Generation Gap – Balancing Cultural and Economic Issues for Indigenous Tourism

Summary Technology plays a critical role in supporting tourism development. Technologies such as data analytics and social media tools can enhance tourism by providing customers with increased accessibility, information, and personalisation. Further research should examine Indigenous tourism operations and their interdependence with technology. This study explores the use of technology to enhance tourism development in Indigenous communities. It explores how technology enhances tourism development in a small, remote Indigenous community of Fort Liard, Canada (situated in the Dehcho Region in the south-west corner of the North-west Territories). Data was collected through observations and semi-structured interviews with key informants and subsequently analysed. The study confirms that technology use in tourism is beneficial to Indigenous communities. Technology is a channel for understanding traditional cultural ways of life and motivates Indigenous tourism development. Digital platforms and e-commerce amplify the global visibility of Indigenous arts. The platforms enable tourists to purchase directly from Indigenous artists, ensuring that profits go directly to them. Additionally, technology is leveraged to enrich cultural knowledge. Thus, the way Indigenous people within the tourism sector utilise technology offers direct benefits for the sustainable development of Indigenous communities. Information © The Authors 2025