“Because Tofino is so popular, it definitely has the opportunity to educate visitors, and I think if you can just even change one person’s mind or narrative about who we are, you’re winning. It’s successful.” — Maria Clark

Hospitality can do more than welcome visitors—it can nurture cultural pride and create opportunities for future generations. 

At Tin Wis Resort, Maria Clark embodies this mission. As the resort’s Assistant General Manager and a Board Director at Indigenous Tourism BC, she mentors the next generation, champions representation, and pays forward the opportunities that inspired her own journey into tourism.

“I’m really proud to say my front desk managers are Indigenous, and I’m indigenous,” she shares. “I have supervisors that are Indigenous leaders. We’ve built leaders here that are Indigenous.” 

Located on a site with profound historical and cultural significance as British Columbia’s last functioning residential school, Tin Wis is part of a long road to healing. Content warning: the conversation includes a brief discussion of the impact of residential schools in the area.

Today, Tin Wis Resort is a site of positive transformation. Newly operated by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and shaped by the community’s needs, it elevates what it means to be Nuu-chah-nulth while making sure culture and heritage shine through in ways that support everyone.

Through this work, Maria shows how hospitality can be a force for connection, understanding, and change. She challenges the tourism industry to take on this responsibility—to prioritize respect, representation, and reconciliation—and to make meaningful contributions that honour the communities it touches. 

You’ll also learn:

• Why Tin Wis Resort follows the ?iisaak Pledge.
• Why Indigenous representation is so important in fostering inclusivity within tourism.
• How mentorship and training can open doors for Indigenous communities.
• The responsibility to educate visitors about local culture and environmental issues.
• Why tourism, like other industries, must be accountable for its impact

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Show notes

?iisaak Pledge —A commitment to practicing respect for the land, culture, and people of Tofino, inspired by the Nuu-chah-nulth teaching. 

Indigenous Tourism BC — A non-profit organization dedicated to growing and promoting a sustainable, culturally rich Indigenous tourism industry in British Columbia.

Tin Wis Resort — A Nuu-chah-nulth-owned resort in Tofino that embodies Indigenous hospitality, cultural heritage, and community-centered tourism.

Tourism Tofino — Tofino’s official not-for-profit destination marketing and management organization.