b'E-TOURISMThe New Face of INDIGENOUS TOURISM By Anna-Liza BadalooTo u r i s m o p e r a t o r sI n2019,Indigenoustourisminthe dynamic of the industry and helped Canada was booming. Comprisedit weather the storm. a r e f a c e d w i t h aofaround1,900Indigenous businesses, the industry was worthPre-pandemic, our estimated revenue n e w r e a l i t y :almost$1.9billion,providingwas 65 per cent international visitors, about 39,000 jobs in front-end services,and 35 per cent domestic. Now, its t o r e a c h t h e i rmanagement, marketing, and more. totally flipped. Were not back to $1.9 t a r g e t a u d i e n c eWhen the COVID-19 pandemic broughtbillion yet. But just last summer, we esti-international travel to a screeching halt,mate were at about $1 billion. Thats t h e y n e e d aeverything changed. With global bordersimportant growth compared to what slamming shut worldwide, tourism oper- we saw at the height of the pandemic, h i g h l y i n t e r a c t i v eators who relied heavily on internationalsays Keith Henry, president and CEO visitors had to close up shop entirely.of the Indigenous Tourism Association o n l i n e p r e s e n c e of Canada (ITAC). The organization Many businesses turned to an audiencesupports its 1,900 business owner closer to home: Canadians. This changedmembers in leadership, partnership, 64A CCAB PUBLICATION2023'