By Cara McKenna

Erik Blaney. © Tricia Thomas

Tla’amin First Nation’s Erik Blaney took a step entirely outside of his comfort zone in January in order to promote his tourism business overseas.

Blaney, who proclaims that he’s “never been anywhere,” hopped on a plane to attend the Vakantiebeurs tourism fair in Utrecht, near Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

There was jet lag, some cultural shock and a few questionable Dutch delicacies – but Erik’s I’Hos Cultural Tours and the Lund Hotel, which Tla’amin owns, ran out of brochures and maps by day three of the five-day trade show.

“I’ve never been on a big plane before, the biggest plane would be from Powell River to Vancouver,” he said.

Blaney explained that he gets anxiety flying, because he hates to not to be in control. It’s a trait that has actually helped him become successful and manage a number of thriving projects besides I’Hos.

It did not help him during the 10-hour flight from Vancouver, but he still made it in one piece and ready to promote Tla’amin, even after being awake for 33 hours.

“There were about 200,000 people at the trade show,” Blaney said. “Our reach was huge.”

The Dutch were impressed by Tla’amin territory, which I’Hos highlights in its tours with interpretive hikes, showing medicinal plants and teaching about traditional practices like weaving and carving.

And while Blaney was showing off Tla’amin’s culture, he got a taste of the Dutch culture, too. Friends he was staying with kept him on his toes by challenging him to eat and learn something Dutch every day. He also saw some sights including giant windmills and Amsterdam’s famous red light district.

The foods included toast with chocolate sprinkles and questionably coloured hot dogs. But the strangest thing, Blaney said, was how the Dutch prepare herring.

“I think they use vinegar to take the skin off. And then you have a bowl of onions and you roll the herring and onions and eat it,” he said. “It was pretty good actually.”

In Tla’amin, herring is fried or pickled, something the Dutch would perhaps in turn find odd.

Now, Blaney is back at home, preparing for what’s sure to be a prosperous tourism season after his business trip.

I’Hos’ zodiac tours kick off on May 15. Info at ihostours.com