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Urban Aboriginal By Turtle Island Tourism Co.

March, 2012

Exploring the current and future potential of urban Aboriginal tourism opportunities in terms of employment and economic development.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 2 TOURISM LANDSCAPE ...... 3 ‟S TOURISM INDUSTRY ...... 3 ABORIGINAL ...... 4 INDIGENOUS “URBAN TOURISM” BEST PRACTICES ...... 6 CASE STUDIES...... 8 : ( AND ) ...... 8 TORONTO ...... 8 TORONTO – ABORIGINAL TOURISM ...... 9 OTTAWA ...... 9 OTTAWA – ABORIGINAL TOURISM ...... 10 CASE STUDIES: ...... 11 ...... 12 QUEBEC CITY ABORIGINAL TOURISM ...... 12 CASE STUDIES: ...... 14 EDMONTON ABORIGINAL TOURISM: ...... 15 CASE STUDY: ...... 16 VANCOUVER: ...... 16 VANCOUVER ABORIGINAL TOURISM: ...... 17 TOURISM EMPLOYMENT ...... 18 OPPORTUNITIES ...... 18 BARRIERS ...... 19 URBAN ABORIGINAL TOURISM ...... 20 ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES ...... 20

APPENDIX A: AAND CONCEPTS RE: URBAN ABORIGINAL TOURISM PRODUCTS

APPENDIX B: CTC EXPLORER QUOTIENT & URBAN ABORIGINAL TOURISM

APPENDIX C: SURVEY SUMMARY – DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS

APPENDIX D: SURVEY SUMMARY – ABORIGINAL TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

More then 15 Federal Departments and agencies work to support Canada‟s tourism industry and provide tourism-related programs and services. In 2008-2009, direct federal investments in tourism totalled $531.6 million supporting a variety of activities from product In the draft Tourism Reference development to marketing, human resource development and Paper being developed for the FCC information/statistics. To better coordinate these efforts, Industry it noted that … Canada launched the Federal Tourism Strategy (FTS) October of 2011. A key growth area for products is in gateway or portal cities. As The FTS is a whole of government approach to bring a more coherent and integrated direction in the policy and programs to support the these are the entry points for visitor economy. The FTS identifies some Aboriginal-specific international travelers it provides measures targeting marketing and product development. Aboriginal direct access to off reserve, non Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) will be a key status, Métis and Inuit peoples. partner in the implementation of the Aboriginal specific commitments Urban Aboriginal tourism listed within the FTS and will act as a catalyst in the development of development potential should be new and emerging tourism employment and business development opportunities. The Office of the Federal Interlocutor (OFI) views explored to determine the full urban Aboriginal tourism as having significant potential for greater breadth of opportunities that may inclusion of urban Aboriginal peoples and businesses and supported exist. through existing programs such as the Strategic Partnership Initiatives.

In 2007, Aboriginal Tourism produced $750 million in direct expenditures across Canada and economic impact projections completed by the former Aboriginal Tourism Canada (ATC) indicate a realistic potential of over 4.9 billion annually within the following ten years. With the growing global interest in cultural tourism, urban Aboriginal communities located in gateway destinations across Canada have a tremendous opportunity to capture their share of this market with both employment and economic development initiatives.

This study utilizes the following methodology to create an accurate portrayal of the current and future potential opportunities for urban Aboriginal tourism in Canada. 1) A literature review on urban Aboriginal tourism trends in Canada, exploring both the economic and employment opportunities 2) Identification of five “tourism gateway” cities across Canada which best represent Canada‟s diversity of Aboriginal cultural tourism to identify trends, issues and opportunities. 3) Key informant interviews conducted with industry stakeholders within each region.

Overall, despite the flat tourism economy in Canada, we found that there is still a tremendous opportunity to explore and support urban Aboriginal tourism development. As the urban Aboriginal tourism experience meets the changing needs of a more “experiential tourist” it could potentially capture some of the existing market share despite a flat tourism economy and help to strengthen the region‟s market appeal in attracting both domestic and international tourists.

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TOURISM LANDSCAPE

CANADA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY

Tourism has become one of the major socio-economic sectors in the world and one of the leading components of international trade according to the World Travel Organization (WTO). In 2010 some 15.9 million The Federal Tourism Strategy international visitors made overnight trips to Canada, while (2011) states “the diversified 229.2 million domestic trips were made. During this nature of the tourism sector makes period overall tourism spending totalled $73.4 billion. Business initiatives in the tourism sector are small, it critical that all partners find numerous and diverse. In 2010 there were over 179,000 ways to collaborate to build world- tourism related businesses across Canada and 77% of class destinations that offer first- which were SMEs with fewer then 20 employees. Despite class service and uniquely the recent recession and impacts on both international and Canadian experiences” domestic travel, it is clear that tourism continues to be an important economic driver in all regions of the country.

A snapshot of current tourism economy in Canada:

 According to the World Travel Organization, Canada is no longer in the top ten destinations internationally – falling from 9th place to 12th place in 2008.  The CTC also reported, “while the outlook for domestic travel within Canada has weakened, it still remains the backbone of growth in the Canadian tourism industry”, and fortunately, travel from other countries is rising helping to offset to the decline in USA visits (2008).  The 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games events hold the potential to accelerate global awareness of Canada‟s tourism brand and the Aboriginal people of Canada played the largest indigenous role in Olympic history - helping to create global awareness  In 2010, international visitors made 15.9 million trips to Canada, up 2.3% from 2009 but down 17% from 2000.  Industry consultations that helped to develop the National Tourism Strategy included “Further development of Aboriginal Tourism” as a strategic priority.

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has invested significantly in re-branding Canada from the traditional views of “a vast wilderness complete with mounties, maple syrup and friendly people” in order to attract the evolving tourism segments looking to “explore” a destination. Through extensive research of potential visitor profiles (EQ Segment – appendix A) CTC has identified five unique selling points (USP) to showcase what makes Canada stand out internationally. Most notably for this report are: “Vibrant cities on the edge of nature; Personal journeys by land, water and air and connecting with ”. The re-branding of Canada and potential market USP really supports the foundation of what urban Aboriginal tourism experiences can bring to each of their perspective regions - a unique and authentic encounter with local Aboriginal people that is easily packaged within the existing “urban” experience of museums, dining and attractions.

