News & Resources
The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.
Indigenous Tourism BC Cultural Safety: Free Online Training Sessions on June 25 & 26
Cultural Safety Training is a two-day virtual session held June 25th and 26th, from 10am-12pm each day over Zoom, facilitated by Shelley Joseph from Ladders 2 Kindness.
This course starts with a journey through Canada's history of colonization and oppression, and teachings of Indigenous ways of being. Participants will each develop actionable items to ensure they can provide trauma-informed and culturally safe services to and for Indigenous people. It is a transformative journey, where Indigenous wisdom meets contemporary practice. Let’s build a kinder, more connected future together.
Cultural Safety Training is a two-day virtual session held June 25th and 26th, from 10am-12pm each day over Zoom, facilitated by Shelley Joseph from Ladders 2 Kindness.
This course starts with a journey through Canada's history of colonization and oppression, and teachings of Indigenous ways of being. Participants will each develop actionable items to ensure they can provide trauma-informed and culturally safe services to and for Indigenous people.
We will delve into the intricate dynamics of lateral violence and lateral kindness, examining its roots in trauma and its manifestations, so we can move forward in the right direction for our common humanity.
It is a transformative journey, where Indigenous wisdom meets contemporary practice. Let’s build a kinder, more connected future together.
This workshop is provided by Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) and the Indigenous Tourism Training Initiative (ITTI), at no cost to participants.
Please extend the invitation for ITBC's Cultural Safety training to anyone in your network. This is a great opportunity for a shared learning experience.
Eligibility for this course includes both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people – all are welcome!
Find BC Indigenous Businesses with the ITBC Trip Planner App
The Indigenous BC Trip Planner app is a trip planning and educational tool that guides visitors through the Indigenous territories of BC and their unique, immersive experiences. Use the app to discover places to go, places to stay, and things to do in BC. Find authentic Indigenous experiences and businesses, learn common Indigenous words and phrases, and hear traditional songs, stories, and legends.
Tourism businesses can share the app with their guests or connect with Indigenous businesses to discuss potential partnerships.
The Indigenous BC Trip Planner app is a trip planning and educational tool that guides visitors through the Indigenous territories of BC and their unique, immersive experiences. Use the app to discover places to go, places to stay, and things to do in BC. Find authentic Indigenous experiences and businesses, learn common Indigenous words and phrases, and hear traditional songs, stories, and legends.
Tourism businesses can share the app with their guests or connect with Indigenous businesses to discuss potential partnerships.
Glohaven Community Hub Partnership With Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
Glohaven Community Hub, a Thompson Okanagan software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform empowering tourism communities with innovative and sustainable destination management solutions, has announced a partnership with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) to amplify the voices of Indigenous-owned tourism businesses and to provide consumers with the opportunity to demonstrate economic reconciliation by consciously shopping for and supporting the unique products and experiences of Indigenous creators.
Glohaven Community Hub, a Thompson Okanagan software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform empowering tourism communities with innovative and sustainable destination management solutions, has announced a partnership with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC).
In recognition of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, Glohaven and ITAC are collaborating to amplify the voices of Indigenous-owned tourism businesses and to provide consumers with the opportunity to demonstrate economic reconciliation by consciously shopping for and supporting the unique products and experiences of Indigenous creators.
The objective of the partnership between Glohaven and ITAC is to provide Indigenous tourism communities and businesses with the digital infrastructure and direct-to-consumer sales channels they need to be more accessible to a broader audience of socially conscious consumers in the online world.
Glohaven and ITAC recognize the power of working together, leveraging each other’s unique skills and resources to support Indigenous tourism businesses with innovative, creative, and tangible sales and marketing solutions. Furthermore, this partnership contributes to the performance of Canada’s visitor economy as a sustainable Indigenous tourism destination.
About Glohaven Community Hub
Glohaven is a community of people who’ve come together for the purpose of making tourism in Canada more innovative.
With a heart and soul for ‘local,’ Glohaven cares about people, the planet, and profits that create meaningful, impactful change.
