Photo credit: Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
As part of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (ICTA), held in Ottawa from February 26 to 28, leaders from New Zealand Māori Tourism (NZMT), the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada ( ATAC ) have unveiled a new entity: Destination Originale Tourisme International (DO-IT).
For ATAC, this new organization should make it possible to develop and market authentic indigenous tourism destinations on a global scale. “The goal is to enable the global indigenous tourism industry to work together to ensure a stronger presence and a unified voice in promoting the industry,” the press release reads.
Including indigenous voices
“It is very important that an indigenous organization like DO-IT leads the growth of indigenous tourism. For too long we have seen international entities try to market indigenous tourism in our name, while many travelers remain unfamiliar with our sector, its importance in preserving our cultures and its role in reconciliation,” emphasizes Keith Henry , president and CEO of ATAC.
DO-IT will face the major challenge of finding a seat at the UN tourism table to ensure that the voices of indigenous people are included in their tourism marketing initiatives. For Sherry L. Rupert, director of AIANTA, “this is a monumental step toward amplifying indigenous voices on the global tourism scene.”
The new organization will also help establish an international network of indigenous tourism associations and lead “initiatives such as international research and perception studies that will support indigenous tourism businesses.”
“We look forward to fully establishing and launching this organization with our partners and including new Indigenous destinations very soon,” said NZMT President Pania Tyson-Nathan. Our possibilities are endless. »