TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 A note from our President 03 A note from our Executive Director ABOUT COTA 06 History 07 Objectives 08 Board of Directors 09 Organizational Chart PROJECTS 10 Annual General Meeting and Tourism Conference 12 Coastal Cruises and Marine Captain Training 13 Marine Tourism Pre-Commercialization 14 Creetopia 14 International Économusée Network Conference 15 Mentorship and Coaching 16 Hotello/ReservIT 16 Voyages Eeyou Istchee Baie-James 17 Cree Entrepreneur Boot Camp 17 Youth Video Project 18 Community Maps 18 French Language Training 18 Reprint of Eeyou Istchee: Land of the Cree FINANCIALS 19 Audited Financial Statements Titus Shecapio President As president of both the Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA) and Eeyou Istchee Tourism (EIT), I have a special outlook on the role each association plays in developing tourism across our region. As Cree, we understand that tourism is vital to our region and its sustainable economic development. This vision of tourism’s essential role in our economy led to the inclusion of a specific treaty obligation in the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement: the creation of an organization dedicated to building a Cree tourism industry – COTA. Its status as a treaty obligation has, without question, provided the Association with the foundation and incentive it needed to pursue tourism development in earnest. And, in fact, since COTA’s incorporation in 2000, we have made steady progress toward establishing a viable tourism sector in our region. In 2007, we took a big step forward when the Quebec government granted COTA formal recognition as a regional tourism association (RTA). This development put us on an equal footing with all other tourism regions across the province. It also opened doors to funding and networking opportunities, enabling us to speed our development. Because the RTA’s roles and responsi- bilities are significantly different from those of COTA, the decision was made to form a separate organization called Eeyou Istchee Tourism, to carry out the mandate of the RTA. Essentially, official recognition as Quebec’s twenty-second RTA, resulted in more funding, greater visibility, enhanced member services, and an even stronger voice in shaping the province’s tourism policy. Eeyou Istchee’s tourism industry is increasingly well-positioned to attract and fulfil travellers seeking an authentic experience. Our tourism sector features robust infrastructure and ongoing marketing initiatives. Now, we need to implement mechanisms to ensure travellers receive prompt, bilingual, and courteous year-round reservation services. This is where Voyages Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (Voyages EIBJ), officially incorporated in June 2017, comes in. I am confident that its role of centralizing tourism sales and bookings will bring us much closer to a market-ready industry that operates efficiently. I urge all members to learn more about the invaluable services and support Voyages EIBJ can provide. In closing, I would like to welcome our new board members. I am certain each new member will bring a fresh perspective – and I look forward to working with you. 1 2017-2018 COTA Annual Report is π k π n o osc ic, n n i sπ c o c oππ ic c sπ c ic o s c ! k "i #, $% π sic ic o s c ! & π c a o πso ic an k π ic ic a o πsi # ( o π c i(c a k s(/i c:פ) i ! a+$mפ sc )i $ i(c ic ! π a o π ic oc ππ c ii c s(k k π ic o oc 2000 c π1c, m c sπ π c ic o s c kפ) o $ k 3פ) ## is(k !π sπ c # a π1c 2007, ( o( ππ ic ic as$ 4 # o ! s c ππ 4 # ic " k ) kפ) $ o ic ic π # 5i ii π (c π c ( oπ k ! oπ c a πs it 8i!n ! a 5%9 ic, a π c c sπ !c an %c o ππ ic ic a ! k i c ( c a ! ! 3 a c ( c c ii πk 3פ) πc o c ! a ! ! π; oc (c, ( o i! (c 3n 5πc o osc πc ii c, a kפ) ( k, a oc !5π kפ) (c o c a ! π ii a!πc 3 3 < c o !π it = 5 8=p c 5π ic a π c, (n a ;% ic 8i!n o, a ! (c, a (c a o πc a ! kפ) c o ii (π ( c ( % oic i! c, ! a ππ o k osc o ππ ic ic, m a π c ! 3 ( ii c a 3 πc a ! ( c oi i oc ! oπ<i ( k (c o ! c !c a ! a % oic oc ! & π c a o ! (c an 3π 4 # n ( k ac, o# (c a π! (c πc π % ic, 8 a /in π c, ! c (is# i% oic # i sπ! c 3 (c ( ( c a ! π<c a o oic o /=!o+<m a( c 2017 o! $ i π c /i k oc a ! i%c o o ππ ii c osc ! ( a c (is# ππ ic ;ic k $ a i!π c a s(4c o! π<i ! ;% c a ! π ii c o iפ si( an k c n n, !ic a $ a s<c 3 π c s on $ a os<c 3c o o c c - ! n o c π<% # 2 2017-2018 COTA Annual Report Robin McGinley Executive Director With many major projects underway and others starting to take shape, it has been a productive and rewarding year. Following are just a few of the highlights of 2017. First, in partnership with Arctic Kingdom and the coastal communities, we made progress in the development of our marine coastal tourism industry. This collaborative effort led to the creation of the Wiinipaakw Tours Solidarity Co-Op, whose primary purpose is to operate marine tours on the southern coast of James Bay. In 2017, we also worked jointly with the Cree Nation of Mistissini and the Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation to develop an innovative product known as Creetopia, which is a “ready-to-camp” tent specifically designed for Eeyou Istchee’s distinctive tourism sector. We are confident that the iconic design will set us apart from the competition. Undoubtedly, one of the high points of the past year was a press tour by writer James Little and photographer Roland Bastarache from Canadian Geographic. I encourage everyone to read and share their piece, which appears in the May/June 2018 issue of the magazine. The tour, which was made possible by our project partner Arctic Kingdom, and the ensuing article will help publicize Eeyou Istchee and its attractions to potential visitors from all across Canada. COTA has always based its mandates and priorities on extensive consultation and planning with the communities and tourism representatives. In 2017, as in past years, we worked diligently with other stakeholders toward building a viable and responsible tourism industry that creates meaningful employment. Consequently, we’ve made progress on several fronts – which goes to show just how powerful partnership and collaboration really are. Our focus and efforts of the past year have been wide-ranging. We’ve moved major multifaceted tourism initiatives forward while staying keenly attentive to specific member needs through programs such as Product Development Coaching and training initiatives such as the Cree Entrepreneur Boot Camp. It needs to be said that without COTA’s devoted team and the support of our Board of Directors, this progress would not be possible. I am both fortunate and appreciative to work with such a dedicated group of people striving to make tourism in Eeyou Istchee a success story. In closing, I would like to thank outgoing board members and welcome those taking their place. 3 2017-2018 COTA Annual Report Hπn n k o % c k n sic c ππ ! k (c @n n a π ", 3 A i% " ! 3 π " 31c aπ; k (n an n c ! (c " 2017 π1c m k, π<%c rkk m ! o !! 3(c iin, c sπ n o i π ic o 3(c i ic π; ic " k % ic ( o π c an 3(c ππ oic ! π! oic os oc 5% ic, a ! oc c o +$c iפ s o )i c ii π π3 c)3 !! o k 2017, o( c @n π<c s$ ! o1(5 oc n π !c o!c C D%π! ac, " k C 3 1i ic πc o osc ic /i k @n i(n " (c C ! ! n c 5c an k @n c ! 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