AITC 2018

20th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference

September 17-20, 2018 | Isleta Resort & Casino | Albuquerque, New Mexico

Thank you for joining us at our 20th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC.)

This milestone event themed “20 years of Tribal Tourism Development – Then and Now” was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the stunning, refurbished Isleta Resort and Casino.

Speakers & Sessions

Below are the panels and breakout sessons for our 2018 AITC lineup. Please note, items in red are downloadable versions of the presentations given.

Block 1
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018
10:30 a.m.-noon

How to Understand and Benefit from Domestic and International Tribal Tourism Research and Data

Rick Cain, Vice President, Longwoods International USA Inc;
Julie Heizer, Deputy Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Department of Commerce

Global Good Practice Guidelines for the Travel Industry Working with Indigenous Communities

Seleni Matus, Executive Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies, The George Washington University
Anna Barrera,Owner, A2B Consulting
Mario Fulmer, Visitor Program Manager, Alaska Native Voices and AIANTA Board Member, Alaska Region
Lee Vale, Business Development and Operations Manager, Alaska Native Voices

New Market Development: How to Work with Tour/Receptive Operators and Developing Itineraries and Tour Packaging

Catherine Prather, Executive Vice President, National Tour Association
Donovan Hanley, Owner, DETOURS Native America

Block 2
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018
1:45 p.m.-3:15 p.m.

Best Practices for RV Parks and Campgrounds

Michael Ochs, Director of Governmental Affairs, Recreational Vehicle Association
Terry Heslin, State Recreation and Transportation Lead, New Mexico State Office, Bureau of Land Management

Create a Managed Tourism Program

Susan Guyette, Ph.D., Santa Fe Planning & Research
Theodore (Ted) Jojola, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Regents’ Professor, Community and Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture + Planning, University of New Mexico

Tribal Tourism and Public Lands: Opportunities and Resources for Collaboration

Donald Leadbetter, Tourism Program Manager, National Park Service
Reed Robinson, Manager, National Park Service Tribal Liaison Officer (Acting)
Angela West, National Program Lead, Tourism & Community Service, Bureau of Land Management
Toby Bloom, National Program Manager for Tourism, Travel and Interpretation, U.S. Forest Service
Kaisa Barthuli, Program Manager, National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program

Block 3
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018
10:30 a.m.-noon

Building Remote Sustainable Adventure Tourism

Kristin Lamoureux, Visiting Professor, Hospitality and Tourism, Virginia Tech University
Jon Panamaroff, CEO, Kodiak Brown Bear Center
Christina Beckmann, Senior Director, Strategy & Impact, Adventure Travel Trade Association

How to Tell Your Story through Traditional and Non-Traditional Media

Levi Rickert, Publisher/Editor, Native News Online
Chris Schroeder, CEO, Real Time Solutions

Understanding the Profile of International Visitation to Indian Country

Chrystal Denys, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Services, American Embassy, London
Luisa Salomoni, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Services, U.S. Consulate, Milan

Block 4
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018
2 p.m.-3:15 p.m.

Tourism Development as a Tool for Food Sovereignty

Toni Stanger McLaughlin, JD, Director of Tribal Governance, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, University of Arkansas School of Law
Colby Duren, Policy Director and Staff Attorney, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, University of Arkansas School of Law
Charlie G. Sark, Indigenous Tourism Strategist, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

Innovative Ways to Attract Visitors and Learn Why and How to Claim Your Webpage on NativeAmerica.Travel

Sandra Anderson, IT & Web Development Coordinator, AIANTA
Joseph Robertson, PhD, CEO/Data Scientist, Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC

Tourism 101

Kristin Lamoureaux, Visiting Professor, Hospitality and Tourism, Virginia Tech University

Block 5
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018
3:45 p.m.-5 p.m.

How to Assess and Manage Risk

Derek Valdo, Chief Executive Officer, AMERIND Risk

Media is the Mediator Between Tourism & Society: Editorial Content vs. Marketing, Promotions & Advertising

Bethany Sam, Business Development Manager, Sierra Nevada Media Group/First Nations
Brenna Moore, PR & Communications Manager, Visit Albuquerque

Transportation and Tourism – Access is Everything

Robert Frazier, Highway Engineer, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Block 6
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018
8:45 a.m.-10:15 a.m..

How to Participate in the Shared Tourism Economy through Airbnb

Kristin Lamoureux, Visiting Professor, Hospitality and Tourism, Virginia Tech University
Anima Lavoy, Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Airbnb, Inc.

Learn the Benefits of Working with Receptive Tour Operators

Paige Williams Shepherd, Director of Corporate Development and Tourism, Chickasaw Nation
Donovan Hanley, Owner, DETOURS Native America

Laying the Legal Foundation Part 1 – Understanding Contracts on a Sovereign Nation to Sovereign Nation Platform

Jeffrey J. Mayer, Partner, Litigation, Akerman Law

Block 7
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018
10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Laying the Legal Foundation Part 2, Intellectual/Cultural Property Protections

Melody McCoy, Esq., Esq., Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

Tourism & Economic Development Planning -Case Studies

Rick MacLeod Farley, Development Economist, Farley & Associates
Floyd Tortalita, Executive Director, Pueblo of Acoma Housing Authority
Ashley Bland, Director, Travois Design

Tourism Planning: Tribal Tourism Funding Opportunities Panel

Courtney Spearman, Design Specialist/Visual Arts, National Endowment for the Arts
Kimberly Romine, Deputy Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans
Carolyn McClelan, Assistant Director, Programs, Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of the American Indian
Trisha Korbas, EDR for NM and West TX, Economic Development Administration
Elizabeth Tran, Office of Digital Humanities