Indigenous tourism is set to bring $67 billion USD to the global economy by 2034 according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s new report Supporting Global Indigenous Tourism. Another new survey from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) indicates upcoming growth and new opportunities in 2025, with two-thirds (66%) of Canadian travellers being interested in including Indigenous tourism in their future travel.

To support Indigenous entrepreneurs and non-profits in Ontario through funding and mentorship, Indigenous Tourism Ontario and the Tourism Innovation Lab launched the fifth edition of the Skode Program earlier this month. The Dragon’s Den-style competition will focus on culinary tourism this year, with three finalists receiving $5,000 and three months of mentorship each to launch their culinary tourism initiative.

Early November also saw the formalization of the Destination Original Indigenous Tourism (DO-IT) partnership between three Indigenous tourism groups that creates a one-of-a-kind organization aiming to unify the collective voice for Indigenous tourism worldwide and the Indigenous people it comprises. ITAC, the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, and New Zealand Maori Tourism signed the pledge with the mission of providing leadership in the development and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism destinations through innovative partnerships.