American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association

TO DEFINE, INTRODUCE, GROW, AND SUSTAIN AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKAN NATIVE, AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN TOURISM THAT HONORS TRADITIONS AND VALUES.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING -- AIANTA WORKS WITH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUSINESS AND LAW FIRMS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, TRIBAL PARTNERS, NON-PROFITS, NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY AND DELIVER RESPONSIVE AND RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT. OUR TAILORED AND PARTNERSHIP-DRIVEN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, AND ENHANCEMENT OF TRIBAL TOURISM PRODUCTS. OUR PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AMERICAN INDIAN TOURISM CONFERENCE (AITC); INTERNATIONAL MARKET READINESS TRAINING; GO INTERNATIONAL; CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM CERTIFICATE PROGRAM; OUTREACH, RESOURCES, ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND BREAKING NEWS; PARTNER-BASED WEBINAR INSTRUCTION; AND OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE A CRITICAL ACCESS POINT FOR EXPANDING THE TRIBAL TOURISM KNOWLEDGE BASE AND EXPERTISE IN INDIAN COUNTY.

TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH -- THE TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH PROGRAM CONDUCTS DIRECT OUTREACH TO TRIBES AND NATIVE-OWNED BUSINESSES TO IDENTIFY CAPACITY AND TRAINING NEEDS AND TO INCREASE THE CONTENT ON AIANTA'S CONSUMER WEBSITE, NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL AND AIANTA'S PROPRIETARY DATABASE. THE TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH PROGRAM INTRODUCES AIANTA RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS TO TRIBES AND PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF PLANNING AND FUNDING FOR CULTURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. DURING INTERVIEWS, THE TEAM GATHERS INFORMATION ABOUT TRIBAL TOURISM ATTRACTIONS AND ENCOURAGES FUTURE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM CULTIVATES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ESTABLISHING/MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH TRIBAL TRAVEL, TOURISM AND RECREATION STAFF; TOURISM INDUSTRY LEADERS; FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES; EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS; HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICERS; ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS.

ADVANCING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF INDIAN COUNTRY TOURISM: MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS -- AIANTA PROVIDES OUTREACH AND MARKETING SUPPORT TO EXPAND THE IMPACT OF TRIBAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. IN THE PAST YEAR, AIANTA REACHED POTENTIAL TRAVELERS DOMESTICALLY AND IN 46 COUNTRIES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, AIANTA.ORG AND NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL. AIANTA EARNS MILLIONS OF MEDIA IMPRESSIONS ANNUALLY AND REACHES THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGH E-MAIL NEWS BLASTS, WEEKLY AND MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. AIANTA'S REACH IS EXTENDED THROUGH A TARGETED MEDIA RELATIONS CAMPAIGN, WITH PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTED TO LEADING NATIVE AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING NATIVE NEWS ONLINE, NATIVE AMERICA CALLING, CHEROKEE ONE FEATHER, INDIANZ.COM AND HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, TO NAME A FEW. ADDITIONALLY, AIANTA TARGETS LEADING TRAVEL TRADE (TRAVEL AGENT AND TOUR OPERATOR PUBLICATIONS), SUCH AS TRAVEL WEEKLY, TRAVELAGE WEST, TRAVELPULSE AND SKIFT TO NAME A FEW. AIANTA ALSO COMMUNICATES WITH LEADING CONSUMER TRAVEL WRITERS, BOTH FREELANCE AND EDITORIAL STAFF TO FURTHER GENERATE STORIES FOR INDIAN COUNTRY TOURISM. IN FY 2021 AIANTA GENERATED PRESS IN A NUMBER OF LEADING INTERNATIONAL PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS, GENERATING PRESS COVERAGE IN MORE THAN 250 DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PRINT MAGAZINES AND DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS. A JOINT PRESS RELEASE BETWEEN AIANTA AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RESULTED IN MORE THAN 1.2 BILLION VIEWS.

VISITOR OUTREACH -- AIANTA PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM STRATEGY TO BRING MORE VISITORS TO THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR PARTICIPATION AT INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOWS TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN INDIAN COUNTRY. AIANTA'S VISITOR OUTREACH PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO FULFILLING OUR MISSION AND PROMISE TO AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIVE COMMUNITIES. UNIQUE TO AIANTA, WE WORK WITH TRIBES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR AND ENTERING THE TOURISM MARKETPLACE. CURRENTLY, AIANTA PROMOTES INDIAN COUNTRY DESTINATIONS TO VISITOR MARKETS AT INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVEL TRADESHOWS, INCLUDING IPW (HELD IN ROTATING U.S. DESTINATIONS) AND THE NATIONAL TOUR ASSOCIATION (ROTATING U.S. DESTINATIONS). INTERNATIONALLY, AIANTA ATTENDS SHOWCASE USA - ITALY (ROTATING ITALIAN DESTINATIONS), ITB BERLIN (BERLIN, GERMANY), AND BRAND USA'S TRAVEL WEEK (LONDON, UK). DESTINATION MARKETING -- IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015, AIANTA LAUNCHED THE FIRST AND ONLY CONSUMER-FACING DESTINATION WEBSITE DEDICATED TO INDIAN COUNTRY TOURISM, WWW.NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL. THE WEBSITE PROVIDES INSPIRATION AND INSTRUCTION TO TRAVEL TRADE PROFESSIONALS AND INDIVIDUAL TRAVELERS TO HELP THEM LOCATE AUTHENTIC CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TRIBAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS AND TO EXPLORE INDIAN COUNTRY. AIANTA INVITES EACH FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE TO CLAIM AND POPULATE THEIR OWN PAGE. AIANTA HAS INCREASED OUTREACH TO TRIBES TO ENCOURAGE TRIBAL PARTICIPATION AND VISITOR EXPLORATION OF TRIBAL ATTRACTIONS, DESTINATIONS, AND EXPERIENCES. NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL IS EVOLVING INTO A POWERFUL TOOL FOR TRIBES TO PROMOTE TRIBAL TOURISM REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY. AIANTA IS ENGAGING AND TRAINING TRIBAL TOURISM LEADERS TO USE THIS TOOL TO PERPETUATE AND PROMOTE THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - FORMING AND NURTURING PARTNERSHIPS -- AIANTA'S PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FACILITATES STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TRIBES, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ADDRESSING HOSPITALITY-RELATED ISSUES AND FACILITATING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AMONG THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. AIANTA WORKS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND NATIONAL NON- PROFIT ASSOCIATIONS TO BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS OF TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES ON TRIBAL AND FEDERAL LANDS, WHICH IN TURN PRODUCES ECONOMIC BENEFITS WHILE PROVIDING TRIBES WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO PERPETUATE THEIR CULTURE, HERITAGE, LANGUAGE AND CULINARY OFFERINGS.