BCBUSINESS.CA MARCH 2019 BCBUSINESS 63
TRUE LOVE
Fake news may or may not be a thing,
but interest in the authenticity of
brands, products and experiences
shows no signs of cooling. Expedia
Group's 2016 Millennial Traveller
Report found that experiencing
authentic culture was most important
to 76 percent of baby boomers,
62 percent of gen-Xers and 52 percent
of millennials. And its Multinational
Travel Trends, published last fall, pre-
dicts that emphasis on the authentic
version of a place will grow in 2019.
REAL DEAL
This month, Indigenous Tourism BC
launches its Authentic Indigenous
designation program. Similar to the
2012-15 Authentic Aboriginal
initiative, the new designation aims
to reassure consumers that they are
obtaining a genuine, culturally appro-
priate experience, as well as provide
marketing opportunities for
ITBC mem-
bers. To participate, businesses must
be Indigenous-owned and -operated,
include Indigenous cultural content
and be tourism-related, market-ready
and high-quality.
WHOLLY TERROIR
Another way to explore a
place is through its wine.
Okanagan Crush Pad,
whose Haywire Free
Form White 2016 was
one of Decanter maga-
zine's most exciting
wines of 2018 in
December, uses organic
grapes, native yeast and no com-
mercial additives. The Summerland
winemakers believe the best way to
achieve authenticity of place is to not
manipulate or add anything to wine so
each vintage is one of a kind.
REALITY
CHECK
Authenticity rules for
consumers of goods or travel
by Felicity Stone
ON T R E N D
womensenterprise.ca
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