Latest news with #CanadianTourism
CBC
08-08-2025
- Business
- CBC
International interest is growing for Indigenous tourism in northwestern Ontario
Social Sharing As domestic and international interest in Canadian tourism grows against the backdrop of a tariff war with the United States, Cindy Crowe is seeing more and more overseas customers come through her property. "I've had a gentleman from the U.K. twice and he's coming back again. I had a young woman come from Spain and she's coming back," said Crowe, the lodge keeper and sole proprietor of Niibing Tribal Tours. The business is located roughly half an hour southwest of Thunder Bay, in Neebing, Ont. Crowe adds she has also accepted bookings for tourists from the Philippines, France and Germany. This appetite for Indigenous tourism experiences is something that Indigenous tourism organizations across the province are seeing as well. According to Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO)'s website, approximately one third of international visitors to Canada are interested in seeking out Indigenous experiences. Last month, ITO received $250,011 dollars from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) to develop a strategy to fast track Indigenous tourism in the province's northern region. The overall plan is meant to attract more visitors from southern Ontario to the Manitoulin and Sault Ste. Marie corridor. Crowe, who is a member of Red Rock Indian Band, says the appetite for authentic Indigenous experiences is growing. "I'm very open to having non-Indigenous people participating, and so people get excited about that too because maybe they haven't had an opportunity before." Crowe's business offers a number of programs for visitors to engage in authentic Indigenous traditions, including sweat lodge ceremonies, deer hide drum making workshops, smudging ceremonies and lessons on how to grow your own medicine. Niibing Tribal Tours is also in the process of constructing 13 new cabins, expanding on their already established capacity for tents and trailers. Crowe says she was able to pay for the cabins using money she'd received through the Robinson-Superior Treaty, and chose this amount of cabins to reflect and share with guests the teachings of the 13 moons and the 13 grandmothers. Growing recognition on a broader stage Indigenous tourism operators across Canada contributed roughly $3.7 billion in revenues in 2023, which equated to a direct contribution of $1.6 billion to Canada's GDP, according to the latest report from the Conference Board of Canada. Local, non-indigenous tourism organizations are taking note of this increased interest in Indigenous tourism, and seeking ways to partner with regional companies. Crowe says, in recent months, she has engaged with local cruise ship operators in order to make it possible for passengers to take part in her retreats, as well as discussions with Tourism Thunder Bay and the Charity Games Complex. Tourist engagement with Indigenous programs has been steadily rising over the past few years in northwestern Ontario. In 2020, the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre in Stratton, Ont., which is owned by Rainy River First Nations, won the Indigenous Tourism Award at the 2020 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence. In 2023, delegates for the Assembly of First Nations passed a resolution to seek funding for an Indigenous-led tourism strategy. The federal government's Tourism Growth Program (TGP) was designed to support the sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the $108 million dollars the federal government has pledged to support businesses, organizations and communities in developing tourism services and products, roughly $16.2 million has been set aside for Indigenous tourism initiatives. Community expansion on the horizon Not all Indigenous tourism programs have seen substantial growth in their non-First Nations customer base. Rather, some have been steadily growing their businesses organically through word of mouth. "We call it moths and telegraphs," said Jeordie Pierre, owner of the School of Indigenous Learning (SOIL), in Neebing. "Usually you have to kind of be in the loop, like we don't really do any publicizing." Despite a lack of publicity, Pierre estimates that 5000 people have come through the school in the past eight years. Most of SOIL's customer base is young Indigenous folks looking for a safe space to learn about their culture and traditional values. The business also regularly welcomes community and health organizations such as Community Living Thunder Bay and Brain Injury Services Northern Ontario. Some of the programs found at SOIL include grandfather teachings, lessons on clan systems, and hands-on land based teaching about nature. Pierre says he's attracted the interest of some non-Indigenous tourists since opening the business, but says he hopes to see more, so long as their visits are "organized right." I'm very open to having non-Indigenous people participating, and so people get excited about that too because maybe they haven't had an opportunity