ITAC and Government of NWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment Partner Together in Tulita, NWT

News Type: 
Communiqués de presse

The following is a joint news release with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. See original release here.

April 13, 2018, (Tulita, Northwest Territories) – The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada partnered with the Government of Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, to deliver an Indigenous tourism development workshop in Tulita, NWT, March 21 & 22, 2018.

The Tulita Tourism Conference focused on community-based tourism development and the opportunities, tools and resources available to the area that will help to bolster tourism in the community.

“2017 was a significant year for Tulita, a community which directly benefited from a new campground, the showcasing of cultural tourism activities and local arts and crafts sales,” says ITAC CEO Keith Henry.  “The goal of this conference was to set up the community and tourism leaders for future success.  We are proud to support these gatherings as part of our national strategy to grow Indigenous tourism from coast to coast to coast.”

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada contributed $20,000 towards the conference, and the Government of Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, invested an additional $10,000.

“Tourism is the Northwest Territories’ largest renewable resource-based industry and there is great potential to build this sector in the Sahtu Region,” says Wally Schumann, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. “Partnering to host the first-ever Tulita Tourism Conference was an important step in building a foundation, increasing awareness of the industry, and inspiring people to share their Indigenous culture with travellers.”

Tulita – meaning “where the waters meet” in the Dene language – is an Indigenous community of approximately 500 people, located 614 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife. Positioned at the junction of the Mackenzie River and the Great Bear River, the community’s main access is via air, however the region can be accessed via boat during the summer and by road during winter months.

By learning more about how to grow tourism in the Sahtu region in a respectful and authentic way, the Tulita community is actively exploring how the tourism industry can benefit their community and its visitors.

The Tulita Tourism Conference was organized by the Government of Northwest Territories department of Industry, Tourism and Investment Sahtu regional office, and the Tulita Land Corporation.

For more information, visit www.IndigenousTourism.ca or www.iti.gov.nt.ca.

About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) works to improve the socio-economic condition of Indigenous peoples through the provisions of economic development advisory services, tourism conferences, capacity development training and workshops, industry research and information for Indigenous tourism operators and communities within the 13 regions; 10 provinces and three territories of Canada. ITAC develops relationships with other groups and regions with similar mandates, uniting the Indigenous tourism industry across Canada and works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. The ITAC Board is made up of Indigenous tourism industry representatives from each of the provinces and territories. For more information, visit www.IndigenousTourism.ca.

About the Government of Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment
The mandate of the Minister and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) is to promote economic self-sufficiency through funding, support, and marketing initiatives designed to foster a positive economic environment in our territory. The Department is divided into program divisions structured under two directional priorities—Economic Development and Mines and Petroleum Resources. Three additional Divisions support the divisions and regional offices of the Department in areas of policy, legislation, communications, finance, administration and technical services. These integral functions ensure ITI’s initiatives are well-planned and implemented. Regional offices in Yellowknife (North Slave), Fort Smith (South Slave), Norman Wells (Sahtu), Fort Simpson (Dehcho) and Inuvik (Beaufort Delta) support the Department’s regional delivery model and ensure program support and assistance is available in every community in the Northwest Territories. For more information, visit www.iti.gov.nt.ca/en/about-iti.

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Media contacts:
For ITAC
Brian Cant, Beattie Tartan: 250-592-3838 or brian.cant@onlybeattie.com
Keith Henry, ITAC: 604-639-4408 or keith@indigenoustourism.ca

For ITI
Briony Grabke: 867-767-9202 ext. 63049 or Briony_Grabke@gov.nt.ca