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ABORIGINAL TOURISM IN CANADA

Aboriginal Cultural Tourism is positioned to be a pillar in the new “Canada” brand. According to the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) Canada’s vision is to “be the leading storytelling tourism brand in the world – where travelers bring home extraordinary stories of their own.”

As a new force in the tourism economy, Aboriginal tourism is playing an increasingly important role across Canada with numerous enterprises in virtually every sector of tourism. According to the Economic Impact Analysis of the Aboriginal Tourism Sector (2002, the most recent study) the total output of Aboriginal Tourism in Canada reached $862 Million, and when you incorporate casinos it reaches 4.9 billion. The study also found that Aboriginal tourism businesses‟ directly and indirectly employ 32,613 people in all provinces and territories. There are 1,500-2,000 Aboriginal tourism businesses estimated across Canada, representing most sectors and regions with higher Aboriginal populations such as Ontario, Quebec and the West are most active in the industry. A vast majority of existing businesses‟ would likely be located on reserve or in more rural/remote regions despite the fact that now over half of Aboriginal populations are urban based.

Table: Total Direct Employment by Aboriginal Business Economic Impact Analysis, ATTC, 2002

EMERGING TRENDS IMPACTING URBAN ABORIGINAL TOURISM:

 Aging populations driving many of the trends including Cultural Tourism (increased interest and more concern about impact on local cultures) and Experiential and learning tourism  Authenticity –more discerning travelers are demanding authenticity and multifaceted experiences – combining mainstream and special interest in shorter getaways .  Aboriginal baby boom –creating a potential pool of tourism industry labour  Aboriginal Tourism inclusion in the Federal Framework on Aboriginal Economic Development.

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 Aboriginal Tourism is now a priority of the Canadian Tourism Commission with their “Significant 28” identifying Canada‟s leading market-ready Aboriginal tourism products ready to welcome the world.  Aboriginal Tourism was identified as a 2010 Winter Games Priority. Under the leadership of Four Host , Aboriginal people were prominently featured for over 50 million viewers!! This was an unprecedented level of Aboriginal involvement and has created a unique opportunity for Aboriginal Canada “to capture the afterglow” of the Games and attract the world to experience our culture.  Currently , Ontario and Quebec have significant Aboriginal tourism strategies underway.

Demand is high for Aboriginal cultural tourism, built around authentic experiences of local traditions, arts, crafts, dance and stories. When most International visitors indicate their intent to incorporate Aboriginal tourism (see below), it is most likely Aboriginal Cultural Tourism (ACT) experiences they are anticipating. Yet, ACT is only a segment of the industry that can provide employment and economic development opportunities for urban Aboriginal communities.

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INDIGENOUS “URBAN TOURISM” BEST PRACTICES

In the Discussion Paper: National Strategy for Indigenous Tourism 2007-2012, Building a Sustainable Future Through Tourism one of the key platforms identified was to redefine Indigenous Tourism Involvement. “There is a broadly held perception that involvement in tourism by Indigenous Australians automatically equates to cultural performances or displays of art. There needs to be a change in the perception that leads to an understanding that an involvement in or benefit from tourism can be achieved through all sorts of avenues: from ownership of tourism properties, to owning and managing a wide range of tourism operations or services. Furthermore, such involvement may just as appropriately occur in an urban environment and relate to contemporary non-traditional Indigenous activity as to a traditional performance in an outback location.” (Indigenous Tourism , 2007: 11)

In addition, the paper proposes that revitalizing the image of Indigenous Tourism to include “a wide range of images used to show the breadth of Indigenous engagement available through tourism. Such engagement should be promoted in the urban, through traditional and contemporary contexts.” One of the key challenges cited in the 2007 discussion paper also listed the lack of engagement by the „mainstream‟ tourism industry with Indigenous operators and products. The paper sees the promotion of this kind of partnership serving as mutually beneficial and complimentary for each tourist product in addition to enhancing the visitors‟ experience: “Rather than promoting Indigenous tourism separately from mainstream experiences, it should be promoted and positioned as a part of the overall Australian experience.”

One of the main strategic objectives listed in the discussion paper cites “encouraging the development of innovation and experiences based on traditional and contemporary culture and lifestyles – reflecting the wide diversity of Indigenous culture and enterprise.” The rationale given is that “Indigenous culture relating to traditional expression and an „outback‟ environment, the expression of cultural identity through tourism is as relevant in an urban environment and through contemporary expression.”

Sydney, Australia: A case study (population 4.6 million people):

Public Initiatives: Programme of national certification «Respecting Our Culture: Certification is awarded to enterprises that contribute to the preservation the integrity of Indigenous values while maintaining high level of commercial standards. (Translated from KPMG presentation, 2010: 12)

Aboriginal Tourism Australia: Code of conduct «Welcome to the country» is offered to all visitors travelling through Aboriginal Territory. Three Pillars: Aboriginal Peoples ties to the land, the responsibility of the traveller to act in a manner that is both responsible and respectful of the beliefs of Aboriginal People. (Translated from KPMG presentation, 2010: 12)

The research of Melinda Hinkson in her 2003 article in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism was part of a project to identify sites of pre-colonial, colonial, and contemporary significance to Aboriginal People in the greater Sydney region that are publicly accessible and suitable for visitation. Among the sites identified, after extensive consultations with local Aboriginal representative organizations and communities were “rock art and engraving sites, shelters and shell middens, the site of the first land

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grant made to an Aboriginal person, the site of the first government-endorsed removal of Aboriginal children from their families, buildings where historic meetings occurred, and a range of contemporary places such as an Aboriginal art cooperative, retail outlets, a cultural centre, a dance theatre, a „bush tucker‟ (native foods) walk, as well as new, special-interest sections of galleries, museums, and other cultural institutions.” Hinkson concluded that although subtle, this new focus offered a significant dimension to the experiences of visitors to the city, and a new set of considerations for those working in the tourism trade.

While Hinkson acknowledges that detailed research is needed in this area, her findings suggest that Aboriginal people in Sydney were more likely to be interested in participating directly in the promotion of aspects linked to their own culture and history than Aboriginal people living in more remote areas of Australia. Hinkson also states that the importance of using distinctive local cultural and historical interpretations rather than pan-Aboriginal images and concepts will be a critical factor in gaining the support of Aboriginal people and establishing URBAN tourist attraction that are sustainable over time.

