The Development Of Native Tourism In British Columbia

Assesses the interest of native people in becoming involved in the tourism industry, and suggests ways and means for facilitating this. Includes a profile of the British Columiba Indian population.

History shows that travellers sought to experience the unfamiliar and exotic cultures and traditions of Indigenous peoples, with early examples of Indigenous tourism in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and countries throughout Asia and Latin America. Similarly, contemporary travellers demonstrate a desire to seek out opportunities to experience Indigenous peoples and their cultures. Thus, we are witnessing worldwide growth in the awareness of, and interest in, Indigenous cultures, traditions, histories and knowledges. Engagement in the tourism sector is regularly advocated for Indigenous peoples because of the socio-economic opportunities it provides; however, there are a range of cultural benefits including the maintenance, rejuvenation and/or preservation of Indigenous cultures, knowledges and traditions for Indigenous peoples who choose tourism as a vehicle to showcase their cultures. Consequently, tourism is regularly acknowledged as a means for facilitating the sustainability of tangible and intangible Indigenous cultural heritage including languages, stories, art, dance, rituals and customs. Importantly, however, the history of Indigenous peoples’ engagement in tourism has provided a range of examples of the threats to Indigenous culture that can accrue as a result of tourism (i.e., cultural degradation, commercialisation and commodification, authenticity and identity, among others). This book presents an exploration of the intersection between tourism and Indigenous culture. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Heritage Tourism.

Tourism and Indigenous Peoples is a unique text examining the role of indigenous societies in tourism and how they interact within the tourism nexus. Unlike other publications, this text focuses on the active role that indigenous peoples take in the industry, and uses international case studies and experiences to provide a global context to illustrate best practice and aid comparison. First published over ten years ago the editors, Butler and Hinch, have thoroughly revised and updated the text to bring together a new collection of contributions and case studies from recognised international authors and those with first hand experiences in this area. Divided into five main sections, the text looks at this topic under the following headings: * Involvement: Uses case studies to discuss and compare such as ‘campfire’ programmes in east Africa, and the employment of indigenous peoples as guides, amongst other cases, * Turbulence: Host guest relationships, conflicts on communities and contrasting strategies and results of tourism in indigenous villages in South Africa * Issues: Discusses issues such as authenticity, religious beliefs and managing indigenous tourism in a fragile environment * Progress: Looks at tourism education, tourism and cultural survival and examples of the policy and practice of indigenous tourism. * Conclusions: Five contributions from indigenous people on North America, Australasia and Europe to discuss implications and experiences. Each section uses international case studies from, for example, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, Namibia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and South America.

In a world characterized by an encroaching homogeneity induced by the growth of multi-national corporations and globalization, the causes of difference accrue new levels of importance. This is as true of tourism as in many other spheres of life – and one cause of differentiation for tourism promotion is the culture of Indigenous Peoples. This offers opportunities for cultural renaissance, income generation and enhanced political empowerment, but equally there are possible costs of creating commodities out of aspects of life that previously possessed spiritual meaning. This book examines these issues from many different perspectives; from those of product design and enhancement; of the aspirations of various minority groupings; and the patterns of displacements that occur – displacements that are not simply spatial but also social and cultural. How can these changes be managed? Case studies and analysis is offered, derived from many parts of the globe including North America, Asia and Australasia. The contributors themselves have, in many instances, worked closely with groups and organizations of Indigenous Peoples and attempt to give voice to their concerns. The book is divided into various themes, each with a separate introduction and commentary. The themes are Visitor Experiences, Who manages Indigenous Cultural Tourism Product, Events and Artifacts, Conceptualisation and Aspiration. In a short final section the silences are noted – each silence representing a potential challenge for future research to build upon the notions and lessons reported in the book. The book is edited by Professor Chris Ryan from New Zealand, and Michelle Aicken of Horwath Asia Pacific.

Selling British Columbia is an entertaining examination of the development of the tourist industry in British Columbia between 1890 and 1970. Michael Dawson argues that in order to understand the roots of the fully-fledged consumer culture that emerged in Canada after the Second World War, it is necessary to understand the connections between the 1930s, 1940s, and the postwar era. Cultural producers such as tourism promoters and the state infrastructure played important roles in fostering consumer demand, particularly during the Depression, the Second World War, and throughout the postwar era. Dawson draws upon promotional pamphlets, newspapers, advertisements, and films, as well as archival sources regarding government, civic, and international tourism organizations. Central to his book is an examination of the representation of popular imagery and of how aboriginal and British cultures were commodified and marketed to potential tourists. He also looks at the gendered aspect of these promotional campaigns, particularly during the 1940s, and challenges earlier interpretations regarding the relationship between tourism and nature in Canada. Historians have tended to focus on either the first wave of consumerism from the 1880s to the 1920s, or else on the era of economic expansion that followed World War Two. As Dawson shows, the 1930-45 period in particular was an important and dynamic one in the creation of Canadian and British Columbian consumer culture. Michael Dawson’s highly readable and engaging account of the development of the British Columbia tourist industry will be welcomed by British Columbian and Canadian historians, as well as other scholars of tourism and consumerism.

Comprehensive summary of the effects of immigrant settlement on the population, culture, economy and religion of British Columbia's First Peoples.