Tourism in search of ‘authentic’ Indigenous experience – Winnipeg Free Press

Manitoba is said to be well-positioned to respond to a rising global appetite for Indigenous experiences. The key is that international tourists want their experience to be authentic.

How authentic do they want it? For example, would their quest for authenticity prompt them to visit a fly-in northern First Nation and sleep in an overcrowded 600-square-foot house infected by mould, and boil their water because the community remains under a long-term advisory? Probably not.

At a recent news conference, Travel Manitoba noted national studies have found Indigenous tourism is outpacing tourism activity overall, and one out of three international tourists to Canada wants to take part in genuine Indigenous experiences.

Manitoba, it appears, is situated well to respond to this global interest because the province is home to 63 First Nations, with one in seven Indigenous citizens in Canada living in Manitoba.

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