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The First-Ever Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas

A New Collaborative Network Takes Shape

The first-ever indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas, held October 12-16, invited speakers and leaders to explore the significance of Indigenous tourism in the Americas, the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous tourism, and how to recover and prosper in the aftermath.  

Before the spread of COVID-19, tourism was providing a very promising approach to sustainable development in Indigenous communities—to generate income, alleviate poverty, increase access to healthcare and education, and conserve cultural and natural resources.

Even as COVID-19 continues to ravage tourism and hospitality economies, thought leaders in the Americas have turned their attention to the future, to recovery and rebuilding.

Ancient Indigenous communities gained resilience and strength through exchanged knowledge and shared goods, ensuring peace and prosperity and empowering Indigenous people to determine their own fates and futures. We at the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) brought two other institutions with overlapping Indigenous missions together in 2019 to explore how ancient networks throughout the Americas could be re-imagined to empower Indigenous tourism.  

The original Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas was planned as an in-person event to be held in the spring of 2020 in New Mexico, and then COVID-19 struck. Pivoting, the GW IITS and the Organization of American States (OAS), in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), held a webinar to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous tourism and what could be done to mitigate them. The main takeaway was the need for stronger communication, networking and recovery planning. 

Inspired by these results, the three organizing entities—led by faculty and students of GW IITS—became the driving force behind a forum held in October, a virtual gathering of Indigenous tourism leaders and tourism industry leaders from across the Americas—Canada, USA, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.  

More than 230 participants came together to explore many vital topics, including a collaborative network that could attract attention, support, research, and commerce to sustain economic recovery for Indigenous communities engaged in tourism through and beyond  COVID-19. Participants engaged enthusiastically in the Forum’s deep and wide program—

  • Each day included inspiring keynote addresses. We heard from Governor of Acoma Pueblo Brian Vallo, who has been a friend of cultural tourism for decades; the chef and TV personality Loretta Barrett Oden, with a message about the centrality and importance of food in tourism; CEO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario Kevin Eshkawkogan gave a presentation on strategic tourism planning; and Pilar Montesino Cusiyupanqui reinforced the importance of collaboration as President of the Regional Network of Community Tourism (Peru).
  • More than 30 Indigenous tourism practitioner panelists, including the current President of the National Congress of American Indians, discussed economic recovery, tourism planning and development, protecting intellectual and cultural property, and feasible visitor experiences post-COVID-19. For notable quotes from speakers and organizers, click here
  • Panels were moderated by editors and writers from Indigenous and national media, including National Public Radio, Indian Country Today, National Geographic Traveler, and Skift.
  • High level participation included ministerial, federal and state and tribal government leaders from Mexico, the United States, Dominica, Panama, Peru, Ecuador and El Salvador with messages of support for Indigenous tourism.
  • Also outstanding were the number of sustainable tourism guideline presentations. They included global good practice (Planeterra, G Adventures, GWU), community-based rural tourism (OAS), Reconciliation Action (Intrepid Travel and Australia), Indigenous tourism (UNWTO and World Indigenous Tourism Alliance), and authentic Indigenous experiences (Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada).
  • With an emphasis on the need to leverage technology during COVID-19, destinations across the Americas presented entertaining, informational video tours.
  • Key to the recovery going forward, there was a gathering of new advisors to the collaborative made up of Indigenous tourism leaders and tourism industry leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities of a COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 environment.

GW IITS looks forward to continuing to work with OAS and BIA to build on this very strong beginning. The collaborative network’s aspirations—led by GW, OAS and BIA—are worthy of investment: thriving Indigenous tourism communities through increased knowledge and capacity, leaders valuing their contributions and supporting their development, and visitors from across the globe able to experience the wonders of Indigenous lands and life. 

To listen to excerpts from speakers and organizers, please subscribe to the Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas on Youtube.

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