Leading Native American Tourism Association Featured at International Aboriginal Tourism Conference

WHISTLER, British Columbia - April 24, 2014 - PRLog -- The annual International Aboriginal Tourism Conference (IATC) wrapped up last week in Whistler, BC Canada, where the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) was invited to join a panel discussion about working with government and industry in cultural and aboriginal tourism.

The conference, hosted by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (AtBC), is a unique conference in the tourism industry, with a focus on Best Practices and examples of successful authentic aboriginal tourism businesses from around the world. With an impressive list of presenters in tourism, IATC offers practical advice on how to succeed in the cultural tourism industry.

AIANTA Public Lands Partnership Coordinator Virginia Salazar-Halfmoon, along with a panel of 4 other government and industry professionals, discussed the importance of collaboration and partnership in developing Aboriginal cultural tourism. The panel showcased examples of product development and marketing strategies with Government and Industry.

“Tourism is such an important industry for aboriginal businesses and communities,” Salazar-Halfmoon said. “Conferences like IATC create important networks among cultural and aboriginal tourism industry professionals, and I’m glad to see tribal and cultural voices being heard through partnerships and tourism,” she added.

At the conference, which took place April 15-16, attendees also heard presenters speak about the Larrakia Declaration and the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance, the importance of research in Aboriginal tourism, attracting international visitors, regional indigenous tourism strategies and more.

To learn more about the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC, visit www.aboriginalbc.com

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)