Glohaven’s digital community hub is built from the “Inside Out” starting at the community level. Every community and its members can participate in the collaborative process to create a locally represented, inclusive online marketplace that reflects the unique products, values, and culture of each community.
Glohaven is currently testing an open Beta version of its platform. This means Glohaven is not done developing the platform, but has enough features built to run the platform at its minimum functionality. Over time, the functionality of the platform will increase and new features will appear.
About The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is a national non-profit Indigenous tourism industry organization established in 2015. ITAC is the lead organization tasked with growing and promoting the Indigenous tourism industry across the country. Inspired by a vision for a thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences, ITAC develops relationships with groups and regions with similar mandates to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism businesses in a respectful protocol.
The head office of ITAC is located in Vancouver, BC, on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Sə̓lílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Historic Declaration Action Plan Guides BC Indigenous Reconciliation and UNDRIP Implementation
The Declaration Act Action Plan was released by the provincial government mapping out 89 specific actions to be taken across all government ministries over the next five years.
Developed in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous Peoples, the Action Plan will be comprehensively updated with Indigenous partners within five years, and a report on implementation progress will be developed in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and submitted to the B.C. Legislature by June 30 each year.
A number of the goals include but are not limited to:
Provide funding to assist Indigenous tourism businesses that have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to further support recovery of the Indigenous tourism sector in BC.
Provide investments to Indigenous Tourism BC to support Indigenous tourism, Indigenous job creation, preservation of Indigenous languages, celebration of Indigenous cultures and the stewardship of territories, and to tell the stories of Indigenous Peoples in B.C. in their own words.
British Columbia is the first province to release an action plan dedicated to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UN Declaration) in Canada.
The Declaration Act Action Plan was released by the provincial government mapping out 89 specific actions to be taken across all government ministries over the next five years.
Developed in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous Peoples, the Action Plan will be comprehensively updated with Indigenous partners within five years, and a report on implementation progress will be developed in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and submitted to the B.C. Legislature by June 30 each year.
A number of the goals include but are not limited to:
Provide funding to assist Indigenous tourism businesses that have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to further support recovery of the Indigenous tourism sector in BC.
Provide investments to Indigenous Tourism BC to support Indigenous tourism, Indigenous job creation, preservation of Indigenous languages, celebration of Indigenous cultures and the stewardship of territories, and to tell the stories of Indigenous Peoples in B.C. in their own words.
British Columbia is the first province to release an action plan dedicated to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UN Declaration) in Canada.
Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada Releases Third Edition of Nations, an Indigenous Lifestyle Magazine
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is pleased to announce the release of the third edition of Nations, ITAC’s annual Indigenous lifestyle magazine celebrating 140 export-ready Indigenous tourism experiences from coast to coast to coast. This year’s edition features stories in categories such as wildlife, nature and adventure; culture and heritage; Indigenous culinary; and accommodations and relaxation.
Download a copy of the Nations, an Indigenous Lifestyle Magazine →
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is pleased to announce the release of the third edition of Nations, ITAC’s annual Indigenous lifestyle magazine celebrating 140 export-ready Indigenous tourism experiences from coast to coast to coast. This year’s edition features stories in categories such as wildlife, nature and adventure; culture and heritage; Indigenous culinary; and accommodations and relaxation.
This year’s edition of Nations includes individual features of Indigenous storytellers and artisans and explores exciting topics such as how to see the northern lights with an Indigenous eye; shared traditions and storied history; Indigenous wildlife tours and safaris; and sustainability in Indigenous tourism. The online version of this magazine includes enhanced content where readers can further engage with stories by clicking the “Explore Further Online” icons throughout the magazine.
Turning a corner from COVID-19, Indigenous tourism businesses are ready to welcome visitors back. Nationally, ITAC believes a full recovery of the Indigenous tourism industry is possible by 2025-26 and continues to leverage strong domestic and global demand for exceptional, export-ready Indigenous tourism experiences.
Download a copy of the Nations, an Indigenous Lifestyle Magazine →