Indigenous tourism being ignored by federal government, B.C. operators say – Vancouver Sun

As the COVID-19 pandemic forces remote British Columbia communities to close their borders to outsiders, Indigenous tourism companies along the coast say the federal government is leaving them behind.

Tours for Haida Gwaii are normally booked well in advance due to high demand and the quota system placed on the area. The remoteness of the region also means it has a shorter tourism high season than other locations in the province.

But the pandemic has forced tourism companies in the area to shut down their operations, with little economic relief for their owners.

“The current packages offered by the Canadian government don’t meet the need of most operators,” said James Cowpar, with Haida Style Expeditions, a Haida-owned tourism company specializing in cultural eco-tours. “Anything is better than nothing but as it stands, our industry has fell through the cracks.”

Read More: https://vancouversun.com/business/local-business/indigenous-tourism-being-ignored-by-federal-government-b-c-operators-say/