Aboriginal tourism has room to grow

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Tourists coming to British Columbia want more Aboriginal "experiences" but the tourism industry is far behind in meeting the demand, according to the Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia (ATBC).

The shortfalls and challenges of the industry were the focus of six regional meetings hosted by ATBC over two months, the last of which took place March 10 in Prince Rupert.

The Prince Rupert session attracted about 50 people representing Northwest Aboriginal communities and tourism operators, and heard from ATBC representatives how much the tourism industry needs to pick up, particularly with the Winter Olympic Games coming to Vancouver six years from now.

"It's important, especially with the Olympics coming, that we get ourselves in order because there will be more people making knockoffs," said Matt Vickers, of the Gitksan Government Commission.

By "knockoffs," Vickers meant non-Aboriginal people and unauthorized Aboriginal people who sell art and other products, claiming they have the background and the authority to do so.

ATBC chairman Richard Krentz concurred with Vickers that bogus Aboriginal art is a growing concern. "The demand is so strong, we don't have enough people doing Aboriginal art to keep up with it. And if we don't, someone else will."

A key to tackling this and the other problems, said Krentz, is establishing a solid base for Aboriginal tourism, encouraging operators and artists to co-ordinate and standardize. "The strength is in our market-ready companies. We need to help operators become market-ready; if we don't, then all of this is futile."

The industry is still very "immature," consultant Beverly O'Neill told the forum. Most of the businesses are seasonal and there are few linkages. Studies involving other Aboriginal groups, such as the Maori of New Zealand, indicate that fragmentation is a common problem with Aboriginal tourism.

"We have to stop being so selfish," said Krentz. "When a tourist visits a Tsimshian operator, for instance, he should be telling him about some of the great stuff he can see in Kincolith. If the industry is going to grow, to take its rightful place as a major player in our economy, it has to come from the people."

Unfortunately, although there are willing people out there, many of them lack the resources to start and maintain an operation. The main challenges are lack of capital, insufficient marketing and little training.

Start-up and operational funding can be difficult to obtain because there are still stigmas to be overcome, said O'Neill, causing many people to be reluctant to partner with an Aboriginal business. This makes training even more important, so operators can more easily demonstrate their reliability.

"We need more Aboriginal people with management training and training in how to share their culture," said O'Neill, noting that many tours in Aboriginal territories are run by non-Aboriginal operators, which is a turn-off to tourists. It's like walking into a Chinese restaurant and not seeing a Chinese person there."

According to an ATBC study, the average tourist wants four things: More products in urban centres, near major highways, national parks and other popular destinations; more short-duration products, such as short tours or demonstrations; and more "packageable" products-things they can easily and safely take with them; and authentic Aboriginal cultural interpretations.

"We have people setting up stands or art shops, but which ones have the authority?" asked Vickers. "There are a lot of artwork copies out there that don't carry our brand of approval."

The ATBC sees itself playing a major role in establishing authenticity for Aboriginal operators. Its plan is to have them become ATBC members, with membership gained through proof of authenticity; that proof coming in the form of approval letters signed by cultural authorities-a band or tribal authority, Elder, or family member whose standing qualies them to permit the telling of their stories and sharing of their culture.

In this way, buyers of Aboriginal art can access the ATBC Web site to see if a particular seller is authorized. Another idea is to create some kind of insignia or logo that would identify authentic Aboriginal work. Quality standards will also be addressed, as many established artists feel their superior work should be recognized and go for higher prices.

"Establishing quality is tricky," said Krentz. "An artist has to build credibility. It's not just a matter of someone picking up some tools and carving something and saying, 'I'm an Aboriginal artist."

Krentz envisions some kind of four-star type of system, which would grade an artist and his work based on quality, recognition and how long he has been practicing his or her craft.

The information gathered at these Aboriginal tourism meetings, which also included stops in Nanaimo, Cranbrook, Prince George, Mission, and Kamloops, will be published this summer.