The nation's only association dedicated to promoting tourism across America's native lands will celebrate its 20th anniversary this September at the annual American Indian Tourism Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The American Indian Alaska Native Travel Association (AIANTA) got its start in 1988 when a group of tribal tourism operators came together to discuss ways to grow tourism to tribal communities in a way that honored their traditions and values.
Initially fostered by the New Mexico Indian Tourism Association with additional funding by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and other tribal tourism organizations, the group created a tourism conference dedicated to tribal tourism.
From the conference, the nonprofit association was born, with the mandate to define, introduce, grow and sustain tourism not only among American Indians but Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.
Today, AIANTA provides training, technical assistance, certifications and scholarships, and advocates on behalf of tribes on programs, policies and decision-making at regional and national levels.
"The emergence of tribal cultural tourism has provided more than a venue for tribes looking to diversify their economies, it's created a market for global impact," said Camille Ferguson, AIANTA Executive Director. "No other organization in the U.S. has provided the national structure for tribal tourism to flourish."
Next month, AIANTA will celebrate the successful growth of the industry at its 20th annual conference at the Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Scheduled for September 17-20, the conference will feature award-winning tribal operators and national tourism experts who will speak about global best practices when working with the international travel industry.
Workshops will include sessions on tribal collaborations with federal public lands, transportation and case studies on tourism and economic development. New workshops this year include tips on working with Airbnb, developing RV sites and agritourism as a tool for developing tribal food sovereignty.
Prior to the conference, AIANTA will offer mobile tours to Acoma Pueblo, Puye Cliffs and the Navajo Nation where the host tribe will share information and provide opportunities to network and learn.
"It's a great honor to host this prestigious event and we plan on making AIANTA's 20th anniversary conference the best one they have ever experienced," said Tammy Abeita, Isleta Resort & Casino Sales Manager, adding that the casino will have a traveling museum from the Pueblo of Isleta and serve traditional Pueblo foods as part of the conference.
For travel agents interested in learning more about tribal tourism, AIANTA has also developed an experience and destinations website with more than 170 listings. The organization has helped grow overseas visitation to Native American communities from 693,000 in 2007 to 1.9 million in 2016, an increase of 180 percent.
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