Tourism, Culture and Heritage

Cape Breton Island is a collection of vibrant communities which combine to convey a unique sense of place. Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People is home to cultural diversity which developed as immigrants were welcomed to our shores for centuries – from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

Tourism is a broad term that encompasses culture, recreation, sport, business and leisure travel, events, cruise, outdoor adventure, cuisine and heritage preservation, conservation and sharing. Cape Breton University has delivered quality tourism education and valuable work experiences for students across these sectors for almost 50 years. Our academic programming has grown and changed to meet industry needs, but CBU offers much more than education and training to support and strengthen tourism.

Research and industry collaborations connect CBU to communities across our Island. On campus, the Boardmore Playhouse encourages community engagement via a thriving arts expertise that is demonstrated in numerous opportunities producing and hosting stage performances, music and dance. We are proud of our bustling art gallery and wealth of archives at the Beaton Institute.

Indigenous studies are an integral component of connecting to Cape Breton Island communities. Unama’ki College, the L’nu Resource Centre and the Mi’kmaq Language Lab, Kji-keptin Alexander Denny L’nui’sultimkeweyo’kuom, are key to enhancing and promoting excellence in Aboriginal education.