Industry Update Newsletter
Tuesday, November 11 2025
Nominations are open for the ITAC Awards |
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Indigenous Tourism Awards. The awards will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (#2026IITC). The Indigenous Tourism Awards are presented by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and recognize the best in the industry, including outstanding businesses, sustainability, women’s leadership and thought leadership. Presented on the final night of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference, the Indigenous Tourism Awards will showcase the flourishing and exceptional indigenous tourism industry in Canada. Nominees must be at least 51 per cent Indigenous-owned/controlled and provide tourism experiences or tourism-related services within Canada. Businesses are allowed to self-nominate. For 2026, ITAC National Awards and Provincial Awards include:
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Apply today for the Achieving AWEsome program |
Do you have a great idea for an exciting and memorable visitor experience? The Achieving AWEsome program helps Saskatchewan tourism businesses and entrepreneurs turn ideas into market-ready, bookable experiences that go beyond traditional tours and packages. From initial concept to promotion and delivery, you will get step-by-step guidance, expert training and coaching. By the end, you will have a visitor experience ready to inspire guests and grow your revenue. Individuals who are new to tourism, as well as business operators who have no previous experience in developing or delivering a tourism experience to the travelling public, are eligible to apply. Applicants must be willing to invest time and resources to create an interactive, hands-on guest experience. The program is open for applications until December 15, 2025, with formal training delivery scheduled to begin in January 2026 and conclude in May 2026. For more information, go to Achieving AWEsome or contact Corrina Kapeller at corrina.kapeller@tourismsask.com, 306-812-8882. APPLY NOW |
Make your business AI-ready with the Generative Search Playbook from Destination Canada |
Generative AI is transforming how travellers discover destinations. Instead of scanning links, people now get AI-composed answers – and only the most trusted, structured content makes it in. That’s why Destination Canada created the Generative AI Search Playbook: A Practical Guide to Smarter GEO, a practical 17-page guide to help destinations, attractions and operators stay visible in AI search. Generative Search Optimization (GEO) isn’t just another SEO tweak. It’s a smarter content and partnership strategy that helps your stories surface in AI answers, saves time and aligns teams on measurable ROI. What’s inside:
These tools compress weeks of testing into a single afternoon’s sprint and give everyone, from web teams to agencies, a common playbook for success. Access the Generative AI Search Playbook For easy sharing, use Destination Canada's ready-made communications toolkit: Generative AI Search Playbook: A Practical Guide to Smarter GEO |