Canada s Indigenous Tourism Sector: Economic Impacts and Insights. A presentation of research in progress Adam Fiser Principal Research Associate, The Conference Board of Canada ITAC International Indigenous Tourism Conference Saskatoon October 30, 2018 Centre for the North conferenceboard.ca
Economic Impacts and Insights What s this presentation about? Conference Board outlook on the impacts of Canada s Indigenous Tourism Economy (In-progress). Key insights from our 2018 survey of Indigenous tourism operators. Next steps for the research. 2
Updating ITAC s Profile of the Sector Our Approach Work with ITAC and sector partners to update the sector inventory Survey Indigenous tourism operators and relevant businesses and associations Dakwäkäda Dancers, Whitehorse Develop a Tourism Economic Assessment Model 3
Indigenous Tourism s Economic Impacts Key Measures $2,000,000,000 GDP Businesses (135 export ready) $1,500,000,000 $1,000,000,000 Employment $500,000,000 $0 Direct GDP GDP 2015 2018 Indigenous tourism businesses Employment 2,000 50,000 1,500 40,000 1,000 30,000 20,000 500 10,000 - Businesses - Direct employment (peak) 2015 2018 2015 2018 4
Indigenous Tourism s Economic Impacts Industry Groups Employment by Industry Groups Recreation and Outdoor Activities Gaming Travel Services - Retail Arts and Heritage Accommodation Transportation Food and Beverage Thousands 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 - Recreation & Outdoor Activities Gaming Travel Services - Retail Arts & Heritage Acccommodation Transportation Food & Beverage Other Other 5
Indigenous Tourism s Economic Impacts Industry Groups Travel Services - Retail Other Gaming Accommodation Recreation and Outdoor Activities Transportation Food and Beverage Millions $600 $500 $400 $300 $200 $100 $0 Travel Services - Retail Direct GDP by Industry Groups Other Gaming Acccommodation Recreation & Outdoor Activities Transportation Food & Beverage Arts & Heritage Arts and Heritage 6
Indigenous Tourism s Economic Impacts Regional Variation These in-progress results are subject to revision Thousands 14 12 10 8 Employment Employment GDP 6 4 2 Millions $600 $500 GDP - ON BC QC SK AB NT NU MB YT NL NB NS PEI Employment (Peak) $400 $300 $200 $100 $0 ON BC QC NT AB SK MB NL YT NB NS PEI GDP (Basic Prices) 7
Key Economic Messages The Indigenous tourism sector has grown substantially since 2014/15. Key drivers of GDP growth include travel services-retail, gaming, and accommodation. The lead driver of employment continues to be recreation and outdoor activities (especially in ON, BC, and QC) In terms of regional diversity, Ontario continues to maintain the largest footprint, followed by BC. 8
Insights from our 2018 survey of Indigenous tourism operators Indigenous operators are diverse in size and scope. But they share many similar issues and challenges to those of other SMEs in Canada s tourism economy (especially rural/remote). Indigenous operators want to grow, but capacity constraints present obstacles: financial and HR. Culturally appropriate tourism development is a priority for many Indigenous operators. Many are mission driven to promote local cultures and protect heritage. 9
Issues and Challenges Like other rural and remote SMEs in tourism Respondents identified: Local labour capacity/training Access to capital Reputation/brand Uncertainty about regional/federal tourism strategies 10
Issues and Challenges Developing authentic cultural experiences Concerns about heritage and sacred sites Ecological concerns Concerns about over-commercialization Desires for meaningful visitor experiences 11
Next Steps We continue to fine-tune our model to ensure we haven t missed or misplaced any key businesses. We continue to analyze our survey data for insights about development needs, marketing efforts, and approaches to ensuring authentic cultural experiences. We re working on a project report that will be published later in the year. We look forward to learning more about the work you do and hearing about your priorities for the sector. 12