The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) has revealed the host site for its 22nd annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC.) In September 2020, the conference will be hosted by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation at the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center near Scottsdale, Arizona.
“We are honored and excited to welcome AIANTA Staff, Board, tourism professionals, industry suppliers and tribal leaders to our beautiful location and venue,” said Michelle Huebner, Senior Sales Manager for We-Ko-Pa Resort.
The only national conference on Indian Country tourism, AITC brings industry trends, cutting-edge best practices, cultural development practices and legislative news to attendees to help them create successful tourism programs. Attendees gain insight on how the tourism industry works from itinerary creation, packaging, marketing and positioning their tribes for the international market.
“We are thrilled to be returning to the beautiful We-Ko-Pa Resort, where we held our 13th annual conference in 2011,” said Camille Ferguson, AIANTA Executive Director. “The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation has been a long-time supporter of AIANTA and our mission to advance tribal tourism, and conference attendees will have plenty of opportunities to learn from this leader in tourism promotion.”
AITC features an impressive line-up of expert speakers from tourism programs around the United States. Past conference break-out sessions have covered such topics as international tourism demographics, packaging tour programs, strategies for marketing and media relations, protecting intellectual and cultural property, exploring culinary trends and collaborating with state and federal agencies, to name a few.
Every year, the conference kicks off with unique mobile workshops that highlight the culture of the host tribes, and foster networking opportunities for attendees to share, teach and learn from one other.
The conference in Arizona follows the 21st annual AITC, which will be hosted by Cherokee Nation at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, September 16-19, 2019.
More than 300 tribal leaders and tourism industry professionals will gather in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they will participate in exciting mobile workshops that highlight the unique cultures of the region. The conference also features local artists, destinations and services, who exhibit at an accompanying trade show. AIANTA also recognizes the best in the industry with the prestigious “Cultural Heritage Destination of the Year” Awards presented during a Gala Awards Ceremony.
On the second night of the Tulsa conference, We-Ko-Pa Resort and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation will jointly host an evening reception introducing their venue and destination to encourage attendance for the following year.
