Indigenous tourism in Canada has yet to return to pre-COVID levels: report – PAXnews.com

Jan 23, 2025

Indigenous tourism has yet to return to pre-pandemic (2019) levels, with inflationary pressures and workforce shortages serving as the key contributors, according to an economic report from the Conference Board of Canada (CBOC) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC).

The report underscores the critical role Indigenous tourism plays in Canada’s economy. In 2023, Indigenous tourism directly contributed $1.6 billion to Canada’s GDP – a decrease of 10 per cent compared to 2019, and an even greater decrease of nearly 24 per cent when adjusted for inflation.

Despite the downturn, Indigenous tourism in Canada generated an estimated $3.7 billion in revenues in 2023, says ITAC. Moreover, Indigenous tourism’s total direct economic impact supported more than 34,700 jobs and contributed close to $730 million in direct government revenue (federal, provincial, and municipal).

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