A Year of Resilience: Indigenous Tourism Ontario’s Road to Recovery
ITO’s swift response to the pandemic earlier this year has only further cemented their important role as true leaders in Canada’s Indigenous tourism industry. We are continuously inspired by their unwavering commitment to supporting Indigenous businesses in Ontario, and we are proud to work alongside ITO’s team, led by Kevin Eshkawkogan, Leni Brem, and Jasmine Burji, in their efforts to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. Their Strategic & COVID-19 Recovery Plan will be a key part of empowering their member businesses, as well as the industry at large, to move forward with purpose, balance, and resilience.
CES’ role in developing the Plan included conducting research on trends and best practices for industry recovery, engaging with stakeholders to gain a nuanced understanding of how the pandemic has affected business owners, and making recommendations that culminated into a 3-step Plan of Preserve, Renew, and Rejuvenate. This Plan outlines the range of diverse projects ITO is currently working on and will pursue over the next 4 years to support rebuilding and facilitate growth in the industry. These projects are all aligned with ITO’s Four Directions of Product Development, Marketing, Training, and Cultural Authenticity. ITO has hired additional staff to help with the implementation of the Plan, and we are thrilled that these dedicated individuals have already begun to bring this ambitious Plan to fruition.
One of the most exciting and promising projects outlined in the Plan is ITO’s new Indigenous Business Advisor (IBA) Program. The goal of this program is to provide direct, one-on-one support to help ITO’s member businesses succeed in the aftermath of the pandemic. The program, facilitated by highly skilled and knowledgeable advisors in the industry, will guide participants on a path towards increasing their revenue and achieving their goals, while also allowing ITO to learn about the current needs of Ontario’s Indigenous tourism businesses and determine where ITO’s support is most urgently needed. We were excited to hear that ITO has gained a new team member, Kimberly Gorgichuk, who will be leading the program implementation as the IBA Coordinator!
We were fortunate and honoured to work with ITO on their Plan to Preserve, Renew, and Rejuvenate Ontario’s Indigenous tourism industry, and look forward to our continued collaboration on the innovative IBA Program. ITO’s ability to consistently adapt, embrace change, and move forward with a strong sense of direction is inspiring and we are confident that the next steps will transform the industry, setting Ontario’s tourism businesses on a path towards recovery and prosperity!
This project was developed with the generous support of Ontario’s Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism & Culture Industries. To view an executive summary brochure of ITO’s Strategic & COVID-19 Recovery Plan, click here.