before. Larger First Nations bodies are also hoping to capitalize on a growing interest in Indigenous tourism. Last month, Grand Council Treaty #3 hosted a tourism strategy session to brainstorm how to better support local tourism operators. Grand Council Treaty #3 is the national governing body for the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty 3 territory, a majority of which lies in northwestern Ontario. "Starting to host Treaty #3 tourist operator engagement sessions are so important because we have so many amazing businesses within the area that we really want to bring awareness to," said Hailey Krolyk in an emailed statement. Krolyk is Treaty #3's Senior Strategy and Innovation Manager. " Krolyk says Treaty #3's initial meeting with Anishinaabe tourism operators was meant to identify tourism activities and locations across their territory. They are also looking to lay out a plan for future eco-tourism development in the area. As tourism in northwestern Ontario continues to flourish, Pierre sees the benefits of interest in Indigenous experiences going beyond just increased revenue. "Our doors are open, right, so I really encourage people with other ethnic backgrounds to come and join us out there because it's nice to know each other's culture so that we could better get along and have a better understanding about each other. That's kind of like our little philosophy, how we look at things."
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
US issues new travel advisory to the most unlikely destination amid growing mistrust between longtime allies
The State Department has issued an updated travel advisory for Canada amid a period of elevated tensions between the two countries. The advisory follows a steep decline in Canadian tourism to the US and mutual criticism over immigration enforcement and environmental fallout. While Canada remains designated as a low-risk country where only 'normal precautions' are advised, the June update highlights increased environmental hazards and urges travelers to monitor local alerts and follow emergency guidance. The new guidance carries an urgent tone that would have once seemed unthinkable between two countries and marks a rare moment of public friction between the neighboring allies. The relationship has been strained in recent months by political rhetoric and cross-border air quality concerns linked to Canada's record-breaking wildfires. 'In Canada, wildfires are common in forested and grassland regions from May to September,' the US Embassy and Consulates in Canada now cautions. 'In 2024, Canada was affected by record-breaking wildfires affecting all 13 provinces and territories.' American travelers are being urged to stay alert, follow local guidance, and monitor air quality conditions closely. The reminder may sound routine but it comes at a time as the two allies are grappling with a growing sense of mutual unease. The State Department has issued an updated travel advisory for Canada, warning American citizens to be aware of worsening wildfire conditions across all 13 provinces and territories. Pictured, a haze blankets Toronto during an air quality warning earlier this week Last week, Trump threw a grenade on the tariff negotiations between the United States and Canada with a blistering letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two nations had been trying to settle the tariff war that broke out when Trump returned to office and announced plans to reorganize world trade. Canadian officials had hoped a deal was close, but Trump's latest letter - which he shared to Truth Social on Thursday night - set negotiations back to square one. The letter revealed he would raise tariffs on Canadian products to 35 percent from August 1 - a 10 percent increase on the current levy. Trump said the tariff hike was in part due to the fentanyl crisis and Canada's 'failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our country '. 'I must mention that the flow of fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada, which has many tariff, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers,' Trump wrote in the letter. Carney, who took office this year in a liberal win partly powered by Trump's trade actions and threats to make Canada the 51st state, his back in an online posting. 'Throughout the current trade negotiations with the United States, the Canadian government has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses,' Carney wrote. While multiple countries have received tariff letters last week, Canada has become a thorn in Trump's side during his second term 'We will continue to do so as we work towards the revised deadline of August 1. Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America. We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries. That came after Trump mentioned fentanyl in his trade letter, and called out Canada for a 'failure' to control it. 'If Canada works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter,' Trump added. 