This conclusion is supported by the findings cited in the Aboriginal Tourism of Australia‟s Discussion Paper, 2007. In addition, Hinkson notes that in terms of commercial sustainability the kinds of new sites and interpretations discussed in her paper meet with the recommendations of ATSIC & Office of National Tourism that priority should be given to building new Indigenous components to existing enterprises. (ATSIC & Office of National Tourism, 1997: 36)

Perth, Australia: A case study of Market Ready Products:

Promoting Urban Aboriginal Tourist Products through the use of the internet and social media is illustrated in the following website: the Urban Indigenous Tours http://www.urbanindigenoustours.com/

The home page of Urban Indigenous Tours reads: Perth Aboriginal Tour: the Hip, Urban Aboriginal Trip. The website invites you to come and experience the award-winning tour that captures the true identity of the Perth Aboriginal community. Urban Indigenous Tours is an intimate experience with Aboriginal Australia. The day tour connects people with the Perth Aboriginal community providing a fun and interesting day out that includes Aboriginal Elders, personal stories, suburban backyards, art, music, foods, history, world class venues, scenic drives, and a fusion of local people and business who are whole-heatedly committed Aboriginal Australia and the experience people have. The company was the winner of three industry awards.

Negative issues: Indigenous heritage in settler societies like New Zealand and Australia is set within the frameworks of predominantly White Euro-centric heritage practice. It is surrounded by a multitude of issues, the most important of which is the need to recognize the difference in Euro- centric and indigenous perceptions of heritage. Maori heritage, like Aboriginal heritage, was subjected to Euro-centric viewpoints in the past, but today it is based upon a very clearly established foundation of mutual sharing of Maori and Pakeha histories. This is evident in prominent sites like the Waitangi House and Memorial in New Zealand, which are jointly recognized as Maori and Pakeha heritage. (Gandhi & Freestone, 2008)

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CASE STUDIES ONTARIO: (TORONTO AND OTTAWA)

ONTARIO

Ontario is one of Canada‟s leading destinations for both domestic and international tourists and a strong component of the Ontario economy. In 2008 (most recent statistics) Ontario‟s tourism contributes $22.8 billion to the economy and directly employed 194,000 people. Almost 46% of Ontario‟s Tourism revenue was from Americans, an important statistic for Southern locations like Ottawa and Toronto. However, according to “Ontario Tourism‟s 2010-2011 Marketing Plan” the tourism industry faced challenging years in 2009 through 2011 and while 2012 is not expected to rise, the industry is expected to become somewhat more stabilized.

With such a significant part of Canada‟s population within Ontario, domestic tourism is an important component of the urban marketing strategy. OTMPC predicts that trips from within the province are forecasted to grow by about 1% annually, while trips from international markets are expected to further decline by about 4% in 2010 and remain flat in 2011. Demographic changes are also impacting travel as Ontario‟s population is getting older. Though the empty-nester baby boomer generation has more money and time to travel than previous generations, keeping them in Ontario is a challenge. With the many available choices, they travel extensively to international destinations. Ontario‟s best bet is to offer them competitive tourism experiences for short getaways and Urban cultural tourism is particularly appealing to these markets.

In June of 2011, the Great Spirit Circle Trail released the draft Aboriginal Tourism Ontario Strategy – Moving Forward in Four Directions and will be consulting with industry stakeholders in the near future. The four directions (ie the four priorities) presented in the strategy are 1) product development 2) human resource development 3) cultural authenticity program and 4) marketing and branding. The strategy also recommends that an Aboriginal Tourism Organization (ATO) for Ontario be created to support the growth of Aboriginal tourism and market the region internationally.

TORONTO

Toronto Tourism reports show that the city experienced a rebound in visits from overseas travellers in 2010 after a few very challenging years of recovery from a challenging tourism economy and regional challenges like SARS. Visits, from outside jumped up by 11-percent in 2010, making it the fastest growing segment of Toronto's tourism industry with increasing new markets like Brazil, , and . US Markets were still soft, with a 4% drop in Americans crossing the border, but a 7% increase arriving by air. A Tourism Toronto representative said that “it is seeing more overseas travellers choose Toronto because the city is making a big effort in marketing Toronto as a major urban destination.”

Canada's largest city welcomed more than 10 million overnight visitors during the year with the number of hotel rooms sold reaching over 8.93 million, the highest level ever, according to Tourism Toronto. These tourists spent a combined $4.5 billion, providing a significant source of income for

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local businesses. International visitors now account for almost 33% of Toronto‟s tourist market with India increasing by 26.5%, Brazil up 25.5%, China up 21.9% and up 18.3%. The success has been a boon for Toronto, which outshone Vancouver despite that city playing host to the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

TORONTO – ABORIGINAL TOURISM

Vice President of International Marketing for Tourism Toronto (Roseanne Longo) expressed that their clients have not identified Aboriginal tourism as an area of interest. She mentioned that it could be reflective of their new positioning of Toronto as an “urban” destination that in turn does not create demand from their key markets and operators. Despite the extensive Aboriginal arts and culture events including Canadian Aboriginal Festival and Planet Indigenous, Imaginative Film Festival are the only Aboriginal member of Tourism Toronto. It is an exciting time for this region as many of the Aboriginal service organizations in Toronto are following in the footsteps of the Four Host First Nations to capture the opportunity of the upcoming “Pan Am Games 2015”. Despite Toronto‟s lack of organized Aboriginal tourism product, initial research demonstrated there was an interesting and impressive collection of Aboriginal cultural tourism experiences in the City beyond the festivals and events. Inuit art was prevalent in high end galleries including Waddington‟s (the country‟s pre-eminent resale venue for Inuit art) who grossed over $3 million in sales in 2006 . Inuit art could also be experienced through the “Inuit Modern” permanent exhibit or a visit to the tourist attraction Queens Quay with ‟s only public museum dedicated to display art made by the Inuit “Museum of Inuit Art”. An interesting initiative that incorporates Aboriginal cultural experiences in large scale attraction is “The Ways of Knowing Partnership Turtle Island Conservation Programme (TIC)” with the . TIC partners with First Nations communities to share the world view through public programming such as the First Nation Art Garden and National Aboriginal Day events which include an extensive educational resource for teachers. Another interesting outreach program in Toronto that would hold significant appeal for tourist markets is the Aboriginal Education Outreach Program (AEOP) of the Native Canadian Centre. The AEOP offers many of the same experiences as a cultural tourism product- educational workshops and presentations to school groups, conferences and local organizations/businesses yet they likely do not consider themselves to be an Aboriginal cultural tourism product. Some of the outreach presentations currently offered include singing and dancing demonstrations, a guided walk along the Humber River, traditional games, storytelling and a medicine wheel workshop.

