American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association Celebrates 16th Annual Conference in Louisiana

ALEXANDRIA, La. - Sept. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) proudly presents the 16th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC) “Introducing America’s Native Nations to the World,” hosted by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, La., September 14 – 18, 2014.

The annual AITC provides attendees with a quality educational forum to help tribes and organizations with travel and tourism initiatives. As tradition, the conference will kick off with a once in a lifetime experience, exploring the culture and history of our host and surrounding tribes through interactive workshops with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, the Coushatta Tribe, and the Chitimacha Tribe and United Houma Nation.

“AIANTA strives to inspire tribes across the nation to take advantage of the vast opportunities for economic development that cultural tourism presents,” said Camille Ferguson, AIANTA Executive Director. “We hope that our 16th Annual AITC will further the network of resources available to Tribal communities building their economic base through tourism.”

Whether a tribe or tribal organization is just entering the tourism arena and its operations, or has an experienced tourism department - AITC features something for everyone, Ferguson said.

The AITC delivers an outstanding lineup of leaders, tourism experts and dynamic speakers and presenters to share tourism knowledge, experience and best practices from around the country and the world.

In this year’s sessions, attendees will learn more about tribal tourism and business development, best practices, tourism marketing, tribal museums and cultural centers, the international tourism market, protection of tribal intellectual and cultural property, federal resources and programs, and more.

With the rise of culinary tourism trends and as a result of its previous success, AIANTA is excited to announce the return of a culinary cultural trends session.

Award-winning Recording Artist Martha Redbone will be the featured entertainment for AIANTA’s Enough Good People Silent Auction and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, September 17, 2014 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. CDT. The event gives an opportunity to recognize the “best of” the tribal hospitality and tourism industry, accompanied by dinner, entertainment and a silent auction, featuring extraordinary items, which include works of art from renowned Native artists from around the country and special travel and vacation packages.

Featured speakers on the 16^th Annual AITC Agenda include:

·        Edward H Hall III

Bureau of Indian Affairs

·         Pati Martinson

Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance

·         Jim Dion

National Geographic Society

·         Ron Erdmann

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Travel & Tourism Office

·         Anna Barrera

A2B Consulting

·         Paul Moorehead

Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC Attorneys at Law

·         Pohai Ryan

Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association

·         Makalapua Kanuha

Starwood Inc. The Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas in Lāhainā, Maui

·         Yuri Horowitz

SW Associates, LLC

·         Carolyn McClellan

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

·         Theresa Overby

Miles

·         Liz Anderson

Firehouse of America, LLC

·         Loretta Barrett Oden

Native Foodways Consultant

·         Vivian Arviso DeLoria

·         John DeLeva

Miles

·         Christopher James

U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Native American Affairs

·         Diane Chalfant

National Park Service

·         Melody McCoy

Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

·         Ernest Stevens III

Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW)

To learn more about the 16^th Annual AITC visit http://aianta.org/conference-home.aspx
(registration, mobile workshops; hotel information; sponsorship, artisan and exhibitor information; speaker biographies; conference agenda; silent auction and award ceremony and more)

About AIANTA

The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit association of Native American tribes and tribal businesses that was incorporated in 2002 to advance Indian Country tourism. The association is made up of member tribes from six regions: Alaska, Eastern, Midwest, Pacific, Plains and the Southwest. AIANTA’s mission is to define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian and Alaska Native tourism that honors and preserves tribal traditions and values.

The purpose of AIANTA is to provide our constituents with the voice and tools needed to advance tourism while helping tribes, tribal organizations and tribal members create infrastructure and capacity through technical assistance, training and educational resources. AIANTA serves as the liaison between Indian Country, governmental and private entities for the development, growth, and sustenance of Indian Country tourism. By developing and implementing programs and providing economic development opportunities, AIANTA helps tribes build for their future while sustaining and strengthening their cultural legacy.

To learn more, please visit www.aianta.org. For current updates, like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Indian-Alaska-Nati...) and follow us on Twitter (@OfficialAIANTA). (https://twitter.com/OfficialAIANTA)