Aboriginal Culture in Product Development & Marketing

Beverley O’Neil

A Challenging And

Ever Changing Environment

Balancing different needs and interests

Operators Profitability and viability

Labour and management supply

Financial and natural resources

Knowledge and experience to operate

Network, connections

Infrastructure

Travel Trade Product confidence

Awareness and understanding of culture

and products

Contacts (where to get started)

First Nations / Community Product development challenges

Sharing culture issues

Resources

Knowledge and experience

Visitors Experiences

Value and quality

Resources

Knowledge and experience

SOURCE: AtBC Blueprint Strategy research 2005

Aboriginal Tourism to

Culture to Ecotourism

0 Full

0

F

ull

Cultural Element

Ow

ners

hip

Not Eligible

Marketing Elements

Promotion

$ Price Product Place

• Market readiness

• Clustering

• Cultural experiences

• Branding-regional, Aboriginal

• Partnerships

• Memberships

• Sector development

Product Development

Developing Aboriginal Tourism

Heritage

Festivals / Events

Cuisine

Outdoor

Arts/Crafts

Adventure Sports

Consumer Interest Product Qty Overall

CURRENT

CURRENT

Emerging

Emerging

Long-term fostering

Emerging

• Outreach, Events, Presence

• Fam tours

• Activities

• Imaging, Symbols, Language

• Gateway presence

Marketing Activities

Social Media 2012

Facebook ~296,000 page impressions,

71,000 viewers

Twitter interactions ~ 134,000

impressions in 2012 (Sprout Social

Reporting 2013)

AtBC website ~ 47,800 visitors

Marketing Activities

Social Media

• Engage viewers

Online comments

• Trip Advisor

Alice Springs, NT Australia

Carcross Taglish, Yukon

Osoyoos Indian Band, BC

Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre,

Whistler

Blueprint Beginning Blueprint 5+ yrs later

No cultural element

Offers an approved cultural experience

BRANDING Product

awareness

/ understanding

1 2 3

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w /

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/ N

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ad

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Ma

rket

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ad

y

The Future

Ne

w /

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ss

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/ N

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Ma

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Re

ad

y

Ma

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1 2 3 1 2 3

Outreach Highlights

2006-2012/13

E-updates 815

stakeholders and

others

AtBC’s events

Klahowya Village -

31,000 visitors in 2012

6 Aboriginal tourism

businesses acclaimed

AtBC Aboriginal

tourism cultural

authenticity

designation

Travel trade shows -

ITB, BTF, Canada’s

West Marketplace,

and Rendevous

Canada –

CTC Signature

Experiences

Collection, Hello

BC’s 100 Moments