Indigenous tourism has been one of the hardest-hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. But as people start to travel again, there is an "unprecedented" level of interest in Indigenous tourism experiences, according to Sébastien Desnoyers-Picard, vice-president of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

Desnoyers-Picard revealed that the Indigenous tourism industry had its best year in 2019 before the pandemic hit. Since then, the industry has faced significant challenges in obtaining government grants to sustain their businesses, with the number of Indigenous employees in the industry not yet rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. However, he noted that as travel restrictions ease and people are more willing to travel, there is "more demand than ever" for Indigenous tourism experiences.

The 10th edition of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Winnipeg, which took place from Wednesday to Friday, focused on showcasing successful stories from the industry to inspire other Indigenous business owners. The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada aims to create 800 new businesses and employ 60,000 Indigenous people in the industry by 2030.

One speaker at the conference, Bobbi Rose Koe, shared her story of launching her Yukon-based business, Dinjii Zhuh Adventures, in 2021. Koe, who attended the conference in Kelowna, B.C., in 2019 without a business but with the goal of becoming a speaker at the next one, says the pandemic didn't affect her trips, as they involve being out in nature. Koe launched her Indigenous-led outdoors business on the rivers she had always dreamed of traversing.

Koe believes that Indigenous tourism is the way forward, saying, "Canada is going to change, and it's going to be great." Her business, Dinjii Zhuh Adventures, has already begun training Indigenous youth in guiding skills, providing safety training and traditional knowledge for a youth trip in 2021. Some of the youth from the trip will be returning this year, proving that training has been a successful venture.

Former Manitoba judge and senator Murray Sinclair, the keynote speaker on the second day of the conference, sees Indigenous tourism as a way to provide jobs and training for the next generation of Indigenous youth. Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, believes that Indigenous tourism can also serve as a form of reconciliation in action, where people can learn about the country and its people.