The Visitor Outreach Program provides technical assistance and training through the American Indian Tourism Conference, Go International, webinars, experiential tradeshow opportunities, engagement on NativeAmerica.Travel, familiarization tours, and media outreach. International travelers seek authentic and unique cultural experiences which creates ample opportunities for AIANTA members to welcome the international market to their communities.

Since 2007, AIANTA has been showcasing American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian tourism on a global stage by establishing a presence at the world’s leading travel trade shows, including Showcase USA-Italy, ITB (Germany), IPW, Brand USA Travel Week, NTA Travel Exchange and World Travel Market (London). Since AIANTA first entered the international market, overseas tourism to Indian Country has nearly tripled, growing from 693,000 travelers in 2007 to nearly 2 million visitors in 2018.

Attending travel tradeshows is an effective avenue for experiential learning and reaching large numbers of potential travelers in global markets.  Networking with influencers and media can generate media outreach opportunities beyond current established avenues.  Building new partnerships and reinforcing existing relationships can help our members gain support for their businesses in the realm of exposure, technical assistance, and mentorship.  The option to learn from others on-site through conversations, observations and workshops/seminars can include updates on travel trends, industry data, and marketing and operating practices.  Tradeshows AIANTA attends/attended: IPW, Go West, Brand USA Travel Week, ITB Berlin, National Travel Association Travel Week, NTA Travel Exchange, Showcase USA – Italy.

AIANTA has teamed up with industry and federal partners to provide a series of webinars on resource development opportunities and other tourism related topics. Most webinars are designed to equip you with the information needed to find and apply for funding opportunities that support cultural heritage tourism development. Others provide needed information on challenges and obstacles facing the tourism industry.

All webinars are provided without charge.

• January 10, 2023, 10:00AM (MST): Travel Trade Manual: A Planner for Indigenous Tourism Professionals
• March 14, 2023, 10:00AM (MST): Go International Preview: Marketing the Mission of Your Business
• August 15, 2023, 10:00AM (MST): Advancing into the International Market – Resources to Become Export Ready

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AIANTA offers the annual two-day Go International training conference, designed to introduce and prepare American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian businesses for the international travel and trade markets.

This tailored training event is especially for businesses looking to create an international marketing approach. Supporting participants to identify their tourism product(s) for pricing, packaging and selling to markets overseas.

Introduce products/destinations of Native American cultural experiences to vetted influencers and buyers from other markets (international, domestic, adventure/luxury travel, etc.) and in turn, they promote the destinations in their outlets like top international travel magazines or as an option to diversify their itineraries.

AIANTA works with domestic and international media to facilitate story ideas and connects partners directly with media in response to requests.  Both our internal strategies and partnerships with domestic and international media require facilitating story ideas.

Every year the conference attracts more than 300 attendees, who attend for the networking opportunities, the high-level keynote sessions and the informative breakout sessions led by some of the leading hospitality industry experts.  The Visitor Outreach Program staff moderates sessions, engages with AIANTA members and AITC attendees (artisans, exhibitors), and hosts a session on the Visitor Outreach Program with a panel of active AIANTA members benefitting from the technical assistance provided.

Cultural Heritage Tourism: A Planner for Indigenous Tourism Professionals

Travel Trade Manual: A Planner for Indigenous Tourism Professionals

All AIANTA Resources

For more information, contact Ciarra Greene, Visitor Outreach Manager at cgreene@aianta.org.