A new partnership to develop an Indigenous Tourism Food Strategy, not only for Ontario and Canada but could also have major implications for worldwide strategies.
A Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony took place at the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit in Timmins this Wednesday between Kevin Eshkawkogan, the president and CEO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario and Marty Kalagian of Destination Northern Ontario.
Eshkawkogan says the project is just the start of working to develop food tourism together and acknowledged the close partnership with Destination Northern Ontario.
Kalagian adds as travelers increasingly look to Northern Ontario as a destination of choice for unique cultural experiences, the timing couldn’t be better in embarking the new partnership.
The strategy is a pilot project for Ontario and, as it is implemented, it will become part of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s, RISE, the Indigenous tourism standards recognition program.
Those standards, in turn, will be shared worldwide.
The project includes the development of a policy paper on best practices and high standards, which will also be released world-wide to assist other countries in developing similar strategies.
Indigenous Tourism Ontario is the province’s only dedicated Indigenous organization that focuses on assisting First Nation organizations in growing Indigenous tourism in Ontario.
Destination Northern Ontario is one of 13 regional tourism organizations in the province working with tourism businesses, professionals and destinations at a local, regional and global level to build a strong tourism industry in the North. Visit: https://indigenoustourism.ca/corporate/ito-partners-collaborate-to-develop-indigenous-food-tourism-in-northern-ontario/