New space at The Forks aims to help visitors discover Indigenous tourism offerings in Manitoba
Explore Indigenous, launched at The Forks national historic site on Friday by Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and The Forks North Portage Partnership, was developed to build awareness and understanding of Indigenous-led tourism experiences in the province, a news release said.
The space includes self-guided learning tools and interpretive displays that introduce people to Indigenous Tourism Manitoba's network of tourism operators.
The space also serves as the new home for Turtle Tours, an Indigenous-owned walking tour and culinary experience, and Indigenous Tourism Manitoba's discovery centre.
Ashley Smith, who owns and operates Turtle Tours and runs Turtle Village — a tourist destination in Riding Mountain National Park — said it's "monumental" for her operation to be among those opening in the Explore Indigenous space, in what she described as the heart of Canada.
"It's not just a business, it's a story. It's one that's been passed down through generations, and it comes out of a deep love for our people and for the generations yet to come," Smith said at a Friday news conference to launch the space at The Forks, a national historic site where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet that was an Indigenous meeting place for thousands of years before colonization.
"Through these tours, we invite people into our history — not the one that's written in books, but the one that we carry in the land, in our memories and in our voices."
Holly Spence, the chief executive officer of Indigenous Tourism Manitoba, said the space aims to "create more awareness about our Indigenous tourism experiences that we have here in Manitoba, and where to find them and what they have to offer."
"As a growing industry, we really need to spread that awareness about where to find our authentic Indigenous-led tourism experiences and help drive traffic to those businesses," Spence said, adding the number of Indigenous tourism operators in Manitoba has grown in the past couple of years from 81 to more than 170.
"Those businesses support economic development in their communities, they help create jobs, they help [people] support their families."
Spence said the space will open on weekends initially, but there are plans to eventually expand those hours.
It will also include a curated product showcase featuring artisans accredited by Original Original — an initiative from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada that helps identify experiences that are at least 51 per cent Indigenous-owned — and linking people directly to Indigenous-owned businesses through QR codes. In the future, there will also be on-site retail, the release said.
"It's about culture, it's about history, and it's about stories that have always been here. Indigenous tourism is growing in Manitoba," said Angela Cassie, chief operating officer of Travel Manitoba.
Rotating displays and videos will also help tell stories of Indigenous tourism operators in Manitoba, while visitor information service staff can help travellers include an Indigenous tourism experience in their trip planning.
Indigenous Tourism Manitoba has also launched its new guidebook, called Adventure to Understanding, which serves as a travel companion highlighting operators in Manitoba accredited by Original Original.
It's all something Nellie Kennedy, Manitoba's minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism, said plays a role in what she described as economic reconciliation.
"It's important in the sense that we support Indigenous communities and tourism operators," Kennedy said.
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