Advancing Indigenous Tourism Forum 2017

FINAL REPORT

Prepared by: Charlene Alexander

Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association #1-1109 Front Street Whitehorse, YT Y1A 5G4

Ph. 867.667.7698 | Fax 867.667.7527| Emailed @yfnct.ca

1. Project Overview YFNCT received funding through the Product Development Partnership Program (Tourism & Culture) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada to host a gathering of local and regional cultural and interpretive centers, along with key partners and interested parties. The overarching goal of the forum was to explore the unique opportunities and challenges that cultural centres and Northern communities face in tapping into tourism markets. The presentations and discussions focused on how best to work within the tourism industry to garner economic and social benefits, and facilitate opportunities for community members.

2. Project Background Cultural Centers occupy a unique and special place within Northern communities cultural and social environments. They serve as a hub for culturally based programming, gatherings, language, heritage and education. They are strategically positioned to provide the most authentic, community based greeting and experience for visitors to the communities as they operate and provide programming year round.

Each community and each cultural center has a unique set of assets and a unique story to share with their visitors. Cultural centers also have the ability to operate throughout the year as the staff are often employed through the First Nation Culture and Heritage Departments. This allows them to welcome visitors throughout the year. The benefits and authenticity inherent to these particular centers need to be highlighted and explored in order for these stories to be made accessible to more Yukoners, Canadians and international visitors.

3. ObjectivesThe key objectives of the project were to:

Develop products to be integrated into the summer FIT, group or Aurora viewing visitor audienceso Products could include tours, artistic or crafting demonstrations or workshopso Festivals are an existing product that could be marketed better and the visitor component

could be explored Educate cultural center operators on working with travel tradeo Including a session with Yukon ‘key account’ Canadian tour operators to help provide info on

what is necessary for working with the trade Inspire and garner ideas for developing the economic potential of the cultural centers in Yukono Including the centers as a venue for local events, staging area for spin off businesses, booking

agent for potential local operators Address human resource issues on creating genuine opportunities for community members

o Payment options for community members’ participation o Explore ideas around utilizing summer students and Elders to facilitate passing down

cultural knowledge and offering enhanced experiences to guests

Bring key stakeholders and potential partners to the gathering in order for them to better understand the unique and distinctive place that cultural centers hold in their communities and in the tourism sector

Create regional networking opportunities to collaborate on our shared opportunities, challenges and experiences

Develop a best practices guide for cultural centers that could include pricing, steps to developing

programming and Develop Three Year Strategy for YFNCT support of cultural center tourism development

4) Project Description

The Advancing Indigenous Tourism Forum, was held in Whitehorse December 5-7 at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre and Westmark Hotel Conference. Over 90 delegates, representing 13 Yukon communities attended the forum. The delegation included cultural/interpretive centre staff, heritage managers, tourism operators, tourism industry organizations (WTAY, TIAY), First Nation development and community corporations, as well as representatives from the travel trade, Yukon Government, Canadian Heritage, CanNor, Parks Canada, and more. See attached delegate list.

The two-and-a-half day program was filled with opportunities for networking, learning, blue sky thinking and sharing. Our guest speakers and presenters shared best practices, success stories, challenges, industry insights, and strategies to inspire each participate to contemplate how to advance Indigenous tourism from their sector or organization. The resounding message that we heard from these centres was

that tourism brought many social and economic benefits to their organizatoins and their communities. They repeated the need for the programming and engagement to be defined and informed by, for and with the community. The reaffirmed that the future is the youth – and that they are the most important part of tomorrow’s labour force. They encouraged that communities and organizations stay true to values and how the community wants to engage – don’t waiver, be authentic, don’t compromise – you’ll get better experiences, better responses, maybe even more revenues and visitation.

Representatives from the travel trade talked about expectations and opportunities of working with the travel trade and their perspective on what visitors to Yukon are looking to experience. There were many tips and advice shared but across all speakers, they all imparted the need for relationships and communications. That through open dialogue and an investment in building working relationships, the trade company or the cultural centre would be better able to support and help one another. A consistent insight was to not over promise if you are not ready. The Travel Trade customer will expect their travel trade representative to guarantee the experience they purchase, passing along that expectation from the travel trade to the supplier (aka: the Cultural Centre, tourism business or community organization).

Tourism representatives shared industry research data and stats on the growing demand for authentic cultural experiences and detailed profiles on the visitors traveling to Yukon, and why they would be interested in indigenous experiences. The Yukon is fortunate to host the two top traveller types – Authentic Experiences and Cultural Explorers – that are characterized by many of the social and travel values that not only fit beautifully with attributes of the Yukon’s personality, these traveller types both resonate strongly with authenticity, immersion, experiential, nature, wildlife, people, community and culture.

