In Edmonton, a community-led Indigenous tourism guide was presented, with Destinations International, ITAC, and AIT

New guide to partnerships in Indigenous tourism presented in Edmonton: focus on respect, sovereignty, and long-term relationships

In Edmonton, during the 2026 International Indigenous Tourism Conference (February 17–19, 2026), a new free guide was presented for destination organizations and tourism boards that want to develop collaboration with Indigenous communities in a way grounded in respect, clear rules, and genuine inclusion of Indigenous leadership. The tool called Indigenous-Led Tourism Partnership Toolkit was jointly developed by Destinations International, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), and the American Indigenous Tourism Association (AIT), with support from the Destinations International Foundation, and was publicly highlighted in response to the frequent need of destination institutions for concrete guidance on how to approach such partnerships without symbolic gestures and short-term campaigns.

The conference is held at the Edmonton Convention Centre in downtown Edmonton, with Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Explore Edmonton, and Travel Alberta as partners, in the area known as Amiskwacîwâskahikan, on Treaty 6 territory. For visitors coming to the city for the program, logistics remain an important part of the experience, so this year again among the practical questions is where to find accommodation in Edmonton during the conference and how to be as close as possible to event venues, cultural tours, and evening programs.

Why the guide matters and who it is intended for

Destination organizations, convention bureaus, and related tourism institutions in recent years have increasingly been looking for ways to include Indigenous stories, culture, and experiences in a destination’s offer and identity. However, the difference between authentic collaboration and superficial “decorating” of a destination brand can be decisive: in the first case, benefits remain in the community, cultural integrity is preserved, and local governance is strengthened, while in the second the risk of cultural appropriation, unequal contracts, and reputational damage increases.

The guide therefore starts from the idea that Indigenous peoples are not merely “stakeholders” in the classic sense, but rights holders and communities with their own forms of governance, protocols, and expectations. The central message is that partnerships in Indigenous tourism must be Indigenous-led, and destination institutions should enter the process with an understanding of historical context, unequal power relations, and the obligation to respect local rules, language, and decision-making methods.

Context: the conference in Edmonton and broader interest in Indigenous tourism

This year’s edition of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Edmonton, according to organizers, brings together a large number of operators, entrepreneurs, government representatives, and industry partners, along with international delegations from multiple regions. The program emphasizes networking, plenary talks, and workshops, as well as cultural tours and events that present local communities through food, music, and meetings with tradition bearers. In the opening parts of the conference, the protocol of local peoples is especially emphasized, including ceremonial elements and program leadership alongside Elders and cultural performers.

For many visitors, especially those coming to Edmonton for the first time, in practice it is important to coordinate schedules, transportation, and stay, so in addition to official information advice is often sought such as where accommodation near the conference venue in Edmonton is and how easy it is to reach cultural tour locations.

What the guide specifically provides: from “intention” to operational steps

The guide is positioned as a practical handbook that tries to bridge the gap between goodwill and real implementation. At its core are steps that help destination organizations establish collaboration that lasts, has measurable effects, and does not bypass Indigenous decision-making structures.

In short, the following areas are emphasized:

• Preparation and learning: before the first “business” conversation, thorough preparation is recommended, getting acquainted with the area’s history, today’s governance structures, and local protocols, with a readiness to listen and adjust the approach.
• Recognizing sovereignty and governance: Indigenous communities and their institutions are treated as rights holders, with respect for how they make decisions and define development priorities.
• Tourism “readiness” as defined by the community: the guide encourages that capacities and the pace of development are not imposed from outside, but that communities themselves determine what they want, when, and under what conditions.
• Formalizing the relationship: memorandums of understanding and similar frameworks are cited as examples that can help keep expectations, roles, and responsibilities clear, and relationships more stable.
• Inclusion across the entire destination system: the emphasis is that an Indigenous partnership is not just a marketing “story,” but part of destination governance, procurement, visitor education, on-the-ground services, and communication in crisis situations.
• Visitor education: strategies are proposed that help guests understand rules of conduct, cultural sensitivities, and the context of the place they are visiting, so that travel is more responsible and meaningful.

