Speak with any Indigenous tourism operator and one message will surface again and again: meaningful, trust‑based partnerships are essential to creating successful and sustainable tourism experiences. Few examples illustrate this better than the relationship between Mahikan Trails and Painted Warriors. Sisters Brenda Holder and Tracey Klettl have built their businesses side by side, intentionally uplifting one another through shared strengths, complementary skills, and a deep commitment to collaboration. They demonstrate how partnership can be a powerful model for Indigenous tourism growth.
To develop Indigenous tourism in Alberta, we have to work together. Alberta is already knocking it out of the park because we’re working together to tell these stories to the world. To grow the industry, we’ll need to partner as much as possible. It’s not just about Indigenous tourism. It’s all of us.
Partnerships rooted in respect and shared purpose
Indigenous tourism has the power to strengthen communities, deepen our connection to the land, and share rich cultural stories with the world. That’s why Travel Alberta has made Indigenous‑led tourism a priority—one of the few provinces to place such meaningful value on these experiences. But meaningful impact requires partnership.
Since 2021, Travel Alberta (TA) and Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA) have worked side by side to understand the needs of Indigenous operators and how we can support their growth in ways that are meaningful for them. Since the partnership began, Travel Alberta has invested $8.85 million into Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Canada’s fastest‑growing Indigenous tourism organization, empowering them to expand and diversify Indigenous‑owned tourism experiences across the province. Building on this progress, Travel Alberta extended our memorandum of understanding with ITA in June 2025, committing an additional $2 million per year to ITA until 2028.
Travel Alberta is proud to champion the bold vision and unstoppable creativity of these two inspiring Indigenous women. Brenda Holder, owner of Mahikan Trails, carries forward her family’s legacy as guides of the Kwarakwante people of Jasper. Her immersive medicine walks and hands‑on workshops invite guests to learn how her ancestors lived from the land for millennia, including identifying plants, crafting simple medicines, and connecting deeply with nature. Painted Warriors, co-founded by Tracey Klettl, welcomes visitors to reconnect with the land through Indigenous land-based skills like tracking, archery, horse riding, and snowshoeing, paired with rustic cabins, all rooted in Ojibway, Cree, and Mohawk traditions.
Together, TA and ITA are working with entrepreneurs and operators to support the development of more than tourism products. It’s about creating space for Indigenous operators to lead, opening doors to new opportunities, and supporting communities as they shape a thriving future for Indigenous‑led experiences.
Moving toward a stronger tomorrow
Indigenous tourism is far more than an economic driver: it strengthens communities, amplifies living cultures, and deepens our connection to the land. Through our work and connections with Indigenous operators, we’ve seen how these experiences create meaningful spaces for languages, traditions, and teachings to be shared on their own terms, with authenticity and pride.
Most importantly, Indigenous tourism empowers the next generation to reconnect with their roots, strengthen their identity, and carry their culture forward. As many Elders remind us, every decision made today should honour those who will come after us. Indigenous tourism is one of the clearest expressions of that responsibility.
At its heart, Indigenous tourism is about relationships, whether that’s with the land, with culture, or with one another. The stories of Mahikan Trails and Painted Warriors remind us that when Indigenous operators are supported to lead on their own terms, the impact extends far beyond tourism. It strengthens identity, builds opportunity, and carries knowledge forward for the generations still to come. As these experiences continue to grow across Alberta, they show what’s possible when we walk together, guided by trust, respect, and a shared commitment to a stronger future.
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