Most Canadians are interested in Indigenous-led tourism but few have taken part, held back by difficulty finding and choosing experiences rather than a lack of interest, according to research commissioned by Intrepid Travel.
The gap points to a discoverability problem that the wider travel industry has yet to solve, and one that carries commercial weight as demand for authentic cultural experiences grows and destinations look to spread visitor spend to Indigenous-owned operators. The findings land as Intrepid, the world’s largest adventure travel company, moves to embed such experiences across its Canadian programme.
The Angus Reid survey found that 57% of Canadians want to take part in an Indigenous-led experience on their next domestic trip, yet fewer than one in five, 18%, ever have. That is despite heavy domestic travel: nearly nine in 10 have taken a leisure trip within Canada, and close to three-quarters have booked activities while doing so.
The barrier is visibility rather than appetite. Among those who have not participated, 42% had not come across an Indigenous-led experience while planning a trip and 30% did not know where to find one. Nearly a quarter were unsure which experiences were genuinely Indigenous-owned or led. Confidence is also an issue, with 54% unsure how to find and choose an experience and 42% worried about being unintentionally disrespectful. Outright rejection was rare, with only 15% saying such experiences would not interest them.
“Canadians are telling us they are interested in Indigenous-led tourism, but many simply do not know where to begin,” said Christian Wolters, president of Intrepid Travel Canada. “For the travel industry, that means working directly with Indigenous-owned and led tourism businesses and making their experiences a more visible part of the trips travellers are already considering.”
The research coincides with a new partnership with Talaysay Tours, an Indigenous-owned operator running land-based experiences across British Columbia. From 2027, travellers on Intrepid’s Grand Canadian Rockies itinerary will join We Are the Land, a 120-minute guided trail experience at Lost Lake in Whistler, blending Indigenous storytelling, land stewardship and salmon knowledge, and ending with a tea ceremony.
“We are the original stewards of these lands and waters, and to our people, the land is everything, it is our culture, our identity, our history and our way of life,” said Talaysay Campo, co-owner of Talaysay Tours. “Through this experience, travellers will walk the land with us, discover Indigenous knowledge and learn about the living relationships that have connected our people to these mountains since time immemorial.”
Intrepid is also adding a Huron-Wendat experience in Wendake, Quebec, to its Eastern Canada by Rail trip in 2027, including a guided visit to a museum and longhouse at the Huron Traditional Site. Together the additions will bring Indigenous-led experiences to 75% of the company’s Canadian trips next year, part of a longer-term goal to include them across all its itineraries. The work builds on a five-year commitment of CA$500,000 ($363,000) to support Indigenous tourism in Canada.
Why it matters for the trade
The obstacle to Indigenous-led tourism is not persuading travellers to want it, since the appetite is already there, but surfacing these experiences at the moment people are actually planning and booking.
For advisors and operators, that is an actionable gap: the research effectively tells the trade that visibility, not demand generation, is where effort pays off. Putting Indigenous-led options into itineraries, planning tools and advisor recommendations could convert latent interest that currently evaporates for want of a clear path to booking.
Key Findings
- More than half (57%) of Canadians are interested in participating in an Indigenous-led tourism experience, yet fewer than one in five (18%) have done so.
- About four in 10 (42%) non-participants have not come across an Indigenous-led experience while planning a trip, while three in 10 (30%) do not know where to find one.
- Nearly two-thirds (63%) say they do not know enough about Indigenous tourism to know where to begin, and more than half (54%) are not confident they know how to find and choose an experience.
- Seven in 10 (71%) would enjoy learning about Indigenous cultures while travelling, while more than four in 10 (43%) would be more likely to choose a Canadian trip that includes an Indigenous-led tourism experience.