Become a Member
Join forces with the Cree tourism industry!
Grow your business and help make Eeyou Istchee a world-class travel destination as a COTA member.
WHO CAN BE A MEMBER?
Any Cree individual, partnership, organization or community controlled by a majority of Cree beneficiaries engaged in outfitting or tourism activities within the traditional territory of Eeyou Istchee is eligible for membership.
Partnerships and organizations have to appoint an individual to represent them and let COTA / EIT know who that person is.
So, whether you:
- Run a small, medium or large business
- Provide outfitting, adventure, eco-tourism or cultural experiences
- Manage a community tourism department
- Operate a restaurant
- Offer hotel accommodations or other lodging
- Deliver transportation services
A COTA membership can benefit you!
AS A COTA MEMBER, YOU WILL GET…
- Access to resources, training programs, and workshops
- Registration and travel subsidy to attend the COTA/EIT Regional General Assembly and Tourism Conference, as well as the ability to vote at meetings
- Listing in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James tourism guide
- Listing on eeyouistcheebaiejames.com
- Access to our Cooperative Marketing Program, which could cover 50% of eligible advertising costs
- Support for business development, operations, and marketing
“COTA and EIT have been really supportive and helped us get our business off the ground. When we launched our business, things moved slowly, but being a member of COTA and EIT gave us access to resources that got things moving. And we are very thankful for this.”
“Being a member of COTA and EIT means I can use different marketing channels to raise awareness about our bed & breakfast. It also allows me to network with people who have plenty of experience in the tourism industry. Our new business is certainly benefiting from COTA and EIT programs, products, and services.”
“As the manager of Capissisit Lodge, I can say that being a member of COTA has allowed us to take part in creating packages that we market to guests here in Canada and around the world. This enables us to build up our clientele and grow our business into sectors that would have been inaccessible without the resources provided by COTA.”
Becoming a Member Benefits Your Business, Your Community, and Eeyou Istchee as a whole.
By working together to build a strong, sustainable, culturally authentic Cree tourism industry we can…
- Develop our communities and our economy in harmony with the environment.
- Preserve our traditional way of life and share our culture with genuinely interested and respectful visitors.
- Create attractive career prospects for young Cree, providing them with an opportunity to be representatives for their communities and culture right here at home.
It would be difficult for tourism operators to achieve these objectives on their own. To succeed, we need to collaborate to uphold our reputation for hospitality, set ourselves up as a world-class destination, and ensure that visitors are glad they chose Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.