Promoting Alaska Native tourism

Alaska Makes Tourism in Rural Native Areas a Priority“Alaska is making waves in the tourism industry, especially Alaska Native tourism,” said American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) Executive Director Camille Ferguson during her recent keynote presentation at the Chickaloon Native Village Traditional Cultural Tourism Summit. “Creating educational tourism summits, like the Chickaloon Native Village and Chickaloon Native Village Council have done here, demonstrates a commitment to growth and sustenance of American Indian and Alaska Native tourism.”

Ferguson, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, gave a keynote presentation on growing cultural tourism in Indian country at the Chickaloon summit, held in her home state of Alaska on April 17 to 19.

The summit, “The Power of Place–Strength, Survival and Culture,” was held at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage and presented by the Tene’ Ninicezet project under the Chickaloon Native Village Traditional Council’s Environmental Stewardship Department.

Ferguson was invited to present at the event, where she explained how AIANTA is working to grow cultural tourism across the six regions of Indian Country. Ferguson also educated attendees on how the international tourism market is bringing new opportunities for tourism growth to the U.S. and Indian country.Comment:  For more on Native tourism, see Adam Beach Promotes NWT Tourism and Canadian Parks Incorporate Native Culture.

Below:  "The scenery is spectacular in Chickaloon."