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada provided an overview of their programs and services and examples of success stories from across the country. Of greatest value was the ITAC Indigenous Cultural Experiences Development Guidelines and tools and tips to working with the Travel Trade. ITAC offers a free newsletter online as well as the multitude of marketing programs and supports available through membership.

Creating Host and Guest Encounters for our Shared Future was a custom workshop delivered by Dr. Suzanne de la Barre of Vancouver Island University together with a Heritage Manager from the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, Joella Hogan. They opened the conversation about how participating in tourism, sharing culture and exchanging with visitors – defined by themselves – could be a conversation for the community and/or the visitor in reconciliation. They helped participants interpret experiences from simple awareness (without engagement but just observation and unguided), to Involve (inviting visitors to touch, talk, ask, etc.) through to finally relational (where visitors would experience, interact, understand through doing).

Delegates had the opportunity to work in groups and envision new experiences for their centre or community using the research data presented. Their creative ideas inspired dialogue and brainstorming and demonstrated for others how creative and invested the communities could be in designing unique and authentic, story-rich experiences for guests.

The forum came to a close with an hour-long group session where delegates shared and documented their needs, challenges and ideas for the future, along with ways that YFNCT and local governments can support them. The information gathered at this session supported that Yukon First Nations cultural

centres and communities with the tourism industry and levels of government must work together – each playing a unique role in the tourism development and delivery story and each needing unique and specific information, support and collaboration. Key themes from this session included:

Collaboration – across heritage, tourism, culture – across all sectors. Training and mentorship – in all facets of tourism, interpretation, marketing, research, program delivery,

partnership. Tools and guides or resources to further support communities, Cultural Centres, Governments, tourism

association, industry operators and partners. Community-led initiatives – helping and working with communities so they define their own directions

and visions for tourism development for their citizens Facilitation – across communities, Cultural Centres, across the trade and other industry operators – help

us stay connected, speed dating, networking, learning5 Program speakers and presenters:

GUEST PRESENTERS

o Raven LeBlanc, Heritage Centre at Kaay Linagaayo Dr Kelly Whiteney Gould, Heritage Centre at Kaay Linagaayo Brady Smith, Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, B.C. o Kelsey Wallace, Alaska Native Heritage Centre, AKo Lee Kadinger, Sealaska Hertiage Institute, AK o Casey Vanden Heuvel, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada o Suzanne de la Barre, Vancouver Island University o Jai Mukerji, Anderson Vacations, Calgary, ABo Scott Roberts & Sherry Baumgardner, Riata Partners Inc. o Mario Fulmer, Alaska Native Voices, AK

YUKON PRESENTERS o Carmen Magro, Klondike Travelo Joost Van der Putten, Nature Tours of Yukono Teena Dickson, Who What Where Tourso Joella Hogano Patti Balsillie, Tourism Strategy and Engagement Specialist o MacKenzie Downing, Tourism & Cultureo Teresa Conkin, Royal Roads Universityo Linaya Workman, Parks Canada o Shadelle Chambers, CAFNo Alexia McKinnon, CAFN o Brandon Kykikavishik, John Tizya Centreo Cindy Charlie, Tage Cho Interpretive Centreo Glenda Bolt & Kylie Van Every, Danoja Zho Cultural Centreo Lisa Dewhurst, Teslin Heritage Centero Sharmane Jones, Da Ku Cultural Centreo Teri-Lee Isaac, Big Johathan House o Nelson Lepine, CTFN Learning Centre

o Heather McIntyre, Courtney Wheelton, Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre

6. Performance Measures & Deliverables

New tours, workshops or other experiences developed by Cultural Centers that are marketable to the tourism trade.

This will be monitored and reported on over the coming three years.

Partnerships to increase the availability and marketability of the Yukon First Nation Cultural Center experience

This will be monitored and reported on over the coming three years.

Increased interest and visitation to First Nation Cultural Centers from the tourism trade. This will be monitored and reported on over the coming three years.

Development of a best practices guide for Cultural Centers See attached.

3 year strategy for YFNCT to assist cultural centers in tourism development initiatives See attached.

Digital copies of all presentations made at the gathering Link to Dropbox Sent

A report on the potential new tour packages, programs or experiences developed by Cultural Centers as a result of the gathering

This will be monitored and reported on over the coming three years.

7. Financial Report - See Attached

8. Attachments

Financial Report Program Delegate List Delegate Evaluations Best Practices and Strategy Document