WestJet and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) are providing nine $10,000 grants to Indigenous tourism businesses across Canada that have been devastated by the shutdown of the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants were originally earmarked through the WestJet/ITAC strategic national partnership, signed in November 2019.
The Indigenous tourism businesses that received the grants will also be spotlighted on WestJet’s social channels and its newsroom over the next year.
“We are pleased to be able to support these Indigenous businesses as they work their way to recovery,” says WestJet executive VP Angela Avery. “WestJet is a proud partner of ITAC and is committed to advancing reconciliation by growing opportunities for indigenous entrepreneurs and sharing with the global travel industry the importance of Indigenous tourism – a unique, important and developing sector of Canadian tourism.”
ITAC president and CEO Keith Henry calls Westjet “an amazing partner” and “a true advocate for Indigenous tourism in Canada,” noting the company’s collaboration on marketing campaigns that provide much needed support to Indigenous tourism businesses.
“WestJet has effectively engaged with Indigenous tourism businesses and communities and fully understands the importance of reconciliation and the layered, but necessary, path to achieve it,” he adds.
Recipients of the 2020/21 WestJet/ITAC grants are:
• Feast Café Bistro: Winnipeg, Man.
• Moonstone Creation: Calgary, Alta.
• Talaysay Tours: Vancouver, BC
• Moccasin Trails: Kamloops, BC
• Indigenous World Winery: Kelowna, BC
• North Star Adventures: Yellowknife, NWT
• Aurora Village: Yellowknife, NWT
• Indigenous Experiences: Gatineau, Que.
• Miqmak Catering Indigenous Kitchen: Roxboro, Que.
The WestJet/ITAC strategic national partnership is a three-year commitment that outlines how the airline will foster opportunities for Indigenous tourism by showcasing Indigenous People’s culture and history while bringing global audiences to take part in Indigenous tourism experiences.
This summer, WestJet and ITAC are encouraging Canadians to support local tourism organizations, including local Indigenous tourism businesses from coast to coast to coast.
“The situation facing the travel and tourism industry overall has been devastating,” says Avery. “We encourage Canadians to support Indigenous businesses in their communities and across the country when it is safe to do so.”
Destination Canada has stated that if Canadians shift two-thirds of their planned spend on international leisure travel towards domestic tourism, it will make up for the estimated $19 billion shortfall currently facing the Canadian visitor economy and will help sustain 150,000 jobs while accelerating recovery from the pandemic by one year.