May 26 - WestJet and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) are providing nine, $10,000 grants to Indigenous tourism businesses across Canada that have been devastated by the shutdown of the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants were originally earmarked through the WestJet/ITAC strategic national partnership, signed in November 2019.

 

The recipients of these grants were given the news in March 2021 and their reactions were captured in a new WestJet/ITAC video, WestJet & ITAC: supporting Indigenous tourism in Canada. The Indigenous tourism businesses that received the grants will be spotlighted on WestJet’s social channels and its newsroom over the next year.

 

The WestJet/ITAC strategic national partnership is a three-year commitment that outlines how the airline will foster opportunities for Indigenous tourism by showcasing Indigenous People’s culture and history while bringing global audiences to take part in Indigenous tourism experiences.

 

This summer, WestJet and ITAC are encouraging Canadians to support local tourism organizations, including local Indigenous tourism businesses from coast to coast to coast, while following all public health and safety guidelines. Destination Canada has stated that if Canadians shift two-thirds of their planned spend on international leisure travel towards domestic tourism, it will make up for the estimated $19 billion shortfall currently facing our visitor economy and will help sustain 150,000 jobs while accelerating recovery by one year.

 

Recipients of the 2020/2021 WestJet/ITAC grants:

• Feast Café Bistro: Winnipeg, Manitoba • Moonstone Creation: Calgary, Alberta • Talaysay Tours: Vancouver, British Columbia • Moccasin Trails: Kamloops, British Columbia • Indigenous World Winery: Kelowna, British Columbia • North Star Adventures: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories • Aurora Village: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories • Indigenous Experiences: Gatineau, Quebec • Miqmak Catering Indigenous Kitchen: Roxboro, Quebec

 

For more information about indigenous experiences across the country: visit destinationindigenous.ca.

 

 

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