OTTAWA

One would assume that the National Capital Region is a major tourism draw for Canada, but the region continues to struggle to attract and keep international tourists. Contributing factors may be the stale image of Ottawa as the political town of Parliament buildings or the more modest marketing budget of Ottawa Tourism, that has not increased in three years. Although exact figures are not yet known after 2009, Ottawa Tourism believes that the region has seen fewer visitors from

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the and more from growing international markets such as China. In 2009, Ottawa saw more than 750,000 international visitors and over half of those (381,003) were from overseas. Europe (@236,983) and Asia (@66,675) continue to be the strongest international markets for the region.

OTTAWA – ABORIGINAL TOURISM

Aboriginal Experiences, Arts and Culture (AEAC) is a prominent and long-standing example of successful urban Aboriginal tourism product and prominently featured in the region‟s International marketing message as a key feature of the destination. Since opening in the summer of 2000, AEAC have received numerous industry awards including: Best New Tourism Product and Best Small Business Awards from Ottawa Tourism & Best Outdoor Attraction and Best New Attraction in ONTARIO by Attractions Canada. In 2010 they became part of CTC‟s “Significant 28” Aboriginal Products in Canada and in 2011 became part of the even more exclusive “CTC Signature Experiences Collection”. AEAC maintain that their success in the industry is due to their strong partnerships with the balance of industry and a commitment to providing both a quality tourism experience and authentic encounter.

Like most other urban Aboriginal communities in Canada, there are also a number of cultural groups, events and experiences that hold potential for tourism. Longstanding annual events like the Odawa Pow Wow, Noongam Traditional Pow Wow and Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival, collectively host more then 50,000 visitors annually generating significant tourism receipts. Cultural groups like the Sivuniksavut College act as Northern Ambassadors, using newly acquired cultural performance skills to help educate about Inuit life and culture in mainstream events such as Winterlude -which could easily translate to hosting specialized tourism groups.

Despite a fairly healthy tourism market and stable local economy, Ottawa has seen the recent closure of two significant contributors to the “Urban Aboriginal Experience”. In 2011, Sweetgrass Bistro located in the trendy Byward Market and one of only two Aboriginal restaurants in all of Canada, closed their doors due to limited sales. Additionally, the Inuit Art Shop, opened in 1985 to help promote and market Inuit art work also closed their doors despite annual revenues of over $400,000.

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CASE STUDIES: QUEBEC

Quebec is a unique destination within Canada, as it is French colony later ceded to England, one of Canada‟s founding provinces and has 11 distinct First Nation groups. According to Quebec tourism, their recent visitation would be summarized as:

● In 2006, Quebec welcomed 26.2 million tourists who generated 10.7 billion in revenues ● In descending order, the markets who visited Quebec are from: Quebec, other provinces of Canada, United States, , the , , and Japan. ● Tourism is the only industry that is present in every region of Quebec. It is Quebec‟s 5th largest export. ● Tourism includes 29,000 businesses and 178,000 jobs across the province. ● France, Quebec‟s largest international market is number one in international arrivals, but third in tourism revenues. France posted the worst showing in terms of average spending per international arrival among the top 12 international markets. Products developed for this market need to be aware of the price point and value.

Cruise Ship Opportunity

Growing numbers of cruise ship passengers are visiting both Quebec City and ports each year, which is a market segment of interest within the National Tourism Strategy. The Cruise Ship Market has always identified a strong interest in Aboriginal cultural experiences during a port of call as they are often international visitors providing a lucrative but untapped market for Aboriginal cultural tourism.

Below is a snapshot of Quebec City‟s Cruise ship market potential. ● In 2008, a banner year, more than 112,000 cruise line passengers and crew members visited Quebec City, up 20% from the previous year. ● Spending by passengers and crew members in Quebec City in 2008: CA$12 million ● Cruise ship passengers spend an average of $183 each on shore. ● Direct economic benefits for Quebec in 2008 (spending by cruise lines, passengers and crew members): CA$78 million. ● Port of Quebec‟s most important client: Holland America Line, accounting for more than 28,000 passengers during the 2008 season ● Average growth of the international cruise ship market since the 1980s: 8% per year. ● The St. Lawrence River remains a relatively untapped route, accounting for less than 1% of the total market worldwide. This share is expected to rise in the coming years based on current industry trends and thanks to Quebecers‟ considerable efforts. ● Over the long term, the goal is to turn Quebec City into a home port where passengers begin and end their trip, extending their stay on the St. Lawrence and maximize economic benefits. Source: Economic Development Canada)

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QUEBEC CITY

The Québec City area draws 4.7 million tourists a year and is the 4th biggest tourist destination in Canada after Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver with a healthy International visitation of 1.1 million visitors from 75 countries outside Canada. The tourism industry provides 28,500 regular full-time tourism-related jobs (in 2009) and supported by a strong Destination Marketing Organization with Québec City Tourism with an annual budget of $20 million, including a $13.9 million marketing budget.

A recent strategy to increase tourism cited on the Quebec City Tourism website stated that they will launch two distinct promotional campaigns: “one promoting the urban tourism product, the other focusing on the nature /adventure tourism product available less than 30 minutes from the city.” This is encouraging for the existing Aboriginal cultural products, located on reserve but less then 20 minutes from the city centre. Another key strategy of QCT that supports Urban Aboriginal tourism development: “In conjunction with members, promotional strategies will be deployed to boost numbers at both indoor and outdoor tourist attractions, which have been falling over the past few years. A major promotional campaign will also target U.S. travel agents and cruise ship tourists to promote Québec City as a premier port to start and end cruises.”

