In an announcement this week, Westjet said it is partnering with Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA) to bolster support for Indigenous travel and tourism businesses and create meaningful employment opportunities for Indigenous Canadians as the airline grows its global presence.
Angela Avery, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief People, Corporate & Sustainability Officer, said, "Indigenous tourism and the history, stories and culture that accompany it, are essential to growing Alberta's visitor economy and provide meaningful opportunities to advance economic and cultural reconciliation."
The partnership agreement with ITA follows the unveiling of WestJet's 787 Dreamliner summer schedule out of Calgary, which includes direct flights to Tokyo, Japan and new direct routes to and from Scotland and Spain.
"Our network out of Calgary will showcase a diverse array of Alberta-based Indigenous travel and tourism businesses. Indigenous tourism is an integral sector of Alberta's economy," said Avery.
Shae Bird, Chief Executive Officer of Indigenous Tourism Alberta, said Westjet has been a strong supporter of the Canadian Indigenous tourism industry. "We hope other airlines follow their example in creating these partnerships to further grow the industry together."
