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AIANTA News | May 2022
What's New at AIANTA?
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O me’a”kwa: Celebrating Three Years | |
Dear Members, partners and friends,
As I reach out to you this month, I’ve just finished celebrating my three-year anniversary as AIANTA’s CEO.
Since taking on the new leadership role, I have spearheaded several initiatives and seen the organization grow from 8 employees to 13 employees. Although I could never have predicted all the challenges that would unfold in such a short period of time, I also can’t imagine having faced those challenges with a more amazing community.
I’m especially excited to see a renewed sense of optimism among our industry colleagues as we start to see things turnaround after an incredibly difficult two years.
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AIANTA is Seeking Hosts for 2024, 2025 AITC | |
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AIANTA is seeking proposals from qualified Native American and Alaska Native tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, and/or tribal enterprises, hotels or casinos to host the American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC) in 2024 and 2025.
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May 23-26, 2022
Las Vegas, Nevada
AIANTA is heading back to RES in Las Vegas later this month. We are excited to meet with you all and share the Economic Importance of Cultural Heritage Tourism.
If you'd like to learn more about AIANTA and its programs, please contact Bianca Mitchell at bmitchell@aianta.org to schedule a one on one conversation.
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Visit AIANTA's Tribal Row at IPW | |
June 5-8, 2022
Orlando, Florida
AIANTA and Indigenous tourism enterprises from around the country will be participating in a shared booth at IPW, the largest international tourism tradeshow in the United States.
If you will be attending IPW please let us know or schedule an appointment with Bianca Mitchell at bmitchell@aianta.org.
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AIANTA Tourism & Hospitality Scholarship | |
Deadline to Apply: July 15, 2022
AIANTA's Tourism & Hospitality Scholarship provides American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students with financial assistance towards a degree or certificate in hospitality, tourism, recreation, culinary arts or related fields.
Each year, AIANTA awards three individuals who have met all scholarship application criteria. The three selected students are awarded $1,000 per semester (fall 2022 and spring 2023 semester only). Each student can earn a maximum award of $2,000 per academic school year.
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24th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference | |
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October 24-27, 2022
Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Funner, CA 92082
Sponsor AITC
Extend your visibility by sponsoring AITC, the only national conference dedicated to travel and tourism in Indian Country.
Sponsor AITC
Excellence in Tourism Industry Awards
Every year, AIANTA recognizes the best of Indian Country travel and tourism at the annual Excellence in Tourism Industry Awards Gala and Silent Auction.
Apply Now
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AIANTA Town Hall: A Taste of Indian Country
June 29, 2022; 1 p.m., Mountain
Native peoples have hosted visitors for hundreds of years, sharing culture and culinary traditions that vary from tribe to tribe. As today’s travelers look to explore cultures different than their own, agritourism and culinary tourism are rapidly growing trends in the hospitality industry.
In the latest Town Hall, Native partners will learn more about AIANTA’s agritourism marketing efforts while also being given the opportunity to share their own challenges and questions with respect to starting or expanding an agritourism program. To learn more about Native partners in agritourism, download AIANTA’s Case Studies in Tribal Agritourism.
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Developing Culinary Tourism in Rural Communities with a Focus on Healthy Foods
June 7, 2022; 10 a.m. (Mountain)
Setting up a coffee shop in a rural community is a risk, but luckily some Native entrepreneurs are willing to take that chance. Next Evolution Coffee Shop is not your ordinary coffee shop. The Schurz, Nevada shop was created not only set up to provide a local gathering place, but the foods and drinks they provide promote a healthy lifestyle while breaking down barriers on the Walker River Paiute tribal community.
The plant-based coffee shop, owned by tribal citizen Andrea Martinez, features organic juices, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, wraps and much more. While the shop was created with the needs of the community in mind, its key location on Highway 95, means travelers between Reno and Las Vegas also have the opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee and a healthy snack while learning more about the Walker River Paiute tribal community. In this webinar, learn how Next Evolution Coffee incorporates Indigenous learnings and a people-over-profit philosophy in its business model.
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Nez Perce Tourism offers a warm welcome to Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Country, with the only tours created to connect you to Nimiipuu culture through interactive storytelling, song, drum, and dance. From riverbeds to mountain tops, Nez Perce Tourism offers land and water journeys. Nimiipuu Tours earned AIANTA's "Best Cultural Heritage Experience" in 2021.
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Riiglluk Creations is a family-owned business that picks stinkweed, also known as wormwood, on St. Lawrence Island They then dry it and ship it to Anchorage, Alaska where it is processed and made into salve and tea.
Stinkweed is a species of flowering plant from the aster family. Its common names include Tilesius’ wormwood, Aleutian mugwort, and stinkweed. Artemisia tilesii has a number of historical uses in the traditional medicine systems of Alaska Native peoples.
The family relies upon Yupik values and a strong sense of community and always treat their customers with respect and in honesty..
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Claim Your Free Listing at NativeAmerica.travel | |
NativeAmerica.travel is AIANTA's premier destination website, connecting travelers to unique American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian destinations in the United States. Join the leading travel resource for visitors seeking authentic indigenous travel experiences!
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Join AIANTA Now
AIANTA members are well-informed and play a key role in supporting sustainable and authentic tribal tourism that benefits not only member tribes but all tribes. With your help, we’ll continue to make sure that the right national decision-makers hear your voice—and all our voices—so our people can thrive and grow.
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Shop AIANTA at Amazon.com
AIANTA has joined the AmazonSmile charitable giving program. After you designate AIANTA as your preferred charitable organization through AmazonSmile, Amazon will contribute .5 percent of all purchases to help support AIANTA programming.
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Presenting Sponsor
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians
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Presenting Sponsor
Harrah's Resort Southern California
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Choctaw Country
Gold Sponsor
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Arizona Office of Tourism
Silver Sponsor
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Inn of the Mountain Gods
Bronze Sponsor
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Visit Cherokee Nation
Bronze Sponsor
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Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Tribal Team Sponsor
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Klas Robinson QED
Emerging Leader Sponsor
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NativeAmerica.Travel Facebook | |
Check out our brand new YouTube page. While you're there, please subscribe!
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Funding Opportunities
AIANTA collects funding opportunities that may be of interest to Indigenous or Native American tourism & hospitality enterprises looking to grow their tourism, culture, heritage, arts, agritourism or other culture and heritage programming.
Sign Up Now
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