'These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country,' he added. The latest round of tariffs are in addition to previously imposed sectoral tariffs on steel, copper and aluminum, which came into effect for most countries on June 4 at a whopping 50 percent. The latest travel advisory follows years of quietly simmering friction that boiled over earlier this year when President Trump repeatedly mocked former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to Canada as America's '51st state,' and demoting Trudeau to the title of 'governor.' The introduction of tariffs between the two countries and Trump's hardline immigration policies have also seen Canadian travel to the US plunge by up to 40 percent this spring, as stories of tourists caught in the web of US immigration enforcement made headlines across the border. In response to the spike in travel-related incidents, the Canadian government has since revised its own advisory for citizens visiting the US, bluntly stating that travelers must 'comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities' and warning that visitors 'could be detained while awaiting deportation.' Last month the US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra attempted to tamp down concerns, calling the fears 'unfounded' and the high-profile detentions 'isolated.' But those reassurances did little to stem the unease especially as smoke from Canadian wildfires once again began spilling across the border. The immediate concerns outlined in the new US travel advisory is environmental: smoke, fires, and increasingly unbreathable air. This month, a fresh round of wildfires erupted in Manitoba, sending smoke billowing eastward and triggering air quality alerts from Toronto to Nova Scotia. Americans haven't forgotten what happened in June 2023 when smoke from Canadian blazes shrouded major US cities. The skies over New York City turned an apocalyptic orange, with the city suffering some of its worst air quality on record. In a sharply worded letter, Republican representatives Tom Tiffany, Glenn Grothman, and Michelle Fischbach called on Canadian Ambassador Kirsten Hillman to take more aggressive action. 'We write to you today on behalf of our constituents who have had to deal with suffocating Canadian wildfire smoke filling the air to begin the summer,' the lawmakers declared. The Canadian Embassy, in response, told the BBC that its government 'takes wildfire season very seriously' and emphasized that Canadian communities were facing even more severe impacts.
CBC
14-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Many Canadians are forgoing U.S. travel this year; might they come to Nunavut instead?
Some people working in Nunavut's travel and tourism industry say there are signs the territory could benefit as Canadians forgo travel to the United States in favour of destinations within the country. But not all tourism operators or marketers say they're seeing increased bookings or inquiries. Adventure Canada, which operates small-ship expeditions through Nunavut, Nunatsiavut and Newfoundland, among other destinations, said it's so far seen a seven per cent increase in the proportion of its passengers who are Canadian. "Although it is difficult to link it to hard numbers at this point, anecdotally we are hearing very often from our guests (Canadian and otherwise) that they are very excited to see some of the far reaches of Canada with a Canadian operator," said CEO Cedar Swan in a statement emailed to CBC. "In a few cases, yes, some people have changed their travel plans to show their support for Canada. One guest in particular decided to cancel an Alaska cruise they had planned (which they even lost their deposit on) because they preferred to keep their travel dollars in Canada and see the eastern Arctic." Many of Adventure Canada's guests book their holidays eight to 12 months out, Swan said, so it's hard to know whether the trend will continue. Trips to the U.S. are down But she said the company has also been getting more inquiries from Canadian travel agents because their clients are looking to support Canadian companies and visit Canadian destinations. Canadians have been avoiding U.S. travel in droves ever since U.S. president Donald Trump launched a trade war against the country and began referring to Canada as the 51st state. Since then, stories of U.S. officials searching travelers' smart phones, quizzing Canadians about their allegiance to the U.S., detaining legal residents, including Canadians and deporting alleged criminals to an El Salvadoran prison without due process, resulting in at least one wrongful deportation, have contributed to the boycott. Return trips to the U.S. by automobile declined more than 35 per cent year over year in April and May of 2025, according to Statistics Canada. Return trips by air by Canadian residents dropped 14 per cent year over year in April, and 24.2 per cent in May. Flight Centre Canada, meanwhile, is reporting a five per cent increase in domestic bookings this summer, a spokesperson told CBC in an email. The president and CEO of Travel Nunavut said many members are reporting high hotel occupancy rates and full flights this season and are