North Star Adventures leading visitors on an “Aurora hunting” tour to see the Northern Lights in Yellowknife. Indigenous-led tourism is creating economic opportunities, sharing culture and offering visitors authentic experiences across Canada.North Star Adventures
In 1995, Brenda Holder launched Mahikan Trails, an Indigenous-led tourism business offering plant medicine walks and workshops in Jasper, Alta. Today, the Cree/Iroquois entrepreneur is part of a growing movement of guides, storytellers and business owners transforming how visitors experience Canada, and how Indigenous communities share their culture on their own terms.
Ms. Holder was born and raised in Jasper; her lineage and identity as a knowledge keeper of plant medicine deeply informs the company’s values of environmental stewardship and land-based teachings.
“In the early days, it felt like Indigenous operators were often invisible or treated as an afterthought [within the industry],” she says. “There was an imbalance in the industry, and it was common to see appropriation [from non-Indigenous providers] rather than authentic collaboration. Many Indigenous experiences were not represented with equanimity.”
For Ms. Holder and other Indigenous operators, a welcome change is taking shape: a 2024 report from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) found strong demand among Canadians for Indigenous tourism. With 66 per cent of Canadian travellers interested in domestic Indigenous travel, the largest barrier to entry is underestimating what is readily available for tourists and travellers.
Keith Henry, the chief executive officer and President of ITAC, has been involved in the industry since 2005. This has allowed him to witness the growth of Indigenous-led and operated tourism, with now approximately 2,700 businesses represented by the Association, which is about three times as many as when he started.
“We’ve never seen so much genuine interest in promoting and marketing Canada as an Indigenous destination,” he says. “Indigenous tourism has really helped to differentiate Canada as a cultural destination for visitors.”
Steered by a long-held approach of care and respect for the land and cultural teachings, Indigenous tour guides and operators are offering new pathways forward for tourism in Canada.
Joe Bailey is another wave-maker in the tourism landscape. A member of Dene First Nation who was raised in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Bailey describes the region as “the best-kept secret.” His company, North Star Adventures, is deeply rooted in Yellowknife – since 2007, Mr. Bailey and his guides have offered “Aurora hunting” for visitors seeking the Northern Lights. Along with cultural packages, sightseeing and tours throughout the seasons, the company’s website is emblazoned the line: “100% Indigenous owned, 50,000 years of experience.”
“As Indigenous people, we excel out there because we have this connection with the land. I found myself asking, ‘Where can I find a job where I get paid to go fishing, to watch the Northern Lights, to go snowmobiling through the wilderness?’ Tourism,” he says.
For Mr. Bailey, an ethos of welcoming and sharing is intrinsic to Indigenous tourism done right.
“For the genuine Indigenous tour operator, it’s about sharing our culture in a manner that respects our ancestors and our grandparents,” he says. “It’s not about the money. It’s about sharing our culture and our story, first and foremost.”
Ms. Holder adds: “Tourism should align with sustainable practices and not undermine land rights, food sovereignty or sacred relationships to the land.”
While operators such as Ms. Holder and Mr. Bailey are redefining Canada’s cultural tourism landscape, the sector faces significant headwinds. ITAC reports that 89 per cent of Indigenous tourism businesses are concerned about their long-term viability, owing to the impact of U.S. tariffs, which have caused a decline in tourism from the States.
“It’s difficult to be successful in tourism at the moment,” Mr. Henry says. “But I think now’s the time to embrace the importance of showcasing any part of Canada as an Indigenous destination, because it’s in everyone’s collective interest. If we keep expanding and investing in these businesses, we could change the entire tourism concept of Canada and it would actually be for the better.”
For Ms. Holder, the biggest barrier to growth remains a lack of sustainable funding – support that would allow the industry to thrive while protecting cultural knowledge and practices.
Mr. Bailey also notes a governmental responsibility in economic reconciliation.
“We still have boil-water advisories for a lot of reservations in northern Canada, in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario,” he says. “The government has a role to play. They need to look at the numbers – the economic benefits that Indigenous tourism is bringing to Canada, the jobs it creates and the ripple effects it creates throughout our respective communities.”
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action No. 92 – of which only 15 are met, as of 2025 – urges long-term, sustainable benefits from economic development projects. Tourism guided by Indigenous storytellers, operators and knowledge keepers, like the plant medicine walks of Mahikan Trails, can also play a role in achieving this end – furthering opportunities for education and reconciliation.
“It gives a voice to the injustices of the past through an authentic, curated experience that’s meant to reveal truth,” Ms. Holder says.
North Star Adventures also designs their experiences with education in mind.
“With guests, we explore how we’ve been impacted by the formation of Canada, the fur trade, residential schools… it’s about educating our guests and they specifically choose those tours because they want to learn about the Indigenous story.”
For Ms. Holder, the relationship between guest and guide can be enriching, offering the possibility of understanding and cultural exchange.
“Having the opportunity to share knowledge with visitors is a way of connecting to my parents, grandparents, and ancestors, as well as the feeling of coming home,” she says. “These teachings, stories and traditions are the way our culture has been kept alive from the beginning of our creation. Through authenticity, it’s a way to have our voices heard.”