Keith Henry

President and CEO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada 

Mr. Keith Henry is a Métis person that was born in Thompson, Manitoba and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. 

Mr. Henry began his career in 1995 with teaching positions and has become well known for his strategic administrative and negotiations skills.  Since 1998 Mr. Henry has led numerous provincial, federal and industry negotiations on a variety of issues.  He has been personally responsible for financial administration of several Indigenous non-profits and has a proven track record of success.  

Mr. Henry has become an international Indigenous cultural tourism leader receiving Indigenous recognition as the former CEO for Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia (AtBC).  In April 2014, the inaugural World Indigenous Tourism Alliance award recognized the work of AtBC and Mr. Henry’s leadership.  Mr. Henry has been spearheading the growth of authentic Indigenous tourism in Canada as he worked to redevelop the national Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada as elected chair when this organization incorporated in April 2015.  In October 2015 Mr. Henry took the full-time role as the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s President and CEO and has been leading the organization since. 

In Canada Mr. Henry continues to be recognized across the world as one of the leaders in Indigenous tourism and has led many new initiatives including the multiple national strategies to grow Indigenous tourism, contributions to the development of national standards on market readiness and authenticity, and multiple research projects on the economic progress of Indigenous tourism.   

Mr. Henry was recognized as one of Canada’s 150 Ambassadors in 2017 to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Mr. Henry was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws, honoris causa from the University of Guelph in 2020.

Mr. Henry continues to dedicate time in the Indigenous community and is the elected President of the BC Metis Federation since 2011.