Kevin recently was awarded Ontario’s Tourism Champion of the Year award
so we thought we would share our experience working with Kevin and how he truly
deserved that award.
Where it all began…
Kevin is responsible for
operating, alongside his team, a
cooperative tourism marketing initiative and touring company involving 8 First
Nations and local Aboriginal business partners. This initiative has been
successful in growing the tourism industry in the Manitoulin Island - Sagamok
area of Northern Ontario. Kevin has been a key component in developing the
European markets on behalf of the GSCT.
Over the last 6 years, he has participated in several trade missions,
trade shows, and dance performances in various international venues.
Kevin has
earned a diploma in Business-Accounting from Canadore College, is currently
working towards completing the Certified General Accountants program and a
degree in Political Science from York University. He is also a graduate from
the University of Waterloo Economic Development Program and Confederation College
Small Business Counseling Program. He has an extensive background in business
development, business management and marketing.
Kevin has
been previously employed as a Business Development Officer at the Waubetek
Business Development Corporation, an Aboriginal Financial Institution that
provides business financing, delivery of the Aboriginal Business Canada program
and other business advisory services to Aboriginal entrepreneurs and 27 First
Nations throughout northeastern Ontario. In his 4 years of work with Waubetek,
he has helped assist with the investment of over 3 million dollars in over 100
Aboriginal businesses to help them expand or become operational. He has been
instrumental in assisting with several major community development projects. He
has also gained business experience as over the years as Operations Manager for
the family-owned Eshkawkogan Timber Company.
Kevin also operates KSK Business Solutions which
opened Spirit Island Adventures in 2012, with his partner Melissa. He has also
been a key player in building the new Manitoulin Hotel & Conference Centre,
a project owned by six First Nations. He is an avid hunter, fisherman, and a
grass dancer on the powwow circuit who enjoys participating in traditional
powwows throughout Manitoulin Island. He believes strongly that economic and
business developments are the solution to the many issues that face Aboriginal
people today.
When asked what he plans for the near future and his
long-term goals, Kevin tells us,
“Professionally, my plans for the near future include establishing Aboriginal
Tourism Ontario, ensuring the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre is
operating well as a start-up, growing the Great Spirit Circle Trail a bit more
and establishing another revenue generating business or two under the Great
Spirit Circle Trail corporate entity. Communally, I plan on letting my name
stand for council again in M’Chigeeng to continue my work and vision there for
another term. Generally, I plan on living a balanced family and professional
life.”
Having a Vision…
On a
provincial level, Kevin has been instrumental in the development of an
Aboriginal Tourism Ontario organization with the hopes of creating a provincial
support system to grow Aboriginal tourism in Ontario. Kevin saw an opportunity
with a growing demand in Aboriginal tourism and developing new product, there
is a need to help other people develop businesses to grow the industry and he
has offered to share his knowledge and expertise in order to move forward. CES
was hired to work with Kevin and GSCT on this project.
Through his
work in 2014 with the Great Spirit Circle Trail, Aboriginal Tourism Ontario and
his additional business endeavours, Kevin Eshkawkogan embodies the spirit of
tourism in Ontario.
At
a local level, Kevin has a strong desire to improve the local socio-economic
situation by employing local people and creating local business opportunities.
He personally grew up with his parents having to relocate and move out of his
community to find work, so experiencing this first hand has driven him to
pursue creating more local business opportunities and sees Aboriginal tourism
and its spin-offs being a driving force.
Hard Work and
Dedication…
In addition, Kevin has set a goal for myself to
become an elected councillor in MChigeeng and to have MChigeeng become
self-sustainable as a nation by the year 2020.
At a regional level, he works with 8 First
Nations communities and several Aboriginal partners on an ongoing basis to
develop and grow Aboriginal tourism development through the Great Spirit Circle
Trail.
His
accomplishments on a regional level include growing the regional economic
impact for the region – from 2004 it grew from less than a million to over $10
million per year in 2014. This includes
all of the spin off businesses that come along with tourism such as gas,
groceries, etc. This is a huge accomplishment and they are seeing growth every
year.
Kevin
is constantly studying and assessing what the needs are and knows there is a
need for more of a variety of tourism products in the region. As a result is
always looking into opportunities to develop new products on an ongoing basis
such as the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre which was launched in 2014. He
has identified the need for more accommodation facilities and more inventory
for tourism products and services such as transportation, hotels, and food
& beverage services. As a result, group tours are growing in 2014.
Continuing
to Grow…
At
a provincial level, Kevin, along with other visionaries and support, has pushed
forward and created momentum for the Aboriginal Tourism Ontario (ATO)
organization. He believes if you carry knowledge in a certain area it is your
responsibility to share it and that encouraged him to take the lead on this
initiative. The creation of a draft strategy for Aboriginal Tourism Ontario was
developed in 2009, and it was evident that there was a need for more Aboriginal
tourism product across the province and in order to do this a support system
was needed. The official launch of the Aboriginal Tourism Ontario was on April
9, 2014 at the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre in Little Current,
topping off the three-day Great Spirit Circle Trail (GSCT) 9th Annual Business
Tourism Conference.
Kevin
continues to strive to grow the tourism industry and improve socio-economic
conditions for the province. Kevin hopes that a provincial support system will
improve the economic impacts and sustainability in Ontario’s First Nations
communities. ATO can fill certain roles that can help fill gaps for support
like international marketing, and other services like helping businesses become
market ready and removing certain stereotypes. This provides an opportunity for
communities and businesses to start to share their own stories by owning,
operating and running tourism businesses.
Kevin’s
leadership with ATO has led to creating new partnerships and connections with First
Nations communities which will result in opening up some new doors and helping
others see the potential and merit involved with Aboriginal tourism moving
forward.
Kevin’s hard work and dedication to the industry
demonstrate that you have the ability to create a positive socio-economic
impact in your community and region. Our team at CES feels honoured to have
worked with Kevin and look forward to future collaborations with him. For more
info on the work that Kevin has done or projects that CES has been involved
with contact us at info@cesclients.com or visit
us at www.cesclients.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment