Why more Canadians are adding Indigenous stops to their summer road trips

Summer vacation season is upon us and the president and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) says a growing number of people want to include learning about Indigenous history and culture into their trips. 

Keith Henry explained why in an interview on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris.

The full interview can be heard at the bottom of this article.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Craig Norris: What have you noticed when it comes to people in Canada wanting to learn more about Indigenous history while they're on vacation? 

Keith Henry: We're certainly seeing a tremendous increase in the amount of local residents, Canadians really wanting to experience Indigenous culture in a new way. 

And I think reconciliation is top of mind and amidst all the other challenges, I think we hear through our public forums and platforms and whatnot and it just really feels like Canadians more than ever are just trying to connect with Indigenous culture. So it's certainly benefiting the Indigenous tourism industry. 

Norris: There are some people, I'm sure, that maybe they worry that they feel like they're intruding on a site. What do people need to know about planning ahead if they want to make stops at cultural sites? 

Henry: We recognize in Indigenous tourism that it's very natural for many Canadians, that are unsure and don't want to do the wrong thing, to feel that way. 

I think as also an Indigenous person myself, we've been trying to build these kinds of platforms like DestinationIndigenous.ca and many other sort of local websites and businesses for Canadians to know where to find those cultural exchanges, those places where you know you're welcomed.

The work that we're trying to do at ITAC and as a national body to just help Canadians know the most effective and, I guess, most mutually beneficial way for Canadians to have those cultural exchanges. 

Norris: I guess the flip side of this, too, would be the people who just want to get to these places, various sites for the selfie photo. What would your message be to people whose reason for visiting an Indigenous tourism location may not be as genuine? 

Henry: I think we understand the industry is like that and we're not naive to that. 

We welcome people to take Instagram photos. We want people to come, share those exchanges. We want people to come, maybe help spread the word to their personal networks. Because the truth is — even in those situations — that raises awareness, it raises education. 

And so, we know that sometimes people just want to have fun. They just want to just experience things. They want to see maybe some artwork. We understand that. 

So that's why I say, we as a national industry have been trying to give Canadians all of those options so that they know it's not just what Canadians might often think of: singing and dancing and elder storytelling. Those are all parts of it. But we recognize some people just want to go now fun and just experience new things in the world and we're OK with that. 

Norris: We're near Six Nations of the Grand River. They have a tourism office. In Brantford, there's the Woodland Cultural Centre. But what other spots would be within driving distance for people in southern Ontario? 

Henry: I'll give you a few examples. So Wikwemikong Tourism, which it's about five hours from Kitchener. It's a year-round service around Manitoulin Island and the Killarney region. They have a number of cultural tours. They've got land based experiences. They've got obviously Point Grondine Park, which operates a backcountry wilderness sort of adventure. There's guided tours through there and whatnot. Hiking trails, canoe routes, backcountry campsites. 

Near Ottawa there's Indigenous experiences, Mādahòkì Farm — that operates right near Ottawa. There's a couple of things there they run at the Canadian Museum of History, they have sort of a cultural event and they do just different private school, just public audience sort of events. So sharing cultural tourism there. 

But the farm itself has a number of just really neat [things]. They have a gift shop there. They've got daily sort of performance packaging going on. They've got food options there. There's just really some great authentic cultural experiences. 

So for those who want adventure out two to five hours, there are many examples of great Indigenous experiences in southern Ontario, for sure. 

Norris: What about other parts of Canada, if people can get to them, what's out there? 

Henry: You look in Quebec ... one of my personal favourites is Wendake, which is right near Quebec City. They've got a beautiful hotel, cultural centre, traditional longhouse that you can actually stay in if you want to have that kind of immersive cultural experience. Many great experiences right there.

You look into Manitoba, there's several experiences there. You go into Winnipeg, there's the cultural centre … there's Feast Café Bistro, which is a great traditional culinary experience, right, in Winnipeg. 

There's so many examples. There's 1,900 businesses in the country and top of mind, there's just so many different experiences. 

Everywhere you go in this country, if you go to DestinationIndigenous.ca, you can find something locally that you can easily just add to your trip itinerary. 

Norris: Being in the travel industry... do you have a favourite spot or an experience that you like to relive? 

Henry: Yeah, I've got a few for sure … I really have to say, I like to get out to do something really sort of a bucket list sort of items. 

There's one that'll never escape me. It was called The Torngats Base Camp. It's in the Torngats Mountains in northern Labrador. And it was a really remote, really a once in a lifetime experience.

I flew in obviously into Newfoundland and make your way up the coast to the Torngats region. It's run in partnership with Parks Canada and the Inuit community there. And you stay and you see — it was northern lights, polar bears, fishing. It was just an incredibly immersive, basically about a five day, experience. 

It's like the last Canadian safari to me and I know there's a lot of other bear viewing and other options, many Indigenous operators across the country. But that was one that really took my breath away and it was one I'll never forget for the rest of my life. 

Then on the West Coast, Haida Gwaii, they've got beautiful landscape and the ocean, northwest coast of British Columbia.

Haida House at Tllaal, beautiful accommodations and it's just so many immersive experiences on the island that those are always two of my favourite in the country. 

And of course, there's so many in between. But yeah, those particularly have left a lasting impressions on me. 

Norris: If people do want to go a step further, maybe book an experience with an Indigenous tourism provider, where can they learn more?

Henry: Well, the website again is DestinationIndigenous.ca. There's packaging that you can purchase right through the online platform. We've got a map, we've got pricing, we link you right with the tourism business, whether you're in Ontario or anywhere across the country. And I think people can just choose à la carte or we have packages ready for you. 

LISTEN | Planning a road trip this summer? Here are some Indigenous spots you may want to add to it: