The Forks welcomes ‘Explore Indigenous’ as new tenant

A new space at The Forks is shining a light on Indigenous culture and tourism.

A new tenant at The Forks will highlight Indigenous tourism operators and bring more business to the industry.

On Friday, The Forks welcomed Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and Turtle Tours to its market with the official opening of the “Explore Indigenous” space.

Through this initiative, Indigenous Tourism Manitoba will showcase a range of Indigenous tourism experiences, operators and artisans at one of the province’s most historic sites. The space will include interpretive displays and a product showcase that will connect visitors with Indigenous businesses.

The goal of Explore Indigenous is to bring awareness to the province’s Indigenous tourism and drive up business.

“Indigenous tourism is a cornerstone of our tourism sector,” said Nellie Kennedy, minister of heritage, tourism and sport at a news conference on Friday.

“These experiences have the potential to become iconic Canadian tourism destinations, drawing visitors from across the country and around the world.”

Indigenous Tourism Manitoba will share the space with Turtle Tours—a company that provides authentic Indigenous-led tours across the province.

With this collaboration, Explore Indigenous will provide Turtle Tours with a reliable and accessible space for the company to book and package its tours.

“For thousands of years this land [at The Forks] has been a gathering place,” Kennedy said.

“Today we honour that legacy by creating space for Indigenous voices, stories and experiences to be shared with the world.”

Explore Indigenous can be found in the north atrium of The Forks Market.