Battling the past: social, economic, and political challenges to Indigenous tourism employment

Arctic explorers have traditionally viewed the North as unexplored frontier, minimizing the role of Indigenous inhabitants. Today, despite exponential growth in Northern tourism, Indigenous peoples are minimally and under-employed, continuing a troubling pattern of economic and social marginalization. In categorizing the challenges to Indigenous employment in the tourism industry identified through a case study literature review, three themes of obstacles emerge: economic and socially extractive practices, contentious social norms, and legal obstacles. The rhetorical content and historical, political, and economic components are each examined, and five considerations for tourism development given to promote employment equity. As the Arctic continues to garner international interest, the ‘Nordic case’ reveals the need for sustainable and inclusive tourism employment across circumpolar states and for Northern futures.