ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (May 20, 2022) – Registration is now open for the 24th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC), which will be held on the tribal homelands of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, October 24-27, 2022 at the Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, California. The conference, organized by the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is the only national conference in the U.S. dedicated to travel and tourism in and for Indian Country.
American Indian Tourism Conference
Date: October 24-27, 2022
Location: Harrah’s Resort Southern California
777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Funner, CA 92082
This year’s AITC will take place at the Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Located between San Diego and Los Angeles, in a mountain valley along the San Luis Rey River, Funner, California is the city where fun lives.
With two luxurious towers housing 1,087 rooms and suites, an award-winning trifecta of pools, a serene 11,000 square-foot spa and SoCal’s first tribally owned brewery it’s easy to see why Harrah’s Resort SoCal is voted “Best resort in Funner, CA.” www.harrahssocal.com.
Each year, AITC kicks off with unique mobile workshops that highlight the culture of local area tribes and foster networking opportunities for attendees to share, teach and learn from one another. This year’s mobile workshops will provide a deeper dive into cultural activities showcasing California tribes.
A favorite AITC event, the Excellence in Tourism Industry Awards, will honor the best and brightest in Indian Country tourism including Tribal Destination of the Year, Best Cultural Heritage Experience, Excellence in Customer Service and Industry Professional Award. This event is accompanied by dinner and a silent auction. The auction serves to raise funds for AIANTA’s tourism and hospitality scholarship program.
Conference registrations begin at $525 for AIANTA members who register by the early bird deadline (September 1, 2022). A select number of exhibitor spaces are available at $800 per booth for members and $1,000 for non-members. As with previous years, the conference will also feature a Business of Art Seminar and Native Art Market, artisans are encouraged to secure a table for $300.
Every year, AITC brings together tribes, tribal enterprises and other travel industry experts for networking, business development and informative breakout sessions that cover topics of interest with respect to tourism development and marketing.
Now in its 24th year, AITC is held regionally throughout the United States every fall.
To register and for more information, visit www.aianta.org/aitc.
Founded in 1998, AIANTA was established by tribes for tribes to address inequities in the tourism system. Governed by an all-Native board of directors, AIANTA serves as a united voice for the $14 billion Native hospitality sector. AIANTA’s priorities are (1) to provide technical assistance and training, research, and publications to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities engaged in cultural tourism and hospitality; (2) to facilitate conversations with the Native communities, federal agencies, non-profit associations, and elected officials on the economic and cultural importance of a healthy hospitality industry; (3) to highlight the importance of visiting authentic Native destinations, including cultural, heritage, historic, and artistic sites; and (4) to generate awareness, interest and demand for these destinations with domestic and international travelers, the travel trade and the media.
About the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians reside on a 5,000-acre reservation in Valley Center (Funner), California. Established in 1875, the Rincon Band is a sovereign government recognized by the U.S. Constitution, the United States Congress, court precedent and federal policy. The Rincon Band owns Harrah’s Resort Southern California and uses profits and other commercial enterprises to provide government services, cultural programs and economic development resources for their members and surrounding communities.
For more information, contact:
Bianca Mitchell
Education Manager, AIANTA
bmitchell@AIANTA.org
505-433-2120