Meaningful Travel Summit with Victoria, BC
Tourism Cares’ 2022 Global Meaningful Travel Summit
The Meaningful Travel Summit with Victoria, held September 28–30, 2022, highlighted the rapid growth of nature-based tourism and the travel industry's responsibility in managing it sustainably. Wilderness areas across Canada, closely linked with Indigenous communities, provided a rich cultural context. The summit explored the critical importance of conserving natural resources to sustain travel products, destination communities, and visitor experiences.
During the event, participants gathered in a destination reliant on Indigenous lands, vibrant marine ecosystems, and thriving green spaces. Through education sessions, meaningful travel site visits, and volunteer opportunities, attendees engaged with environmental and Indigenous groups to enhance destination stewardship for the collective benefit of communities and ecosystems.
Key themes included:
The role of travel and tourism in conserving natural resources and preserving biodiversity, including land and water use and animal welfare.
The intersection of Indigenous practices and destination stewardship to foster sustainable travel.
More about National Truth and Reconciliation Day:
During the Meaningful Travel Summit event week on Friday, September 30, Canada honored the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or Orange Shirt Day, in Canada. This day honors the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day to stand with Indigenous peoples.
“For more than a century, Indian Residential Schools separated over 150,000 Aboriginal children from their families and communities. In the 1870's, the federal government, partly in order to meet its obligation to educate Aboriginal children, began to play a role in the development and administration of these schools. Two primary objectives of the Residential Schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. These objectives were based on the assumption Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, "to kill the Indian in the child". Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.” - Quote from the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada. Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada made Wednesday June 11, 2008. View the full letter here.
To learn more about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada, visit https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1621447127773/1621447157184
Truth and Reconciliation Day is also know as Orange Shirt Day. To learn more about Orange Shirt Day please visit Home - Victoria Orange Shirt Day.
OUR SPONSORS
SPOTLIGHT: THE PEOPLE + PLACES OF TOURISM CARES
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre | Tourism Cares Grantee
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre was provided support on behalf of Globus Family of Brands to support ongoing mentorship, build capacity and foster resiliency for Indigenous community members through meaningful employment. The grant funds will also be used to develop a new guided tour called ANCIENT MEDICINES, enriching and connecting the cultural identity of the Indigenous Youth Ambassadors and Cultural Ambassadors the Centre works with.