Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED): Re-Visioning the economic future of Indian Country

Due to the lack of access to credit and the limited economic opportunities that exist in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) through the Division of Capital Investment (DCI) will provide information about the Indian Loan Guarantee Program (ILGP). The Division of Economic Development (DED) will provide an update on the 2024 Tribal Tourism Grant Program (TTGP) awards, which support Tribal economic development and fulfill the mission of the NATIVE Act by providing funds to implement Tribal Tourism projects. The final updates will include an introduction to OIED.  

“Got A Plan?” Business Plan Development – A Case Study
This panel will provide an overview of the business plan development process, including its key components, purpose and uses. It will then present an actual case study of how a business plan has been developed and is now being utilized for the operation and marketing of a planned tribal agritourism destination.

Northern Alaska
Southeast Alaska
Hawai’i
Central California
Southern California
Northwest (Idaho, Washington)
Pacific Northwest (Northern California, Oregon)
Great Basin (Nevada, Eastern California)
Oklahoma
Rocky Mountain (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming)
Central Plains (Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio)
Midwest (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, West Texas, Utah)
Northeast (Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia)
Southeast (Alabama, Arkansas, East Texas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)

Agritourism – Getting Started and Going

In this agritourism session, you’ll learn about assessing the agritourism operation, determine your goals, business planning, and setting up for success.

Harmony of the Past and Future: AI That Feels More Human
In this session, explore the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Indigenous culture. Discover how AI can embody empathy and respect to enhance Indigenous tourism, weaving technology with tradition to create deeply human, culturally rich experiences.

Securing your Capital Funding for your Tribal Tourism Project

This workshop will share practical, detailed tactics and examples so you can develop your tourism project and secure your capital funding. This inspiring presentation includes seven key financing steps ‘from the field’, and moves onto to higher level strategies and tactics you can use to bring your project to life.level strategies and tactics you can use to bring your project to life.

Empowering Indigenous Voices: Inclusion of Local First Contact Tribes in Cultural and Ecotourism at Wealthiest Historical Colonial Sites

Delve into the crucial conversation on how integrating Indigenous communities from the wealthiest locations in the country enriches the narrative, preserves heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism practices. Discover the significance of honoring ancestral knowledge, fostering economic empowerment and environmental stewardship through collaborative partnerships.

Securing your Capital Funding for your Tribal Tourism Project

This workshop will share practical, detailed tactics and examples so you can develop your tourism project and secure your capital funding. This inspiring presentation includes seven key financing steps ‘from the field’, and moves onto to higher level strategies and tactics you can use to bring your project to life.level strategies and tactics you can use to bring your project to life.

Incorporating Culture into Tourism

This educational session will share what Goldbelt is doing to model culture in everything that it shows the public, including the logos and names of its transportation fleet and bringing ancestral Totems back to the Goldbelt Campus in Juneau, AK. In tourism, Goldbelt is aiming to make culture a career. The company is investing in tourism products it currently owns and is reinvigorating them to create immersive cultural experiences for visitors. Goldbelt has also partnered with the City of Juneau to build new tourism infrastructure and products all while boosting the local economy.

Centering Tribal Communities in Cultural Tourism

In this session, hear a case study in how the Museum of the Cherokee People pivoted focus toward its tribal community in its Museum Store and developed a new brand that shares Cherokee and Indigenous cultures authentically with its community and visitors.

Developing Indigenous Experiences and Tribal Partnerships

This session will focus on the development of Indigenous experiences in partnership with tour operators like Destination America. In conversation with Red Heritage, we will uncover best practices between tour operators and Indigenous tourism providers to develop, expand, promote, and preserve the integrity of the communities in which we visit.

Centering Tribal Communities in Cultural Tourism

Native American Tours (NAT) is a comprehensive booking platform designed and built for Indigenous tour operators. The software is fast, secure, user friendly and seamlessly allows customers to book and manage their reservations. NAT also offers advanced reporting for taxes and permit fees, affiliate management, e-signing for waivers, and more.

Welcome to Indian Country: How Working with Bloggers Helps Tourism and Education

Indian Country has so much to offer people that it can only benefit from working with bloggers. From travel bloggers/writers to lifestyle bloggers, as well as foodies, working together benefits Native American communities and attractions through sharing stories, history, tradition, and culture. Bloggers/writers benefit from gaining a better understanding of Indian Country, places and people they likely haven’t had much contact with.

America’s Scenic Byways: Boosting Tourism and Empowering Communities

Scenic driving is extremely popular among Americans and international visitors who often have a variety of iconic routes on their bucket lists. Designated scenic drives and byways across the U.S. showcase the diversity of American landscapes, culture and attractions. This session will explore these distinctive travel experiences and how routes recognized at the state and national level can help increase tourism and empower local communities to enhance and protect critical resources..

Dark Night Skies and Proper Light Use: Why You Should Care and How It Can Benefit Your Community, Wildlife, and Human Health

Eighty percent of people in the U.S. can’t see the Milky Way from where they live because of light pollution. Protecting the dark night sky for ecological and human health reasons is extremely important, but it also has become a very popular source of economic development in the form of Astro-Tourism.

How to Use AI Tools to Build Your Cultural Tourism Marketing Materials

In this session, you’ll discover how to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to create compelling cultural tourism marketing materials.

Sustainability at the Core

Discover the most recent sustainability resources designed for your community to embark on a practical journey of education and action in the field of sustainability, all organized around three guiding principles: EDUCATING your community to urgent sustainability matters, EQUIPPING communities to take action, and EMPOWERING travelers to contribute to meaningful sustainable practices.