World's Top Indigenous Tourism Organization Sees Community Well-Being, Not Growth, As Future

If you haven’t heard, Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) just unveiled its new corporate strategy, and it’s well worth taking a minute this morning to read and absorb it. What makes this plan unique is how the world’s top Indigenous tourism organization is going back to its fundamentals and deeper into community.

The [new] Corporate Services Department is focused on building relationships with Indigenous communities, understanding their values and developing local economy solutions that will generate stronger local tourism outcomes. Serving an entirely different ‘customer’ and faced with an entirely unique network of partners and communications channels, the team roles and responsibilities require full-time experts in corporate communications, advocacy and issues management, Indigenous business training and coaching, experience development, and destination development (ITBC corporate strategy, pg 23). Image: ITBC

The push has been a long time coming for its lead architect, ITBC Chief Marketing Officer Paula Amos who feels there’s urgent need to circle back and make sure Indigenous tourism’s foundations are fortified. With Indigenous resorts, restaurants, tours and cultural attractions making their way upstream through retail networks in Asia, Europe and North America, Amos has long wanted to double back and make sure other interested communities don’t get left behind and that the sector’s growth is consistent with Indigenous values.

The ITBC corporate Website is set to get some major upgrades as part of the new Corporate Services team's mission to help communities and entrepreneurs get the right support as quickly and easily as possible.

Core to her vision is the creation and staffing of a new Corporate Services Division tasked with deploying local economy solutions that improve community well-being. Indigenous tourism specialists and supporting teams will be concentrating on the early stages of the path-to-market readiness where Indigenous communities may not be well aware of the value of tourism or the powerful tourism network that’s ready to support them. Internally referred to as Tier 1 and Tier 2 communities and businesses, these stakeholders most often outside main tourism corridors, are set to receive tailor-made support that builds trust in ITBC advice, programs, and services. Indigenous Worx has been working with ITBC for the past 3-years to help develop the division’s focus, teams and organizational structure powering the new grassroots approach. Look for Strengthening our Roots and Branches, ITBC Corporate Strategy 2023-2027 on its corporate Website at www.Indigenousbc.com/corporate.