2023 Indigenous Tourism BC AGM & Stakeholder Forum

October 26, 2023, Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver)–Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) welcomed friends, including Stakeholders and partners, from October 24-26, 2023, in Vancouver to its Annual General Meeting(AMG). The AGM provided the opportunity to review a successful 26th year, share knowledge, and build relationships.

An opening evening networking event, hosted by Cohen Bradley and Pala Kovacs of ITBC, allowed ITBC staff, Indigenous-owned tourism businesses, and friends to gather and share stories of their challenges and successes over the year. 

ITBC’s Darnell Stager provided an opening acknowledgment in gratitude and invited attendants to consider a valuable distinction between land and territory acknowledgments: 

“The land acknowledgment directly gives thanks for the land itself, its waters and sky. The territory acknowledgment acknowledges the relationship between the land and its People. We give thanks for the unbroken stewardship of these lands that make it possible for us to gather in this good place in a good way.”

Legacy, Vision, and Sharing

ITBC Chair, Brenda Baptiste welcomed Mary Point to open the second day of the AGM and forum with cultural protocol. 

Opening in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, the traditional language of the Musqueam People, with song and drum, Mary shared: 

“I love the theme from today’s conference–Strengthening Our Roots and Branches. It’s about our family, our ways of being, our ways of knowing, our ways of learning. We’re walking this path together and we’re walking it in a good way. Look back, look forward–this is what this day is about.”

Brenda Baptiste shared that the pandemic presented an opportunity for us to focus our attention as an organization on what matters most to us–our Stakeholders–and what matters most to them: 

“We are an organization that represents Indigenous tourism but, more importantly, we represent families, people, children, communities, the sovereignty of our Nations.”

Annual General Meeting

On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, the attendants gathered for the formal Annual General Meeting to receive the administrative and financial reports for 2022-2023, a funding announcement made by Minister Lana Popham, and news of the ITBC Board of Directors election results.

ITBC’s Chief Financial Officer Henry Tso reviewed the 2022-2023 ITBC Annual Report and the success of our Indigenous Alignment Strategy 2021-2024: Pulling Together for Recovery, now in its final year–including the opportunities created​, resources delivered, and funding provided by ITBC during the pandemic. 

He noted that the changes and challenges of recent years inspired an increased public interest in Indigenous wellness and Indigenous tourism experiences, increased interest in tourism from Indigenous communities, and increased investment from federal and provincial governments. The term included the creation of an official ITBC Corporate Services Department, as well as the introduction of Regional Indigenous Tourism Specialists serving each of the six tourism regions in BC. 

Measuring Success By Indigenous Wellness

ITBC shifted from a focus on marketing toward a focus on success for Indigenous communities prepared us to respond with honesty and action to the ongoing findings at residential institutions and the subsequent national attention and commitment to truth and reconciliation in Canada. The number of new Indigenous tourism operators registered with ITBC continued to rise, as did the number of Stakeholders who transitioned from labour- to market-ready. In 2022-2023, ITBC Stakeholder engagement and corporate website continued to increase. 

ITBC shared an overview of Strengthening Our Roots and Branches: Corporate Strategy 2023-2027, a five-year plan committed to renewed partnerships, organizational structure and focus, and funding to increase wellbeing for Indigenous Peoples through the tourism industry in BC. 

The plan intends to uplift Indigenous tourism in BC beyond full recovery from the pandemic with dedicated measures to support the growth of Indigenous economies, increase the capacity and competitiveness of Indigenous businesses, execute a focused and insightful marketing strategy, accelerate experience development, establish a strong Indigenous tourism story, and strengthen ITBC leadership.

