Tourism Conference Draws Country-Wide Attendance

By Shelley Marmor

HOLLYWOOD — The American Indian Alaskan Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) held their seventh annual conference at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Sept. 25–28. The Seminole Tribe hosted the conference.

On Sept. 27, Chairman Mitchell Cypress, joined by Miccosukee Chairman Billy Cypress, gave opening statements to AIANTA attendees. They also welcomed the 230 conference attendees to South Florida. However, several other activities and events took place the previous two days.

The AIANTA golf tournament took place on Sept. 25 at the Emerald Hills Golf Course in Hollywood. The Seminole Tribe sponsored this event. On Sept. 26, interested persons were able to take a tour of the Big Cypress or Miccosukee reservations.

In Big Cypress, AIANTA participants toured the reservation, including the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and Billie Swamp Safari. While on the Miccosukee reservation, they toured the resort as well as got a chance to go on an airboat ride and see an alligator wrestling show.

That evening the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki at Okalee Village hosted the official welcome reception at 6 p.m. The reception featured many spectacles including stomp dancers that entertained the AIANTA attendees. This reception was also sponsored by the Seminole Tribe.

Official conference business got underway on Sept. 27. AIANTA attendees broke into different sessions that focused on various aspects of tourism. Some of these breakout session topics included: “International Tourism Development: The Basics of International Tourism,” “Creating a Successful Tourism Experience,” “Creating Tourism Professionals” and “Indian Tourism at its Best.”

Eastern Regional AIANTA Board Representative Lee Tiger acted as moderator during the “Indian Tourism at its Best” seminar. He opened the session with a moment of silence for the late Billy Cypress. He then introduced the Huna Totem Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer Robert Wysocki from Alaska. Wysocki spoke about a new private island/cruise destination in Southeastern Alaska called Icy Straight Point.

Icy Straight Point is owned by the Huna Totem Corporation, which, according to their website “is owned by approximately 1,200 Alaska Native shareholders whose aboriginal ties are to the Village of Hoonah in Southeast Alaska.” According to Wysocki, Icy Straight Point is very unique because it offers a traditional Alaska experience and allows tourists to interact with wildlife in a real setting.

He said their location offers “one of the best whale watching sites in Alaska” as well as salmon fishing. Wysocki said Icy Straight Point is also unique because they only accommodate one cruise ship at a time, whereas other popular Alaskan tourist destinations will take as many as four ships, which each hold thousands of people, simultaneously.

Wysocki was pleased to report that since Icy Straight Point’s opening in 2004, “its been a raging success.” He said 32 ships stopped there in 2004, 37 in 2005 and said 73 are scheduled for 2006.

Also at AIANTA was the Trade Show. This facet of the AIANTA conference brought together several organizations, including the Oneida Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Colorado River Indian Tribe, Sky City Casino and the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino.

The Seminole Tribe also had several booths at the Trade Show highlighting The Seminole Tribune, Seminole Broadcasting, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. Each booth featured information on the various Seminole Tribal enterprises, however, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki booth went above and beyond. They held a silent auction of beaded necklaces and purses with all the proceeds going to a Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fund.

On Sept. 28 conference breakout session continued, highlighting topics such as “Creating a Successful Tourism Enterprise,” “The Business of Tourism” and “Marketing to Maximize Tourism Dollars.”

In another seminar, “Developing Federal Partnerships,” Steve Golubic from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security spoke. He pointed out places where Tribes are vulnerable, such as Tribal government offices, casinos, schools and hotels/dining complexes, to name a few. He said a terrorist attack on any of these locations will mean a loss of customers as well as tourist dollars.

“I don’t want to be the doom and gloom guy,” Golubic said. “But we have to think about this.”

Golubic pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security works directly with the National Congress of American Indians to assist with any potential threats to native businesses.

The seventh annual AIANTA Conference ended with a closing reception. The Quinault Indian Nation, which will host AIANTA 2007, sponsored the reception. AIANTA 2007 will take place Sept. 17–20 at the Quinault Beach Resort/Casino in Ocean Shores, Wash.

For more information on AIANTA, please see www.aianta.org.