The Northern Indigenous Lodge Network Corridor is one of three corridors supported through Destination Canada’s 2023 Tourism Corridor Strategy Program.

Learn more about the program through the following links:

• Tourism Corridor Strategy Program
• FAQs

As travel resumed post-pandemic, the desire for sustainable tourism experiences grew exponentially. Within Indigenous communities, ways of knowing and being have always been rooted in a connection with the land, consistently focused on sustainability and stewardship. The combination of these two factors contributes to the global demand for Indigenous tourism experiences, which is at an all-time high, and provides an opportunity for Canada’s Indigenous tourism sector to become a global leader.

Throughout Northern Canada in particular, the demand for authentic Indigenous tourism products and experiences is very strong; however, there is a chronic shortage of accommodations for guests, particularly outside of Whitehorse, Dawson City, and Yellowknife. The Northern Indigenous Lodge Network Corridor project seeks to create a strategy, investment plan, and implementation plan for the development of Indigenous lodges throughout the Yukon, western Northwest Territories, and northern BC.

This corridor project aligns with the vision, strategies, and political mandates guiding destination development in the Yukon. The Government of Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture is currently shifting its priorities from market development to destination development, making this corridor program especially timely and relevant to the region. The department’s direction on developing the Indigenous lodge network comes from the Yukon Tourism Development Strategy, created through the largest-ever public engagement on tourism in the Yukon.

The Indigenous lodge network concept is loosely based on similar networks in other parts of the world, including Paradores in Spain and Logis Hotels in France. To be successful, the Northern Indigenous Lodge Network will start small, expanding over time to become a marquis feature of the tourism economy in the north and attracting guests from around the world.

While the Northern Indigenous Lodge Network fits the general concept of a tourism corridor, it would be more than a linear travel route. The network would disperse guests throughout the region, offering the ability for travel itineraries to include stops in various communities, where tourism is welcomed and encouraged, thanks to the availability of accommodations. Ultimately, this will positively impact Indigenous communities in the region.

The Northern Indigenous Lodge Network Corridor project, which started in June 2023 and was completed in December 2023, is now at its implementation stage. A dedicated corridor team is leading the implementation with Destination Canada’s support.

The development of the corridor project involved three co-created deliverables:

1. Corridor Strategy: Define vision, align resources, and engage stakeholders.
2. Implementation Plan: Plan execution, identify timeline/priorities, establish governance.
3. Investment Plan: Identify investment needed, suggest opportunities, identify potential funding sources.

These deliverables were completed through a three-phase workplan:

• Phase 1: The initial phase of the plan focuses on alignment and engagement. Existing data, plans, and strategies were reviewed. A local Indigenous relations consultant was also engaged for the project.
• Phase 2: Research and analysis are the focus of the workplan’s second phase. This included market research, assessment of demand, and in-market meetings such as interviews and focus groups.
• Phase 3: The final phase presented the findings and outcomes of the project, including the corridor strategy and recommendations for the lodge network. The investment plan and implementation plan were also developed during this phase.

In partnership with Destination Canada, the Northern Indigenous Lodge Network Corridor project was co-led by the Government of Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture and Northwest Territories Tourism.

With the participation of the project leads, Destination Canada selected and engaged experts from global consultancy firm, JLL, to guide the project and co-create the key deliverables. The company’s tourism and destination advisory division specializes in a variety of areas including strategic planning, product development, and sustainable tourism. JLL’s team is made up of industry veterans who use their global reach to deliver customized solutions for the local communities they are working with.

If you have any questions about the Northern Indigenous Lodge Network Corridor, please reach out to Jennifer, Eduardo, or Donna Lee for further details.