Meet Your Board of directors

ITBC thanks returning Board of Directors members for their dedicated service and welcomes all new members to the House of Tyee. The following voting results were announced by Sabrina Lewis, Chief Electoral Officer

At-Large Director (3)

• Brenda Baptiste, At-large, Nk’Mip Campground, Nk’Mip Cultural Centre, Nk’Mip Cellars (Re-Elected)
• Jenna Bower, At-large, Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre (Re-Elected)
• Elijah Mack, At-large, Kekuli Cafe (Merritt and Kamloops) (Newly Elected)

Vancouver Island Regional Director

• Chyanne Trenholm, Vancouver Island Region, Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours (re-elected)

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Regional Director

• Kathy Brown, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region, Seequest Development Corporation (Acclaimed)

Norther BC Regional Director

• Leslie Brown, Northern BC Region, Davidson’s Descendants (Acclaimed)

Returning Board Members

• Savannah Nadeau, Kootenay Rockies Region, St. Eugene Resort Historic Mission Resort
• Lori Simcox, Vancouver Coast & Mountain Region, Takaya Tours
• Sharon Bond, Thompson Okanagan Region, Kekuli Cafe
• Frank Antoine, At-large, Moccasin Trails
• Paul Natrall, At-large, Mr. Bannock
• Maria Clark, At-large, Best Western at Tin Wis

ITBC thanks outgoing board members Erin Brillon (At-large, Totem Design House) and Evangeline Clifton (Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region, Shearwater Resort) for their service, especially during the challenges we faced together during the pandemic. 

Tourism Training Initiative Announced

The afternoon included a virtual address from Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport, who announced the Indigenous Tourism Training Initiative (ITTI) to the in-house audience. 

Led by Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC), the $6 million Indigenous Tourism Training Initiative Indigenous communities, businesses, employees, and entrepreneurs will be able to enhance their education and skills in Indigenous storytelling, marketing, social media, workplace safety, and earn certification required to work in the hospitality and tourism industry such as FoodSafe and Serving It Right. 

ITTI Press Release

ITTI is dedicated to supporting current and aspiring Indigenous tourism workers and employers by providing Indigenous-led and culturally focused training and educational opportunities that help attract and retain Indigenous tourism talent. It is anticipated that more than 240 Indigenous tourism businesses will benefit from the Indigenous Tourism Training Initiative, including 45 communities and more than 1,400 people. 

The afternoon included a presentation of Outlook and Trends for Tourism, by Paula Amos from ITBC and Maya Lange from Destination BC. In addition to overall trends, the two marketing leaders provided the audience with an update and overview on Invest in Iconics, a highly strategic and collaborative effort to increase seasonal and geographic dispersion of travel in British Columbia.

Speaker Charlie Grinnell (CEO, RightMetric) delivered a presentation on the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and how it can support business practices in the tourism industry, including its potential applications in marketing, productivity, and human resources. 

Day Two of the event concluded with an inspirational panel on cultural immersion in tourism. Moderated by Darnell Stager (ITBC), the panelists included special guests Mary Point (Vancouver Airport Authority), Julian Hockin-Grant (Allied Certifications Ltd.), and Chris Tait (Klahoose Wilderness Resort), who shared their experiences with genuine and respectful incorporation of Indigenous cultural elements in tourism products. 

The Stakeholders Forum

The final day was reserved for a Stakeholder Forum and included three Fireside Chats. Jessie Penner (ITBC) and panelists Cindy Conti (Go2HR), Heather Paul (SLCC, Executive Director), Sharon Bond-Hogg (Kekuli Cafe) Elijah Mack (Kekuli Cafe) discussed human resources, retention, and staffing during the first session.

ITBC’s CFO Henry Tso and Gail Joe hosted a discussion focused on funding and grant opportunities available for Indigenous businesses and communities who provide or want to explore Indigenous tourism experiences. 

Deanna Wampler and Leah Kerekes hosted the last conversation of the day with an interactive session on social media and web training, sharing strategies for online optimization, crafting compelling content and providing audiences with clear information that effectively drives bookings and sales.

Indigenous Tourism BC thanks all Stakeholders and Partners for your attendance at our 2023 Annual General Meeting and your ongoing commitment to increased Indigenous wellness through tourism.