Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC)

Are you looking to hire digital marketing agencies, freelancers or staff this summer? Unsure which is the best fit for your tourism business? Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) is happy to provide the following training series free of cost to help navigate the differences between these key marketing services.    May 8: How Digital Marketing Can Help Your Business May 15: Digital Advertising May 22: SEO May 29: Public Relations June 5: Website Development June 12: Multimedia   Jelly Academy is an Indigenous-founded and B.C.-based team of marketing experts. Each week is a 45-minute live workshop to learn about the pros, cons, time investment, and expected costs to hire an agency, freelancer, or keep it in-house. This series includes real examples and aims to help you hire with confidence. 📲 Register Here! https://lnkd.in/gZSCJW3v

An amazing opportunity for Indigenous storytellers!

Exciting news for all Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) Stakeholders in Metro Vancouver! Your Indigenous tourism business is now eligible for a complimentary 2-year membership with Destination Vancouver. This comes as part of our growing partnership with Destination Vancouver, which aims to connect your business to Destination Vancouver’s member resources, helping to enhance your visibility, amplify your story, and create new opportunities for your business within the visitor economy. As a member, you’ll have access to: - A listing on destinationvancouver.com with ITBC’s Authentic Indigenous and Indigenous-Owned designations, - Networking events, workshops, and programs, - Media and travel trade opportunities, - Support from our Vancouver Indigenous Tourism Specialist, Wendy Jackson (wendy@indigenousbc.com) We’re here to help share your story and grow your presence in the visitor economy at no cost to you. Let’s keep building this path forward, together. #IndigenousTourismBC #DestinationVancouver #IndigenousOwned #AuthenticIndigenous

ITBC Seeks Indigenous Videographers, Photographers, and Writers Are you an aspiring or experienced First Nations or Indigenous videographer, photographer, or writer? Do you know one? Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) is seeking emerging and established Indigenous writers, photographers, and videographers to join our network of storytellers, who are dedicated to sharing stories that reflect the diversity of cultures, languages, and perspectives of First Nations and Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia. If you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity, please submit your expression of interest, including relevant experience and examples of past work to marketing@indigenousbc.com. Read more --> https://lnkd.in/gBF37Kj4

Join Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) in celebrating Indigenous Tourism this BC Tourism Week! We believe that beyond the landscapes and tourism experiences, Indigenous Tourism is a way to: Respect Our Laws, Titles, and Rights,  Restore Our Place in Our Lands, Restore Our Cultures, Revitalize Our Languages, Create opportunities for Elders and Knowledge Carriers to share and for all to learn, and Connect all Peoples to the Land. #TourismWeekCanada2025 #BCTourismCounts #IndigenousTourismBC #SupportIndigenousTourism

It’s BC Tourism Week, and we’re here for it! This week is a great opportunity for all of us in the tourism industry to come together and celebrate the people, places, and experiences that make British Columbia a top global destination. We’re especially proud to highlight the role of Indigenous tourism in shaping BC’s identity. Whether with Indigenous cultural tours, local experiences, or even Indigenous-owned restaurants and stays, all Indigenous-owned tourism businesses offer a way to create meaningful connections to the land, language, and stories that make BC a top sustainable travel destination. Let’s celebrate the destinations, businesses, and incredible people behind them, especially those sharing Indigenous culture in powerful, meaningful ways. #TourismWeekCanada2025 #BCTourismCounts #IndigenousTourismBC #SupportIndigenousTourism 

Indigenous tourism businesses have started displaying the enhanced Authentic Indigenous designation decals in their storefronts! Check out #SpiritGallery and #Sister’sSage, showcasing their commitment to sharing Authentic Indigenous experiences with the world. Keep an eye out for the decals and support Indigenous-owned businesses! #AuthenticIndigenous #SupportIndigenousTourism #IndigenousOwned

Are you an Indigenous entrepreneur navigating the today’s tourism economy? Join us for these engaging webinars to build financial confidence and resilience. Financial Survival for Indigenous Entrepreneurs, and the Top 5 Mistakes Startups Make 🗓️ Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 10 am – 12:30 pm | Online ➡️ Register: https://lnkd.in/gng_udEt Financial Navigation for Indigenous Entrepreneurs  🗓️ Thursday, April 24, 2025 |10 am – 12:00 pm | Online ➡️ Register: https://lnkd.in/gBZuTdBN Together, we’ll break down essential financial topics, ensuring long-term sustainability for your tourism business. Provided by CPA and led by Shelley Bevz, Smelqmix from Lower Similkameen Indian Band, a First Nations accountant with extensive experience supporting small businesses both on and off-reserve.

Build your first tourism website this season with Indigenous Tourism BC and Jelly Academy! This hands-on workshop series is designed for Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs and businesses in B.C. It includes engaging lessons, coaching and working sessions to learn how to plan, design, build, and launch a fully functional website using Squarespace—no prior web design experience required.  We are happy to partner with Jelly Academy, an Indigenous-founded B.C. based company, to provide this opportunity at no cost for eligible participants. Cohort 1: May 13 - July 2 - Live workshops online, Tuesdays 10am - 12pm with alternating working sessions 10am - 11am hosted by ITBC to support participants. - Pre-work is required to prepare materials for your website. We highly suggest reaching out to our team and starting now! Learn More and Apply Here: ⭐ https://lnkd.in/g9WtJJxs Any questions? Reach out to training@indigenousbc.com to join our info session on April 15th. 

Destination British Columbia #ExploreBC2025, held on February 19 in Vancouver, brought together destination representatives from around the province to share new tourism offerings with key members of the global travel trade. On behalf of Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC), Stakeholder Manager Jessie Penner presented the enhanced Authentic Indigenous and Indigenous-owned designations–a program designed to make it easier for travellers to identify and support Indigenous-owned businesses while experiencing meaningful cultural experiences. Her presentation sparked strong interest, with 42 receptive tour operators from global markets, eight regional and international airlines, and BC Ferries eager to learn more. “These designations help travellers make informed choices that directly support Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities,” said Jessie. As the refreshed designation program continues to gain attention, ITBC Stakeholders like Ruby Creek Art Gallery and Kekuli Cafe Properties Inc Indigenous are raising their profile and benefitting from this valuable initiative as our newest Authentic Indigenous designees. To learn more or to be part of the program, contact Paisley Hoogenraad at Paisley@IndigenousBC.com.