A NEW PARTNERSHIP: ITAC X POW CANADA
Today, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and Protect Our Winters Canada (POW) announced a new strategic partnership in support of ITAC’s Indigenous Tourism Development Fund. Through a revenue sharing model, the collaboration provides the framework for POW’s resort partners (ski operations, hotels and lodges) to support progress towards the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #92 — building respectful relationships and ensuring that Indigenous communities gain long-term economic benefits from activities taking place on their lands or using their resources.
“We’re excited to partner with POW to expand the reach and grow the impact of our Indigenous Tourism Development Fund. Tourism is an effective way for Indigenous communities to diversify their economies for present and future generations.”, Keith Henry, ITAC’s Chief Executive Officer
Contributions to the fund are distributed across the country and have an immediate positive impact in Indigenous communities through employment, destination development and business support and promotion activities.
“Climate Justice and Indigenous Reconciliation go hand in hand - you can’t have one without the other” says David Erb POW Canada’s Executive Director. “This collaboration is a perfect way for POW and our resort partners to integrate reconciliation into the core of our programs and climate action efforts.”
POW’s resort program asks partners to contribute a fee per lift ticket sold which gets distributed equally:
34%: ITAC’s Indigenous Tourism Development Fund to support reconciliation efforts
33% : POW Canada to support climate action advocacy efforts
33% : Stays at the resort to support sustainability efforts
Contributions to the fund are distributed across the country and have an immediate positive impact in Indigenous communities through employment, destination development and business support and promotion activities.
Indigenous based tourism is a key component of the Canadian government’s Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which is designed to grow tourism in Canada by 40%. The Indigenous Tourism Development Fund has been created to support meeting this ambitious target.
“We have described for you a mountain. We have shown you the path to the top. We call upon you to do the climbing.”
— The Honourable Murray Sinclair, Chairman of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission