Harnessing Shared Values for Indigenous Tourism:How to Engage and Influence Global Travelers
Recently, David Allison spoke for the International Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) at their International Indigenous Tourism Conference 2025 in Montreal, Canada. He revealed the results of a valuegraphic study that identified the shared values of travelers who choose “Indigenous travel” as the “primary motivator” for travel decisions. He wrote this article based on those research findings.
Indigenous tourism is on the rise. But the ultimate goal is attracting travelers who will genuinely engage with Indigenous experiences, cherish them, and keep coming back for more. We can do this if we focus on their values.
Why? Because values drive everything people do. Where they travel, what they buy, how they choose to spend their time—it all comes down to what matters most to them deep inside.
To prepare for this keynote, our research division launched a global study to identify the shared values of people from nine regions of the world. Specifically, these are people who are keenly interested in Indigenous tourism experiences. With rigorous statistical analysis, and by referencing hundreds of millions of data points in our global database of values, we identified three values that are shared by these Indigenous tourism intenders.
Indigenous tourism intenders from across nine regions of the world share three powerful values: Community, Creativity, and Religion & Spirituality. If you want to engage and influence these travelers, tapping into these values is the key.
Here’s what they mean and how to use them.
1. The Value of Community: Becoming Part of the Circle
For this audience, Community is about feeling connected to groups. Some of these groups have formal memberships, like clubs or organizations. Others are informal, like a deep sense of belonging to a shared culture or tradition.
How to Use This Insight
Think about the most powerful communities in the world. They don’t just let people observe; they invite them to participate. That’s what Indigenous tourism can do.
Example Idea: “Become Part of the Circle”
Instead of just showing travelers how a community lives, let them become part of it. Offer immersive “membership” experiences where they’re not just spectators, but honorary participants.
Imagine this: A traveler visits an Indigenous community and is welcomed with a symbolic initiation. They learn a traditional song, participate in a small but meaningful ritual, and receive a culturally significant token. They leave feeling like they belong.
Initiation rituals like this are already happening all around the world. We found examples in India, New Zealand, Africa, and all across Canada and the United States. But, they tend to be mentioned as an afterthought, instead of pushed to the forefront. The data suggests that we highlight these and make the most of them. If your community doesn’t have a tradition like this, consider creating one. It doesn’t have to be complex—just something that helps guests feel like they’re part of the story, not just watching it happen.
2. The Value of Creativity: A Place to Express Your True Self
These travelers see Creativity as a way to connect with others and be true to themselves. They don’t just want to appreciate art and traditions; they want to take part in creating something meaningful.
How to Use This Insight
People don’t remember things they watch as much as they remember things they do. That’s why hands-on creative workshops can make an Indigenous tourism experience unforgettable.
Example Idea: “A Place to Express Your True Self”
Instead of just showing travelers Indigenous artwork, let them create their own. Give them the chance to craft pottery using traditional techniques, weave a small basket, or write their own personal origin story inspired by Indigenous mythology.
Picture this: A traveler sits in a workshop, learning how to carve a symbol that represents their own life journey. A guide explains the meanings behind traditional designs. By the time the traveler leaves, they’re carrying something they made with their own hands, infused with a story they’ll tell for years to come.
And again, a cursory search revealed many Indigenous tourism experiences that include hands-on opportunities to create. The key insight here is to shine a spotlight on these, and connect them back to self-expression. This is about your story, your life, told in a way that is influenced by the art and storytelling traditions of the place you are visiting. Could your tourism experience include a creative component like this?
3. The Value of Religion & Spirituality: Share a Sacred Experience
For these travelers, Religion & Spirituality is about shared spiritual moments that create a sense of belonging. They seek out experiences that feel meaningful and transcend the everyday.
How to Use This Insight
Many Indigenous cultures have profound spiritual traditions that travelers deeply respect. By inviting guests to witness or gently participate in these moments – where appropriate – you create something they’ll remember forever.
Example Idea: “Share a Sacred Experience”
Instead of just explaining spiritual traditions, let travelers experience them firsthand where appropriate. Imagine offering moments like:
A sunrise blessing ceremony where travelers can take part in a gratitude ritual.
A drum circle under the stars, where each guest contributes their energy to the collective rhythm.
A guided prayer walk where visitors reflect on their own journeys while learning about Indigenous spiritual practices.
Imagine something even more extraordinary: What if travelers could co-create a ritual to mark a meaningful moment in their lives—a ceremony to honor an anniversary, a personal achievement, or a life transition?
Psychologists note that our culture’s lack of milestone markers is a modern phenomenon, one that leaves many feeling adrift in life’s in-between spaces. In the past, ceremonies helped us navigate these turning points.
How could your tourism experience help travelers reclaim this lost tradition—offering them a chance to create rituals that bring meaning, closure, and celebration to their journeys?
Using These Insights to Build Your Own Ideas
The ideas above are just starting points. The real power of values-driven tourism comes from creating experiences that fit your specific community, traditions, and visitors.
If you remember one thing, let it be this: The best Indigenous tourism experiences don’t just show people something interesting. They invite people to feel something meaningful.
And when you align those experiences with what truly matters to your guests, you get lifelong advocates who come back again and again.
Want to know more about how values can transform Indigenous tourism? Let’s talk. The future of global travel is values-driven, and you’re in the perfect position to lead the way.
Values are the answer. Let’s put them to work.
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Want to know What Matters Most to the people you need to inspire?
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