Making Indigenous-led tourism easier to discover in Canada
By Christian Wolters, President, Intrepid Travel Canada
A trail through the mountains can be beautiful on its own. But when you experience that same landscape through the stories, knowledge and perspectives of the people who have lived in relationship with it for generations, the journey changes.
Indigenous-led tourism can deepen how travellers understand a place. It creates space to learn directly from Indigenous hosts, guides and knowledge holders, and to experience culture, history and land through perspectives that belong to the people sharing them.
Intrepid Travel works directly with Indigenous tourism businesses to ensure partners shape the experiences, stories and cultural knowledge they choose to share. Our role is to support that process and integrate those experiences thoughtfully into the traveller journey.
In 2027, travellers on Intrepid’s Grand Canadian Rockies itinerary will take part in We Are the Land, a guided experience at Lost Lake in Whistler created and led by Talaysay Tours. The experience explores connections between people, culture and the natural world, including Indigenous perspectives on cultural ecology, land stewardship and salmon knowledge.
Intrepid is also adding a Huron-Wendat experience to our Eastern Canada by Rail itinerary. Together, the two additions will bring Indigenous-led experiences to 75% of our Canadian trips in 2027, an important milestone toward integrating Indigenous-led experiences across all Canadian itineraries. The work forms part of Intrepid’s CA$500,000, five-year commitment to support the growth and promotion of Indigenous tourism in Canada.
Long-term partnerships are central to this work. They create the foundation for experiences to be developed with care, give Indigenous tourism businesses control over how their cultures and stories are shared, and give travellers clearer information about who is leading the experience and what to expect.
Recent research from Intrepid shows there is a gap between interest and participation. More than half of Canadians (57%) are interested in an Indigenous-led tourism experience, yet fewer than one in five (18%) have participated.
For the travel industry, that reinforces the importance of bringing Indigenous-led experiences into the planning journey more clearly and helping travellers make informed choices.
How the Intrepid Agent Hub Supports Travel Advisors
To travel advisors, Intrepid Travel has the Intrepid Agent Hub, a dedicated platform designed to make selling Intrepid trips simple, informed, and stress-FREE.
Key features include:
• Exclusive advisor rates including discounts of up to 50% on most Intrepid trips, allowing advisors to experience the product firsthand
• Training and education tools, with on-demand modules, destination deep dives, and product updates
• Sales and marketing assets, such as client-facing brochures, imagery, and talking points that highlight Intrepid’s local, responsible travel model
• FAM trip access, where advisors can apply for and manage familiarization travel opportunities
• Trade updates and incentives, ensuring advisors stay informed on promotions, campaigns, and new itineraries
Advisors can also stay in the loop by subscribing to Intrepid’s agent newsletter via the hub.
Intrepid will continue listening to Indigenous tourism partners, developing experiences in partnership with them and using its platform to support greater visibility for Indigenous-led tourism across Canada.