QUEBEC CITY ABORIGINAL TOURISM

According to KPMG‟s 2010 report on Aboriginal “It is important to make a distinction between Aboriginal enterprises that operate near urban centres and those that are not, because the success of the tourism product will be different dependent on geography. We find an important Aboriginal tourist attraction near /in the capital city of Quebec that benefits from the large influx of tourists visiting the city. In the case of Wendake it has access to a vast audience. It should be noted that despite the potential of a large tourist base, Aboriginal Tourism in the larger context of cultural tourism is still defined as a niche market and not a destination market (KPMG, 2010: 21)

Quebec‟s Aboriginal Tourism Corporation (STAQ) assists Aboriginal tourism businesses in the development and promotion of their products. According to their research, interest in h Aboriginal Tourism has soared over the last two decades in all of their regions. They are currently ambassador for 90 Aboriginal tourism products across the province. Quebec Tourism is actively promoting Aboriginal tourism as one of their provincial attractions and works closely with STAQ.

Quebec City provides us with an interesting perspective as one of the few “urban reserves” across Canada existing within the city limits. According to the study ``Urban Reserves: A Quiet Success Story” these communities‟ offer residents economic opportunities that are generally unavailable in more remote areas. They provide an increased opportunity for First Nations to establish themselves and provide employment and training opportunities. While the Huron-Wendat First Nation of Wendake, on the edge of Quebec City is a smaller urban reserve, it has become an important tourism and cultural centre in Quebec. They offer extensive Aboriginal cultural tourism products including the Huron-Wendat Museum, traditional Huron village and the newly built four star hotel created in the image of a traditional longhouse. The cultural site as a whole has generated 300 full

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and part time jobs for members of the community and provided a place for local artisans to sell their crafts as well as numerous spin off businesses. Another less known layer of the Quebec “Aboriginal experience” may be the Inuit and Innu cultural products offered in the heart of . The Musée Inuit, a totally self- supporting, privately owned Museum , may have one of the finest Inuit art collections in Canada. In their first year of operations, more then 25,000 visitors paid $6 each to tour the Museum helping them to receive a prestigious Quebec tourism award . The “Rendezvous with in Quebec City” utilizes this urban gateway to promote Northern tourism in their 14 remote communities. They invite visitors to “explore the charm of Nunavik! Experience the true North in the heart of Quebec City and discover the culture of the Inuit of Nunavik: their way of life and their traditions.” The Nunavik Information Centre occupies the ground floor of a building owned by the Makivik Corporation in the heart of historic Quebec City. The Centre promotes Nunavik tourism among Quebecers and the International tourists visiting Old Quebec while also offering guided visits, an exhibition of Inuit art, Inuit food products and visitors can obtain information about Nunavik‟s fourteen Northern villages and tourist destinations.

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CASE STUDIES: EDMONTON

According to the Aboriginal Tourism Product Opportunity Analysis, there are approximately 112 tourism sites in Alberta that offer an Aboriginal themed experience. The report supports that there is significant demand for Aboriginal tourism product, beyond what currently exists in the market. The report also suggests that the primary challenge impacting the success of Aboriginal is the lack of awareness among stakeholders and industry as well as lack of skilled staff and management within the community to deliver a “market-ready” product.

● The total number of person-visits to Alberta in 2008 was 22.69 million, an increase of 1.8% from 2007 (22.28 million person-visits). ● Of the 22.69 million person-visits to Alberta, residents of Alberta accounted for approximately 82% of the visitors. Residents of other Canadian provinces accounted for 11% of all visitors and international visitors accounted for 7%. . ● Approximately 48% of all visits in the province included at least one overnight stop, yielding 10.9 million overnight person-visits in 2008. ● Across all markets in 2008, the overnight pleasure segment represented 43% of all overnight travel in the province. The visiting friends and relatives segment followed closely behind with 41% of all overnight travel in the province.

The Government of Alberta‟s goal was to build a stronger Alberta. One of the strategic priorities identified through the Ministry‟s review of external and internal challenges to a tourism development strategy was to “facilitate the development of marketable tourism products and new travel destinations in both urban and rural Alberta.” (Alberta Tourism, 2008: 8)

EDMONTON:

Tourism Edmonton promotions read “ a rich tapestry of aboriginal experiences awaits visitors who heed the ancient call to head west. With more then four First Nations calling Alberta their home and Edmonton holding the status of being the Canadian city with the second largest number of aboriginal residents, It’s no surprise to find a thriving selection of aboriginal tourism choices - a good portion within easy reach of the city’s metropolitan region.”

In keeping with cultural traditions, the City of Edmonton acknowledges the traditional treaty six territory of the Aboriginal Relations Office (ARO). The ARO continues to build good relations with Aboriginal people in the spirit and intent of the Edmonton Urban Aboriginal Accord. The Accord itself is a principle-based relationship agreement puts into action by the declaration of Edmonton City Council to “strengthening Relationships between the City of Edmonton and Urban Aboriginal People.” It is based on community-identified guiding principles of: ● Relationships - Enhance and Promote Positive Perceptions and Attitudes between Aboriginal Communities and the City of Edmonton ● Agreements - Explore and create agreements that enrich community life ● Celebrations -Share the Gifts of Our Relationships ● Renewal - Renew and Strengthen this Relationship

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EDMONTON ABORIGINAL TOURISM:

This strong working relationship between urban community and Edmonton government is evident in many of the core city attractions, all operated by the Alberta Government which have a strong representation of the local Aboriginal culture. While the products are not Aboriginally- owned, they do appear to work in partnership with the community through this Accord to ensure it provides an authentic expression of local cultures and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people. Fort Edmonton Park is a prime example with their Cree encampment providing Aboriginal interpretation to life in the late 1800s in a Hudson‟s Bay fur camp and an extensive expansion to this Aboriginal programming currently under development. The City of Edmonton also hosts a significant National Aboriginal Day event in partnership with local communities. Alberta Tourism, have always been strong supporters of Aboriginal Tourism, creating a division focused on the product development and marketing of Aboriginal tourism products and experiences (www.ablertaaboriginaltourism.com).

In 2012, an interesting addition to the regions‟ cultural landscape is the opening of the Arctic Shores permanent exhibit at the Edmonton Valley Zoo. Special events include opportunities to interact with Inuit elders with storytelling, ceremonies and workshops. A permanent feature to the exhibit relates the Inuit culture with the local landscape and animals through displays of tools and materials that depict a way of life in the north. Inuit culture seems to be preserved locally through an organized group, the Edmonton Inuit Cultural Society.