A particularly important message is that success is not measured by the number of posts or one-off campaigns, but by the quality of relationships, fair distribution of benefits, and who controls the narrative. In practice, this also means that promotion and sales must take into account who has the right to represent certain stories, symbols, and places, and how cultural goods and knowledge are protected.

Economy and social impacts: growing interest, but also the need for rules

The publication of the guide comes at a time when organizations on both sides of the border emphasize the increasing economic importance of Indigenous tourism. In Canada, according to an analysis by the Conference Board of Canada prepared for ITAC, the Indigenous tourism sector in 2023 recorded a strong overall impact through revenues and jobs, with data that are often cited as an argument that development should be supported long-term and properly structured. On the other hand, AIT in its materials highlights the scope of Indigenous entrepreneurship in tourism in the United States and its connection to a large number of employees, emphasizing that it is a segment with clear potential, but also sensitive cultural dimensions.

That is precisely why the guide’s message is not “faster and more,” but “more careful and fairer.” Tourism can open space for employment, strengthening local businesses, and international visibility, but without clear standards and equal partnerships it risks reproducing old patterns in which the local community benefits least from its own culture and space.

Authenticity standards and “The Original Original” as an example model

In the Canadian context, ITAC has for years been developing models that should help visitors and partners distinguish authentic, Indigenous-led products from those that merely use motifs. One tool mentioned in broader sector communications is the accreditation program “The Original Original,” conceived as a label that emphasizes Indigenous ownership and standards of operational quality. The logic is simple: if a destination institution wants to build an offer with Indigenous experiences, it must know how to verify authenticity, how to contract collaboration fairly, and how to avoid a situation in which Indigenous culture turns into decor.

What this means for destinations outside North America

Although the guide was developed through a Canada–U.S. partnership, its usefulness is broader because it addresses universal questions of power relations, ownership of stories, and communities’ rights to their own development. Tourism boards, destination promotion organizations, and cities that want to work with Indigenous peoples or minority communities can draw two key lessons from it: first, that collaboration does not begin with a campaign but with a relationship; second, that the best protection against mistakes is precisely a transparent process, with clear roles and long-term commitments.

For travelers and delegates coming to Edmonton in this period, the city in those days is simultaneously a conference hub and a place of encounter with local identity, so it is not surprising that practical guides often also seek accommodation for visitors in Edmonton that enables easy access to programs, but also time to get to know the city outside the official schedule.

Responsibility of destination institutions: from marketing toward governance

One of the most sensitive points in tourism is the boundary between promotion and managing impacts. The guide therefore insists that the Indigenous voice must not be limited to a “story for a brochure,” but must be present in decision-making: in how itineraries are shaped, in contracts with suppliers, in visitor codes of conduct, in training of employees and guides, and even in how the destination communicates when conflict or crisis occurs. In practice, this means more work “behind the scenes,” but also a lower likelihood that the destination will make a mistake that is later hard to fix.

In Edmonton, that approach is also visible through the conference format, which alongside business content includes cultural tours and meetings, making it clear that Indigenous tourism is not exhausted in photographs, but in relationships, rules, and understanding the context of place.

Sources:
- Destinations International – page for the “Indigenous-Led Tourism Partnership Toolkit” with a description of goals and access to the resource (link)
- Edmonton Convention Centre – official information on the dates and details of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference, February 17–19, 2026 (link)
- PAX News – announcement and context of the conference in Edmonton, including the program and expected number of participants (link)
- Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada / Conference Board of Canada – “Indigenous Tourism Sector Impact in Canada” (January 2025), key economic indicators for 2023 (link)
- American Indigenous Tourism Association – research and reports on the economic impact of Indigenous tourism businesses in the United States (overview) (link)
- American Indigenous Tourism Association – informational brief with figures on contribution and employment in 2020 (link)