Destination Indigenous’ Escape from Home' Campaign Highlight Adventures and Ways to Connect with Indigenous Culture

Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver, BC) August 4, 2020 Midsummer adventures led by experienced Indigenous guides and outfitters are available to Canadian travellers as they yearn toEscape from Home, including small group guided hiking tours while foraging along ancient Indigenous trails, horseback expeditions and a guided adrenaline rush with a Via Ferrata mountain climbing experience.

And for cultural explorers, intrepid travellers can visit over 20 Indigenousmuseums andculturalexperiences spread across the country.Presented by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), each weeks Escape from Home theme is being promoted with regional itineraries as examples, to showcase the diversity of Indigenous tourism experiences available and open for business. As well, media influencers arebloggingand photographing their own recentEscape from Homeadventures, providing invaluable insight into the experiences as they are today.

Our goal is to provide multiple resources for travellers to be inspired and begin planning a trip which includes a variety of Indigenous experiences, says Keith Henry, ITACs President and CEO. As Indigenous operators open up across the country and are ready to welcome visitors, we are sending in our own storytellers to document what visitors can expect and we know they wont be disappointed.

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Examples of the types of adventures and cultural excursions available include:

• Calgary, AlbertasZucmin Guidingwhichspecializes in individual and small group hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing and camping with a uniquely Indigenous focus. Zuc'min guides are all certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) and have knowledge and experience of the Canadian Mountain Parks and Foothills in Alberta as well as the mountains of British Columbia's interior.

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• Huron-Wendat Museum,Wendake, Quebec - With its permanent and temporary exhibitions, cultural activities, animated and guided tours (with audio-tours available in 6 languages) and an Ekionkiesthanational longhouse, the Huron-Wendat Museum invites visitors on a real journey through time and history.

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• During Nova ScotiasEskasoni Cultural Journey,visitors stroll along awooded waterside pathway with Mikmaq guides clad in traditional, homemade moose hide regalia and moccasins. This three hour experience is set along a 2.3-km trail around Goat Island on Cape Bretons tranquil Bras dOr Lakes and visitors experience a series of stations manned by passionate band members who present stories of past and present Mikmaq culture.

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• Girth Hitch Guidingis based out of Red Deer Alberta and offers mountain guiding in the Canadian Rockies with a focus on personal transformation.As a proud Mtis man, Tim Taylors heritage is aligned with the stories and legends of the David Thompson Corridor and his passion for the mountains he calls home is rooted in his Cultural background.

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• Painted Warriors- Located in the foothills 110 kilometres northwest of Calgary, just off the legendary Cowboy Trail, Painted Warriors Ranch is an ideal place to learn about animal tracking and natural navigation using a shadow stick. Certified training courses are also offered for everything from outdoor cooking and hunting, to equine first aid and horseback riding, which can include multi-day backcountry boot camp adventures

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More examples of Indigenous adventure experiences being featured in Destination Indigenous Escape from Home campaign include:

• North Star Adventures, (NWT)
• Gros Morne Adventures, (NL)
• Domaine Notcimik, (QC)
• Metis Crossing,(AB)
• Wildhorse Ranch, (AB)
• Carcross Tagish Management Corporation, (YT)
• Mer et Monde Ecotours, (QC)
• Voyageur Wilderness Programme, (ON)

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View and download the campaign poster here:https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-TirF-YmsA-iihVWb

View an inspiring itinerary here:https://destinationindigenous.ca/blog/escape-from-home-alberta/

View and download photos here:https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-WxRwawuh-wu3mxSg

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Important information for visitors to Indigenous communities:

While planning an escape with Indigenous experiences across Canada, ITAC recommends travellers understand the health and safety guidelines for travel within each province and territory, and travellers also check to ensure that the community they hope to visit is ready to welcome back local visitors.

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About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

ITAC announced the launch ofDestination Indigenousin June to encourage, highlight and educate travellers about the many Indigenous experiences that will welcome Canadians this summer. Through Destination Indigenous informativewebsiteand vacation planning tool (which includes maps and directions), intrepid travellers can explore and book:

• wildlife and fishing excursions across Quebec;
• urban Indigenous tours within Canadas major cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa Halifax;
• guided adventures across BC Alberta;
• northern Lights in NWT;
• unique Indigenous accommodations from art-filled hotels to glamping in the wilderness;
• deep dives into Indigenous culture and heritage sites;
• foraging for local ingredients and dining on Indigenous cuisine from top-trained Indigenous chefs.

ITAC is the lead organization tasked with growing 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 other groups and regions with similar mandates. By uniting the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada, ITAC works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. Prior to 2020, Indigenous tourism was outpacing Canadian tourism activity overall, and international demand for Indigenous experiences was at an all-time high. ITAC works in partnership with Destination Canada to showcase Indigenous tourism across Canada to Canadian and international travellers.