Minutes from downtown Edmonton, some of the country‟s most prominent Métis attractions are found. St. Albert, just 20 minutes outside of Edmonton, is rich in Métis cultural attractions including the Musée Heritage Museum, Michif Cultural Centre and Father Lacombe Chapel, which all explore the story of St. Albert, a Métis settlement. Or 30 minutes from Edmonton, you can visit the Métis Crossing which was designed, built and now operated by Métis people. Métis Crossing is a place for all to share the authentic Métis story and culture and is situated on 512 acres.

Edmonton also offers extensive “contemporary” Aboriginal tourism products. Large scale events like the 17th Annual Dreamspeakers International Aboriginal Film and Television Festival attract International audiences interested in the more contemporary voice of Aboriginal People expressed through film and video. Additionally, contemporary art galleries like Bearclaw Gallery demonstrate long term success with over 35 years as a fine Canadian Aboriginal art gallery. On the City‟s western edge, only 10 minutes from the Edmonton Mall, is the River Cree complex where the $150 million complex of Aboriginal tourism products include a four star hotel chain, casino, dining and entertainment options on the Enoch Cree Nation reserve.

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CASE STUDY: VANCOUVER

Vancouver‟s tourism industry was banking on the to help revive their falling numbers. They face similar challenges to the rest of Canada experiencing lower domestic, American and international travellers. There were 8.415 million overnight visitors to Vancouver over 2010, up from 2009‟s 8.11 million but well below the pre-recession high of 8.9 million. Fortunately, while the market is fairly stale in the region, the market share for Aboriginal cultural tourism is growing. The “Aboriginal Experience” in Vancouver, and in fact throughout BC, is a prominent position within the Provinces branding. The official Tourism website of British Columbia boasts that, “the city of Vancouver is renowned for its incomparable natural beauty and cultural diversity. For thousands of years the Coast Salish people have called the area now known as Vancouver home. Their history and cultural traditions, upholding a deep respect for nature and humanity, are tightly woven into the city's cultural fabric.” Tourism Vancouver also listed First Nations as a main urban cultural attraction citing that: “Vancouver is rich with Native heritage and there are many opportunities to learn about this unique and inspiring culture.” Listed below are just a few outstanding First Nations' activities, tours and culinary options: Sweat Lodge, Heritage tour atop Grouse Mountain, First Nations Nature Tour, Listel Hotel- Native Art/Museum, Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Native Food Catering – Major the Gourmet, Native Canoe – Takaya Tours, Executives Without Ties (Squamish Tribe). This is supported in “Suggested Action Steps From the Community” part of the Culture Plan of Vancouver 2008-2018 report which states that one of the key valued and valuable assets in Vancouver was to: “Develop a Cultural Tourism Strategy building on our unique competitive advantages, including the rich cultural tradition of First Nations, the cultural diversity of the city and artistic excellence of the creative sector to build awareness internationally of our cultural assets to attract visitors, businesses and investment to Vancouver.”(City of Vancouver Creative City Task Force, 2008: 25) VANCOUVER:

This level of provincial support, has ensured that Aboriginal tourism in BC is flourishing. The Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (AtBC) recently released their tourism performance review from the Aboriginal Tourism Blueprint Strategy 2006-2010. The strategy itself is a result of partnership between AtBC, the province of BC and the federal government designed to strengthen the Aboriginal tourism sector as an economic driver. It is an overwhelming success, boasting the following results: ● It is estimated that there are about 221 Aboriginal tourism enterprises in British Columbia ● Approximately 3.7 million tourists experienced some form of aboriginal cultural tourism in 2010, almost double the number from 2006 when the strategy was launched ● An estimated 2,226 full-time equivalent jobs were generated by aboriginal businesses in 2010, a 32 per-cent increase from 2006. ● Aboriginal tourism revenues reached $40 million in 2010, double that of 2006.

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VANCOUVER ABORIGINAL TOURISM:

AtBC predicts that by 2012 about 3.9 million visitors to BC are expected to include an aboriginal cultural tourism experiences in their itineraries and spend about $43 million. Vancouver‟s Olympic closing ceremonies are long over, but AtBC likely has the 2010 Winter Games and unprecedented representation of the Four Host First Nations to thank for a surge in visitors and a new partnership that landed the association a significant presence in Tourism Vancouver‟s Burrard Street Visitor Centre. A new high-profile promotional space reaches more then 6,000 visitors weekly during peak season that will be encouraged to visit one of BC‟s sixty authentic Aboriginal cultural tourism operators. This is another prime example of utilizing the urban gateway to encourage greater participation in the aboriginal product located throughout the province, similar to Quebec City‟s Nunavik approach. In addition to encouraging Vancouver tourists to explore other more rural and remote regions of BC, AtBC represents a number of unique aboriginal cultural tourism experiences in the heart of Vancouver.

The most prominent attraction is their own “Klahowya Village in ” that opened in the summer of 2010 capturing the “afterglow of the 2010 Olympics”. The Village was created to capture the tourism revenues in the gateway city where almost all BC tourists arrive and strategically located in one of the city‟s premiere tourism destinations - Stanley Park. Klahowya Village helps them to not only earn revenues, but continue to utilize that platform to market Aboriginal experiences across BC. The village offers visitors rides on a “spirit train” with storytellers recounting a local legend, traditional foods, dance performances and encounters with local artisans and carvers. In 2010, the village attracted approximately 162,000 visitors during its 74 days of summer operations but it is important to note that not all elements of the village are ticketed or revenue generating. The signature “Spirit Train ride” hosted 37,458 passengers with a daily average of 506.

While Klahowya is the most prominent, Vancouver has a number of successful examples of urban Aboriginal tourism and extensive downtown galleries of Northwest Coast art. In North Vancouver, visitors to the Capilano Suspension bridge can experience native interpreters and artists at the work in the “big house”. Takaya Tours, also located in North Vancouver help visitors explore the ancestral teachings in a 31 foot Coast Salish Ocean canoe. Visitors paddle the with trained native guides and share First Nations culture, songs and history along the way. Takaya notes that their market share of BC residents is surprisingly strong, but they have historically attracted a lot of German, British and now Chinese visitors as well. An innovative and cost effective way to integrate Aboriginal culture in an urban tourism context can be found with “Salmon Feast”. Salmon Feast, offered by renowned carver Richard Krentz, offers a mobile aboriginal tourism experience bringing traditional foods, artisans, performers and more to “where the tourists are”. The groups can be hosted at a location of their choice, many local hotels including the Pan Pacific or culturally significant sites.

