Travel Media Association of Canada and Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada Announce Memorandum of Understanding
New partnership to showcase meaningful collaboration and training for Canada’s travel journalists.
ATIKAMEKSHNEG ANISHNAWBEK TERRITORY (Sudbury, ON) – June 19, 2023 – Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) have agreed to finalize their partnership through a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) effective June 21, 2023, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day.
The primary goal of this MOU is to educate and train Canadian travel media to showcase and promote diverse Indigenous experiences in Canada. This includes sharing story ideas with TMAC members and incorporating Indigenous elements into TMAC's annual conference. Members will be educated on Indigenous style and storytelling and given opportunities to share Indigenous-led stories. Support will also be provided in verifying the authenticity and providing workshops to enhance indigenous-led businesses' ability to engage and leverage travel media.
ITAC will also further educate travel media on the importance of authenticity and Indigenous-owned tourism businesses as well as sharing all the amazing experiences accredited with The Original Original mark of excellence. This new ISO label created by the association is a mark set to assure visitors they are buying from an authentic Indigenous operator and that benefits are going back to Indigenous people.
“TMAC knows the importance of supporting Indigenous tourism and through this partnership, we look forward to advancing the growth of Indigenous tourism in Canada,” says Tracy Ford, President of TMAC. “We’re committed to working together to promote and celebrate authentic Indigenous tourism and are excited about the economic opportunities and cultural understanding that this collaboration will bring.”
TMAC is a Canadian not-for-profit association serving industry and media travel professionals. They cultivate relationships that result in relevant connections, comprehensive opportunities, and successful outcomes. The organization strives for inclusivity, openness, and forward-thinking in the everchanging travel industry environment.
“ITAC’s partnership with TMAC represents a significant milestone in the growth and development of Indigenous tourism in Canada. With this collaboration, we can look towards a future of hope and success where authentic Indigenous businesses and experiences are celebrated and shared across Canada,” says Keith Henry, President & CEO of ITAC. “As we continue to work together, we are confident that the Indigenous tourism industry will flourish, bringing economic opportunities and cultural understanding to communities from coast to coast to coast.”
As the tourism industry is ready to welcome the return of summer – and with it national and international visitors so critical to the Indigenous tourism economy in Canada – there is no better time than now to support the revitalization of Indigenous cultures by choosing The Original Original mark of excellence.
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.
About Travel Media Association of Canada
Founded in 1994, TMAC represents Canada’s most professional and productive experts in the field of travel. The Association currently has nearly 400 members — Canadian writers, photographers, videographers, bloggers and social media curators, as well as highly respected media relations representatives of the travel industry in Canada, and around the world. Rooted in Canada with an international reach, the Travel Media Association of Canada creates a positive space for travel media and travel industry professionals to cultivate relationships that result in relevant collaborative, comprehensive opportunities and successful outcomes to foster and inspire travel.