expecting a busy summer. But Alex Stubbing said it's too early to tell how much of a role leisure tourism from elsewhere in Canada plays in those numbers. Most travel in Nunavut is carried out by Nunavummiut journeying between communities for business or medical reasons or to visit family, he said. But some operators have been trying to capitalize on the renewed interest in Canadian tourism. Summer tours up in Arctic Bay "We definitely saw a rise in some of our members attending Canadian trade shows in the hopes of attracting tourists into the territory this summer," Stubbing said. Arctic Bay Adventures is seeing payoff this summer from its efforts to attract more interest in land-based summer tourism, its manager Chris Mitchell said. The community-owned ecotourist adventure company in Arctic Bay will welcome six or seven tours this year, according to Mitchell. Two years ago, there were virtually none. "One of the tours we had is a photographer. … He has been going to Alaska, and he's now switched over to here," Mitchell said. "So that's a definite … new business for Canada as opposed to the USA. ... I believe that part of our uptick is related to people that are looking for something other than the stars and stripes for their vacation package." But not everyone has noticed a change this year. A spokesperson for Canadian North told CBC in a statement it has not seen an increase in bookings. Flight Centre Canada also said new bookings to Nunavut are flat this year compared to the same period last year. But "curiosity is growing," said spokesperson Amra Durakovic, "part of a broader trend toward interest in remote travel." Northern destinations 'niche for now' Destinations such as Nunavut and Yukon "remain niche for now," but that growing interest could foretell a broader shift in travel trends next summer, Durakovic added. The government of Nunavut, which promotes tourism to the territory, said it hasn't detected any early indicators of increased interest but it's too early to draw firm conclusions. "[M]any travellers plan their trips to the territory well in advance, sometimes up to a year ahead," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "So it takes longer to detect and interpret shifts in interest compared to other regions." But the government said it is taking steps to try to capitalize on Canadians' growing interest in domestic tourism with a campaign promoting Nunavut's culture, landscapes and experiences. It has also intensified marketing efforts internationally in an effort to take advantage of the growing U.S. travel boycott. "The initiatives include digital campaigns, partnerships with travel trade professionals, and participation in international tourism expos to raise awareness of Nunavut's unique offerings," the statement read. "We are also diversifying into new markets, including Australia." Mitchell at Arctic Bay Adventures said the locally-owned company put around $300,000 into the hands of guides and local stores in the first three months of 2025 alone, and more tourism would push that number up. "If our fellow Canadians see benefit to coming here as opposed to going to Iceland or Norway and spending their Arctic Circle travel dollar in Canada, it will seriously help out some great people," he said.
CBC
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
What this U.S. politician wants Canadian tourists to know
Maine's governor is wrapping up a tour of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Janet Mills is hoping to address the steep decline in the number of Canadian tourists crossing the border to visit her state during U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. She spoke with the CBC's Amy Smith.
Globe and Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Drop in Canadian tourism hurting small businesses, Maine governor says
On a visit to New Brunswick, the governor of Maine issued renewed pleas for Canadian tourists to return to the United States, despite their apparent anger over the political climate. Janet Mills says the words of President Donald Trump are not those of the American people, and that many of them were 'appalled' when the president called for Canada to become the '51st state.' Trump has said several times that he wants to make Canada the '51st state' and that he would use economic force to achieve it, and has imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, including on steel and aluminum. Canadian travel boycott hurting U.S. tourism industry, northeast governors say Ms. Mills is on a three-day charm offensive to Canada where she is scheduled to meet with premiers of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. She told a group at Fredericton's Cyber Centre she understands how insulted Canadians must feel but says there are small businesses across the border in Maine whose families come from parts of Canada, including New Brunswick and Quebec, who are being hit hard. Numbers released by the U.S. federal border crossing on Friday showed 85,000 fewer Canadians entered Maine in May than in the same month a year ago, a drop of about 27 per cent.
