Nevada’s 2023 Tribal Tourism Conference

March 21 – 22, 2023

AIANTA is partnering with the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada’s Indian Territory and the Nevada Indian Commission to host the conference at the historic Stewart Indian School in Carson City, Nevada.
Nevada Tribal Tourism Conference (NTTC) aims to facilitate conversations with the Native communities, federal agencies, nonprofit associations, and elected officials on the economic and cultural importance of a healthy hospitality industry as well as support for Tribes to tell their stories.

Among the activities for the conference, you will have a chance to tour the Museum and Cultural Center at Stewart and explore the grounds of this historic landmark.  We will also be hosting a tour on the afternoon of the 20th of the California Trail as it enters Carson City with local tribal members and historians to get an idea of the impact the trail had on native people.

Some of the other things you can do at the conference.

  • Hear from Local, state, and national tourism experts.
  • Connect and network with other tribes from across the state.
  • Advance and develop your business, career, and tourism ventures.
  • Gain an understanding of what is needed and how to participate in domestic and international markets.

Partners

Why Attend Nevada’s Tribal Tourism Conference?
Expert speakers and hands-on presentations showcase how to build itineraries, how to attract domestic and international group travelers and how to work with global tour operators.

Identify your market readiness, prepare your destinations and experiences for the international visitors, and assure quality relationships with international tour operators and media to advance your products globally.

NTTC Venue

Stewart Indian School – Gym
1 Jacobsen Way
Carson City, Nevada 89701

NTTC Accommodations

Lodging: The Federal Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection

Address: 900 South Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701 

Phone: (775)-883-0900

Rate per night: 89.00 USD (taxes/fees not included)
Booking dates: March 20 – 23, 2023
Reservation rate deadline: March 1, 2023
Hotel check-in is 3:00 PM / check-out is 12:00 PM

 

Nevada’s 2023 Tribal Tourism Conference Agenda

March 20, 2023

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tour a section of the California Trail as it enters Carson City

March 21, 2023

8:00 a.m.
Registration

8:30 a.m.
Opening Prayer – Washoe Elder

Dinah Pete (Invited)

Welcome and General Session

Serrell Smokey, Chairman, Washoe Tribe (Invited)

Stavros Anthony, Lt. Governor, State of Nevada (Invited)                

Stacey Montooth, Executive Director, Nevada Indian Commission              

Sherry L. Rupert, Chief Executive Officer, AIANTA

9:15 a.m.

This is Our Time! Why Participation in the Indigenous Tourism Industry is Important Today.

Sherry Rupert, Chief Executive Officer, AIANTA

9:45 a.m.
The California Trail, What Does it Mean to You?

Carin Farley, National Scenic Trails Lead, Bureau of Land Management

Angelica Sanchez-Clark, Ph.D. Acting Deputy Superintendent National Trails – National Park Service

10:30 a.m.
Break with Exhibitors

10:45 a.m.
Agritourism: Seeds for Change

Kelli Hepler, Agritourism Specialist AIANTA

11:30 a.m.
Documentary Premiere – “Gravelly Ford”

Travis Boley, Author at the Oregon-California Trail Association

12:00 p.m.
Lunch on Your Own

1:00 p.m.
Travel Nevada Rural Marketing Grants

Abigail Ortiz, Industry Relations Specialist, Travel Nevada

2:00 p.m.
Break – Tour the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum and the Stewart Indian School Grounds

Bobbi Rahder, Museum Director

Chris Gibbons, Curator

Stacey Montooth, Executive Director, Nevada Indian Commission

3:45 p.m.
Meet Your Local, State and National Outreach Partners

Moderated by:  Sherry L. Rupert, CEO, AIANTA

Debra Soule, Arts & Culture Program Manager, Visit Carson City

Tony Manfredi, Executive Director, Nevada Arts Council

Ben Rupert, Treasurer, Nevada’s Indian Territory

5:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks and Recess for the Day

 

March 22, 2023

8:30 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Prayer

Arlan Melendez, Chairman Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (Invited)

8:45 a.m.
Nevada’s Indian Territory and The Destination, Development and Design (3-D) Project

Ben Rupert, Treasurer, Nevada’s Indian Territory

9:30 a.m.
Indigenous Mapping & Research Project

Carin Farley, Lead, BLM National Scenic and Historic Trails

Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa, AmeriCorps Ancestral Lands Intern

10:30 a.m.
Promoting Your Destination on NativeAmerica.travel 

Bruce Rettig, Tribal Content Developer, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association

11:30 a.m.
Leave No Trace

Ariel Richardson, Office Manager, AIANTA

12:00 p.m.
Lunch

1:00 p.m.
Working with the Nevada Arts Council

Tony Manfredi, Executive Director, Nevada Arts Council

Erica Hill, Community Arts Development Specialist, Nevada Arts Council

2:00 p.m.
How to Tell Your Story Through Museums and Visitor Centers

Billie Jean Guerrero, Museum Director, Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitor’s Center

3:00 p.m.
Break

3:15 p.m.
How a Dark Sky Program Can Work for You

Little Buck Harjo, Public Relations Assistant, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony

4:00 p.m.
Learn How to Restore American Indian Identity through Media 

Bethany Sam, Public Relations Officer, Reno Sparks Indian Colony

Alejandra Rubio, Executive Assistant, Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (Invited)

4:45 p.m.
Closing Remarks

Sherry L. Rupert, CEO, AIANTA

More Information
For more information, please contact Larry Burton, AIANTA Partner Program Coordinator at lburton@aianta.org or call 775-315-7632 (phone) or 775-389-9573 (mobile).
AIANTA Cultural Heritage Tourism Planner

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Native American Agriculture Fund

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

Bureau of Land Management

National Endowment of the Arts

National Park Service

United States Forest Service