'They are the Manitoba story': Advocate says province needs to do more for Indigenous tourism
The man in charge of Manitoba's only dedicated Indigenous tourism development organization says Indigenous tourism is being left behind, and the province needs to overhaul its tourism industry to fix it.
"There's a huge challenge as to why we are where we are versus where we should be," said Jeff Provost, general manager Eastside Aboriginal Sustainable Tourism Inc, which represents 19 First Nations on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. Provost is also a board member with the Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada.
Provost said Manitoba's current system is "disjointed" and inefficient. He said the province needs to develop a comprehensive plan for tourism, and update the existing Indigenous tourism strategy that hasn't been touched since 2003.
He said there's also a lack of sustained funding for Indigenous tourism development that means opportunities for growth are being left behind.
"Aboriginal people want to engage and be part of Manitoba economy. They want to contribute to it," Provost said. "They are the Manitoba story."
Unharnessed potential, Indigenous tourism leader says
According to Keith Henry, president and CEO of the Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada, Manitoba currently has around 40 Indigenous-owned businesses that contribute to tourism. They create some 1,100 jobs, he said, and contribute roughly $74 million a year in direct GDP.
Successful examples around the province include Sagatay Lodge near Poplar River, Brokenhead Skywind Tours and Cultural Programs on Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation and the Manito Ahbee Festival in Winnipeg.
"It's not the largest sector of the tourism industry in Manitoba, but it certainly has an impact," Henry said.
According to ATAC's own research, roughly 129 million visitors participate in Indigenous tourism in Canada in one way or another per year. The association also says there's the potential to bring in an additional 60 million visitors over the next two years by reaching further into key markets.
Indigenous tourism in Canada is worth around $1.4 billion, Henry said, and is projected to grow to around $1.7 billion by 2021.
"It would grow more if we can bring more businesses that can compete in tourism because visitors are demanding it," Henry said. "We've got far more demand right now than we've got businesses right now across the country."
'A whole government approach'
Henry and Provost both said Manitoba's biggest problem is a lack of "market-ready" tourism experiences that are ready for international visitors.
They said the solution is a two-pronged approach that combines more provincial money to create them and the development of a province-wide strategy laying out the plan for Indigenous tourism and how it fits into tourism more generally.
"What we need is a whole government approach that I think will be a lot more efficient, and that's what would get those goals and priorities and take care of them and we'll actually achieve success," said Provost.
Earlier this year, the Progressive Conservative government increased funding for tourism marketing through Travel Manitoba by more than $3.1 million, boosting funding for the first time in a decade from $7.5 to more than $11 million.
The move made good on PC campaign promise, and was lauded by Manitoba Chambers of Commerce president and CEO Chuck Davidson.
But Provost said at least some of that money would be better spent on developing new sites. He said he feels like there's a government priority on marketing a handful existing money-makers in Churchill and Winnipeg.
"That's why we are where we are, and we will always be where we are unless we get serious about the development side," Provost said.
Province responds
Cliff Cullen, Manitoba's Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade, said the province is proud of what it's done so far on tourism and is interested in doing more.
He said the province has increased the Tourism Development Fund by more than 50 per cent to $297,000, which it doled out in 29 grants to various organizations.
Those grants included $4,600 to EAST and $10,000 to Winnipeg Indigenous tourism group Manitou Oba Inc.
"On the subject of a more broad strategy on tourism for Manitoba, we will need to discuss this further with stakeholders like Travel Manitoba and Manitoba Chambers of Commerce," Cullen said in a written statement in response to a CBC request for comment.
"We look forward to continuing to engage with these groups on the future of the tourism industry in Manitoba."