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TOURISM EMPLOYMENT

According to the 2006 Census, more then 50,000 Aboriginal people worked in tourism, making up 3.2% of Canada‟s tourism labour force. According to the Canadian Tourism Human Resources report “Aboriginal peoples employed in Tourism” Aboriginal people are represented in all sectors of tourism. Accommodations being the highest sectorial representation at 4.7%, recreation and entertainment at 3.3%, travel services at 1.4%. Even though accommodations had the highest representation, recreation and employment actually employed the most number of Aboriginal workers. Aboriginal workers in tourism were most likely to be found in Ontario 12,000 (or 12%) British Columbia 10,000 (or 20%) and Alberta 8,500 (17%). These proportions are reflective of the overall size of the labour force in each province.

OPPORTUNITIES

According to CTHRC reports, Canada‟s population is aging and its birth rates are declining. By 2025 the potential labour shortages for the tourism sector is projected to balloon to 219,000 full time jobs accounting for almost two-thirds of the full labour shortage. At the same time, estimates by Statistics Canada show that Canada‟s Aboriginal population is growing at a faster rate then the non-Aboriginal population. AANDC projects that over 600,000 Aboriginal youth have entered the labour market between 2001 -2006. Currently 21,000 or 41% of Aboriginal workers are between the ages of 15 and 24 and as tourism often represents a first job and entry point into the labour market there is a natural labour pool in Aboriginal youth communities.

Urban Aboriginal Employment Opportunities:

Over the past twenty five years, the urban Aboriginal population has grown substantially, in some cases it has more then doubled. According to the 2006 census, 54 % of Aboriginal people (Metis, Inuit and North American Indian) lived in or near a city. Of this, almost 34% lived in five cities, three of which are part of our regional case studies, Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto. Socio- economic indicators such as school attendance, post-secondary completion and employment are improving for Canada‟s urban population. This is important because the statistics indicate that the employment gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in urban areas disappears when they have completed post-secondary education.

Edmonton: Potential Aboriginal Labour Force in metropolitan area of Edmonton: 23, 968. (Metropolitan area of Edmonton 52,105 Aboriginal people, second largest Aboriginal population of any city in Canada, in 2006 survey with 50% of Aboriginal population under 25 and 4% over 65) Vancouver: Potential Aboriginal Labour Force in metropolitan area of Vancouver: 22, 170. Toronto: Potential Aboriginal Labour Force in metropolitan area of Toronto: 15, 147. (Metropolitan area of Toronto 26,575 Aboriginal people in 2006 survey with 38% of Aboriginal population under 25 with 5% over 65)

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BARRIERS

“Many Aboriginal people in Canada lack the information, education, and training necessary to develop and manage tourism businesses” The quote comes from the final report Aboriginal Tourism in Canada-Pt. II:Trends, Issues, Constraints and Opportunities (2003). This report and other more recent studies noted above by CTHRC indicate that there extensive tourism opportunities and careers for Aboriginal people. However, one of the over-riding constraints which hinder the fulfillment of these opportunities remain the lack of a trained workforce to deliver quality and consistent Aboriginal tourism experiences or successfully engage in tourism careers within the mainstream tourism industry.

The National Study attempted to gain insight into the availability of skilled Aboriginal employees and the extent to which Aboriginal tourism businesses are able to provide the necessary training to their employees. Well over half of the respondents (58%) said that it is difficult to find employees with knowledge and skills appropriate for working in tourism. The study concluded that this challenge for the majority of Aboriginal tourism business owners to find appropriately trained staff is an issue that must be overcome if the Aboriginal community is to take full advantage of the economic benefits of tourism development. There is little doubt that human resources and skill development are one of the major barriers to all Aboriginal tourism employment and economic development success. Urban communities will be in a slightly better position as their potential labour market pool is larger and more likely to be engaged in mainstream tourism training or employment, providing transferable skills.

Some of the recommendations, offered in this report are addressed with the Aboriginal Cultural Ambassadors Training Program offered by Aboriginal Experiences in Ottawa or the Trailblazers program offered by AtBC. Those recommendations are:

 Develop Aboriginal-based tourism training programs to assist and educate operators about the tourism industry and to train those interested in working for a tourism operator or gaining knowledge of the industry (PWC Consulting, 2002; Hart et al., 1996). ● Increase education and training on issues such as tourism-based and small business management and service in the tourism industry. Existing avenues of training, such as the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, should be utilized (PWC Consulting, 2002). ● Training priorities need to be addressed. These include front line staff training, new entrepreneur training, product development potential, understanding the marketplace, business management, training local people to deliver, board and member, business development and literacy (Hart and Steadman, 1997). ● To address concerns over quality of frontline staff programs specifically tailored to educate Aboriginal staff should be created and implemented. First Host (developed in BC), a similar program to SuperHost, but which caters to Aboriginals in developing the skills of front-line staff (EGSI et al., 2002

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URBAN ABORIGINAL TOURISM

According to the report Urban Environments; Opportunities and Challenges for Economic Development: “Access to unique economic niches or opportunities such as the existence of particular assets or attributes (or from supportive federal policies) can increase the chances for successful development. Because of the lack of a land base for urban Aboriginal communities, this market niche cannot include elements such as natural resources. However, there are other attributes available to urban Aboriginal communities including distinctive artistic (dance, theatre, music, material art) or craft traditions, tourist attractions (including historic sites), as well as initiatives such as restaurants and clothing which might find a market in the non-Aboriginal population. Urban Aboriginal populations might also represent a market of Aboriginal focussed initiatives.

There were considerable common denominators of issues, opportunities and recommendations for supporting urban Aboriginal tourism development identified within both the literature review and industry stakeholder surveys. Through this process, we discovered that many of these issues raised are not exclusive to urban Aboriginal tourism, but there appears to be less knowledge about where to access support and resources for Aboriginal tourism economic development and employment in the urban centres. Alternatively, many of the opportunities that exist for urban Aboriginal tourism are more prominent in the urban gateways due to their larger population base and access to mainstream tourism partners and channels.

ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES

1) Capacity Development and Human Resources

Both Aboriginal tourism industry and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOS) surveyed identified capacity and skills development as a challenge in creating a successful urban Aboriginal tourism industry. Despite the larger labour market pools of the urban areas, there is still a very limited skilled workforce for Aboriginal tourism to serve even existing Aboriginal tourism products. For DMOS surveyed, it was identified as a concern in their confidence of the region being able to deliver a product that meets industry expectations (see below). For Aboriginal tourism industry partners surveyed, they expressed concerns that it was one of their greatest obstacles or barriers to success in having a recurring cycle of having to identify, train and retain their employees. Klahowya Village in Vancouver identified “ not having enough trained people to manage their operations” as a barrier despite their successful training programs like TrailBlazer that are helping to create a skilled workforce in their region.

Many great initiatives have been launched across Canada to address this issue of capacity and skills development for Aboriginal Tourism. Some prime examples include AtBC’s Trailblazer program, AEAC’s “Aboriginal Cultural Ambassador” and other regional initiatives. However, the prominence of this issue throughout the interviews demonstrates that current efforts are not yet meeting the industry needs and it should continue to be a priority. An urban-based Aboriginal tourism training program should

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be delivered in key regions across Canada with considerable employment potential to feed both Aboriginal tourism and mainstream sectors.

2) Lack of Market-Ready Products in Urban Areas

Overall, this is a consistent barrier for Aboriginal tourism development across Canada including urban areas and impacting numerous other issues. The first challenge would be that while there is a draft “National Standard” to identify Aboriginal Market-Ready products (developed by the Aboriginal Tourism Marketing Circle in 2010) it has never been applied to industry and as such there is no consistent standard for industry to be judged. This likely contributes to the International perception that there is very little “market-ready” Aboriginal tourism in Canada. As noted by the survey with Mike Bull of Ottawa Tourism “international markets believe the product quality of Aboriginal tourism is below industry standards” noting that Aboriginal Experiences are considered an exception. We believe that there are likely many other notable exceptions to this view, many of which are located in urban cores where. Urban products have a greater opportunity to partner with mainstream industry and reflect those same standards. Important to note that all of the DMOs surveyed felt that they did not have enough Aboriginal product to meet the industry demand with the exception of Wendake, Quebec which has extensive product established on their “urban reserve”.

A strategy to address this perception would to increase the sustainability of urban Aboriginal tourism products. The approach needs to ensure that both industry and stakeholders are aware of the National standards and what they represent in terms of both quality and authenticity for Aboriginal Tourism. Additionally, this process could identify those Aboriginal tourism products that are currently “market ready” and build greater awareness within International markets.

3) Limited Awareness of Tourism Opportunities

With the increasing population of the urban Aboriginal community over the past two decades, the number of services offered in each of the regions has been simultaneously expanding. However, most tourism entrepreneurs who were not located in a region with a strong Aboriginal Tourism Organization (ATO) expressed that they were not aware of any actual support services or programs that would help them build and manage their business. Respondents from both Vancouver and Quebec City were able to identify AtBC and STAQ as their primary resource of information. Sweetgrass Bistro, who closed the doors of their highly acclaimed restaurant in the Byward Market of Ottawa, responded that “ we did not understand the tourism industry and although we attracted some tourists, we could never figure out how to market to them.” She also noted that when her business struggled, she could not find any support or resources for Ottawa-based Aboriginal entrepreneurs which may have helped her to sustain.

Alternatively, a challenge exists surrounding “a lack of awareness” about the employment opportunities that may exist in each of the regions for Aboriginal tourism. The City of Edmonton, who collaborates with local communities to integrate Aboriginal tourism into many of their attractions expressed that they believe the local Aboriginal community are simply not

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aware of the opportunities available for employment in tourism and that they continue to struggle finding Aboriginal interpreter and cultural resources.

With the current economy and state of tourism, it is not realistic to anticipate the operations of an ATO in each of the regions. However, efforts should continue to share information with industry stakeholders through a National voice for Aboriginal Tourism, networked with established ATOS and the potential use of online resources.

4) Authenticity in an Urban Community

Tourists are increasingly demanding tourism experiences that are unique, authentic and cultural in nature. This provides a unique competitive advantage of urban Aboriginal tourism products. However, an urban Aboriginal community is quite often mobile and diverse representing many different First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures. It is increasingly challenging in an urban environment for tourists and industry alike to feel confident that the product being packaged is in fact an “authentic” experience. Collaborations, feedback and partnerships‟ with the community being represented in the experience are paramount. As Tannia Frankie from Edmonton Zoo commented on the development of their Arctic Shores Exhibit and Opening Ceremony “when the Inuit elder we worked with finally came through the exhibit and declared that it looked just like home and started naming the objects in her traditional language we knew that we had captured her story and created an authentic experience.”

The issue of Authenticity within urban communities could be addressed through the National Standards outlined earlier and with continued stakeholder engagement. Consideration must be given to the distinct First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures of urban communities.

5) Increase collaborations and partnerships with balance of industry

A hallmark of success for any Aboriginal tourism experience in Canada is inherently linked to their willingness and ability to partner with mainstream tourism industry. When looking at urban based Aboriginal tourism, their ability to successfully build mutually beneficial partnerships increases due to their close proximity with other mainstream tourism. Successful partnerships positioning a product within a DMO‟s marketing strategy have been identified in the majority of regions explored– the one exception to that finding was Toronto. Yet Toronto demonstrated an extensive collection of “cultural experiences” that would be particularly appealing to tourists including large scale events and cultural programs of guided medicine walks, dance performances and craft circles. Aboriginal communities in Toronto have partnered with the Toronto Zoo to share their story through the creation of exhibits and outreach programs targeted to local schools. All of this “existing” product has potential to be packaged and marketed as part of the destination.

Hosting stakeholder sessions in each region would allow the exploration of an opportunity to package “existing” cultural products and potential partnerships incorporating Aboriginal cultural experiences within mainstream attractions that have both a land base and existing audience. These sessions should include Aboriginal tourism enterprises, cultural organizations, mainstream industry leads (DMOS) and support services.

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