    • Provincial Government of BC
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    • Regional, Community & Industry
      Partners
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      • Community Partners
      • Indigenous Tourism
    • Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
      • Meet the Team
      • Events
      • Regional Maps
      • Stay Connected
    • Corporate Documents
    • The Power of Tourism
  • What We Do
    • Overview
    • BC’s Destination Brand
      • Tools and Image Bank
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      • Consumer Marketing
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      • Social Media Marketing
      • Influencer Marketing
      • Travel Trade
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    • Destination Management
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      • Planning Area Look Up Tool
      • Emergency Preparedness
      • Industry Development
      • Visitor Services
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      • Co-op Marketing
      • Municipal & Regional District Tax
        Program (MRDT)
      • Other Funding Sources
  • Strategic Approach
    • Overview
    • Corporate Strategy
      • Our 2023-2025 Corporate Strategy
      • Engagement and Input
      • Connecting Respectful Growth of Indigenous Tourism to Truth and Reconciliation
      • Where We Will Focus
      • How We Will Succeed: Our Strategic Levers
      • Summary of Key Strategic Shifts
      • Alignment to Government Strategies
    • Marketing Strategy
    • Invest in Iconics Strategy
      • Strategy Overview
      • Timelines and Engagement
      • Place Branding
      • Destination Development
      • Frequently Asked Questions
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Respectful Growth of Indigenous Tourism

Pacific Rim National Park - Destination BC/JF Bergeron

  • Home
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  • Strategic Approach
  • |
  • Corporate Strategy
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  • How We Will Succeed: Our Strategic Levers
  • |
  • Respectful Growth of Indigenous Tourism
  • Strategic Approach
    • Overview
    • Corporate Strategy
      • Our 2023-2025 Corporate Strategy
      • Engagement and Input
      • Connecting Respectful Growth of Indigenous Tourism to Truth and Reconciliation
      • Where We Will Focus
      • How We Will Succeed: Our Strategic Levers
      • Summary of Key Strategic Shifts
      • Alignment to Government Strategies
    • Marketing Strategy
    • Invest in Iconics Strategy
      • Strategy Overview
      • Timelines and Engagement
      • Place Branding
      • Destination Development
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Respectful Growth of Indigenous Tourism

Strengthening Destination BC’s relationships with Indigenous communities, and facilitating collaboration and connection between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples throughout our programs and services.

Totems at SGang Gwaay Llanagaay, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, Haida Gwaii


The Journey

We know that communities, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are at the core of tourism. We recognize and respect their authority to decide what role the visitor economy plays in their communities. Each place has unique peoples, cultures, and customs, and communities will determine how and when their stories are shared. For Indigenous communities, this may be through the voices of their elders, their own organizations and platforms, or through approved non-Indigenous led organizations.

Destination BC is committed to increasing inclusiveness and raising awareness of the diversity of Indigenous cultures and communities in BC. We’ve also made commitments to work together to support the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and Action Plan. And we’ve also made commitments to work with Indigenous Tourism BC to help grow Indigenous tourism experiences, and support Indigenous tourism businesses and economic opportunities, in BC. Since its inception over 25 years ago, the long-standing relationship between Indigenous Tourism BC and Destination BC has continued to flourish, informing a leading and collaborative partnership that we look forward to building on in support of tourism in BC.

Our Commitments

This strategic lever is focussed on our responsibility and commitment to the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and Action Plan, and our desire to better support Indigenous communities and businesses engaged in tourism.

Further, we have a shared commitment with Indigenous Tourism BC to create a unified tourism industry in BC—one that enriches the experiences and connections that tourism provides, and that respects and provides benefits for Indigenous Peoples, cultures, and lands, for generations to come. 

This commitment is to continue to grow Indigenous tourism in BC and ensure Indigenous Peoples are determining and leading the future of tourism for their communities. We believe it is an important foundation to the industry’s ability to succeed and compete in the future.

In addition to these commitments, we are available to build our own relationships with First Nations communities that are already active in tourism, if, when and how they desire. 

We heard from the industry, in particular Community DMOs and visitor services, that they are looking to us to help assist them and non-Indigenous identifying businesses in increasing their awareness and understanding of working with Indigenous Peoples.

Haisla totem pole at the mouth of the Kemano river.

Indigenous History, Culture & Experiences

The province’s beauty, strength, and identity is rooted in Indigenous history, culture, and traditions, and layered with the diversity of people living here today. Tourism provides an opportunity for people in BC and visitors to understand the diversity of Indigenous Peoples in BC and to share in authentic Indigenous experiences.

Indigenous Tourism

We actively support Indigenous Tourism BC’s goal for Indigenous tourism to grow at a rate equal to or exceeding the BC provincial rate, as well as Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s goal for Canada to grow to become the global leader in Indigenous tourism with direct contributions to GDP of $6 billion annually by 2030.

Key Activities

  • Continue the collaborative partnership with Indigenous Tourism BC under the BC Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and Action Plan, the renewed Indigenous Tourism Accord and ITBC-DBC’s Guiding Principles.
  • Strengthen Destination BC’s relationships with Indigenous communities.
  • Strengthen Indigenous voices, values and presence in Destination BC’s work, with the approval of Indigenous People, and assist others throughout the tourism industry to do so as well.
  • Work with Indigenous communities to explore their tourism opportunities, if and how they desire to.
  • Assist Community DMOs and Visitor Centres to work more effectively with the Indigenous people on whose lands they conduct business.
  • Support collaboration and connection between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Peoples throughout our programs and services.
  • Continue to learn how best to do our work through lenses of reconciliation, DEIA, and stewardship, with an emphasis on cultural competencies and inclusive leadership. This includes embedding those practices within our hiring and training plans for all staff. 

Measures 

Industry Values our Programs

Indigenous Presence in Destination BC’s Work

Destination BC Employee Skills and Resources

Resident Value

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