Saturday, October 30, 2010

American Indian Tourism Conference

Photos and Story by Marilyn Angel Wynn/Nativestock.com























Nearly 57 million international travelers are expected to visit the USA in 2011. Why shouldn’t Indian Country locations compete for a slice of the pie with destinations like Disneyland, Las Vegas and Niagara Falls. Tourism brings economic development to many communities, creating new jobs and extra revenue. Through culture, history, recreation and landscapes Native American Tourism has so much to offer guests.

Located in the misty cedar forest along the Pacific Northwest are the homelands of the Tulalip Tribe who hosted the 12th annual American Indian & Alaska Native Tourism (AIANTA) conference. Over 230 tribal members and travel specialists showed-up to be introduced to Coast Salish culture and hospitality. The AIANTA event was held at Tulalip Casino Resort Hotel and Convention Center, voted as Washington State’s favorite casino.

AIANTA is a nonprofit association of Native American tribes and tribal businesses organized in 1999 to promote Indian Country tourism. The Association is made up of member tribes from six regions: Eastern, Plains, Midwest, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. The purpose of the Association is to serve as the voice and resource for it’s constituents in marketing tourism, providing training and educational resources to Tribal members, and serving as the liaison between Indian Country and governmental and private entities for the development, growth, and sustenance of Indian Country tourism.

The theme of this years AIANTA conference was “Voices and Visions of Indian Country”. Attendees were there to absorb all that was offered like keynote addresses, breakout sessions and mobile workshops. Conference gatherers also spent a good deal of time consulting one-on-one with representatives from government offices of Secretary of State, Federal Parks, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Small Business Association. Evening entertainment included a dessert reception with hip-hop artist Casper, a welcome reception with traditional Coast Salish songs and an after hours Karaoke session.

Visitors to the Tulalip tribe’s exclusive resort are emerged into a pleasing environment that strongly displays Coast Salish culture. Eye-catching artwork of totem poles, wood-carvings, glasswork and well displayed artifacts have been installed everywhere. During a speech, Derrick Jones representing the Yavapai Nation, described the amazing showers as, "the water spraying out from the wall made me feel like a salmon swimming through a strong ocean current.”

Artisan and vendor booths that specialize on Indian Country travel and destinations were set up throughout the hotel's convention area. The Suquamish tribe sponsored an Internet zone available for attendees to stay in contact with associates, clients and family. Small groups converged in quiet sitting areas that offered privacy for extended discussion and exchange contact information in-between break out sessions that ran simultaneously throughout each day.

Next year’s AIANTA conference on American Indian tourism will be hosted by the Yavapai Apache from the Southwest Region in Fountain Hills Arizona. For more information go to www.aianta.org