Destination Eeyou Istchee - Footsteps and Paddle Strokes - Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association, QC

The Footsteps & Paddle Strokes project was designed to create a tourism strategy that would unify a region through the development of complementary tourism products in harmony with a cohesive branding strategy. CES designed a process to develop Eeyou Istchee - the James Bay Region of Northern Quebec - into an international tourism destination through a collaborative approach consulting with industry partners community members, key stakeholders and funders.Once complete, the findings from these extensive consultations were compiled and recommendations put forth to best reflect the interests of the community members. A comprehensive plan was developed to ensure COTA’s vision of creating a dynamic regional tourism plan that linked 9 Aboriginal communities through thematic cultural & arts routes with appropriate programming. The result is a uniquely stakeholder-driven blueprint for regional tourism success.