COAST SALISH TERRITORIES, B.C. — Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) has launched its Our Story, Your Experience campaign, inviting travellers to hear Indigenous stories firsthand and stand as witnesses to Indigenous realities and perspectives in present-day British Columbia. There are more than 160 Indigenous-owned businesses in the province, including market-ready hotels, lodges and campsites, museums and cultural centres, wineries, golf courses and guided wildlife tours.
With this new campaign, ITBC highlights stories long told and held by Indigenous Peoples. Multimedia tactics will encourage visitors to incorporate Indigenous experiences as part of their travel plans and ultimately share their experiences and learnings with others.
For too long, stories about Indigenous Peoples were told by others, while their own stories were hidden from the public and from each other. Sharing these stories strengthens Indigenous connections to family, culture and land, and spreads love and appreciation for Indigenous Peoples and knowledge.
“The campaign reflects an intentional shift in Indigenous tourism to foster shared values, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange through Indigenous-led storytelling and a new travel goal based in Indigenous culture for conscientious visitors: be a witness, not a spectator,” says Paula Amos, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, ITBC.
The campaign will run for two years and be promoted through a domestic TV campaign on GlobalTV, as well as radio campaign featured on CKNW until September 2023. The campaign will also see heavy paid promotion on YouTube and Meta, extending audience reach to Northwest Pacific U.S.
