The GW International Institute of Tourism Studies has been supporting Native American inclusion in the tourism industry for more than five years. We believe that tourism provides a promising approach to sustainable development—a way for Native American communities to generate income, alleviate poverty, increase access to healthcare and education, and conserve their cultural and natural resources. As part of this work, we are helping Tribal Nations in the Dakotas develop regional networks through which Tribal leaders can foster ongoing dialogue, exchange ideas and resources, tackle shared challenges and work together to leverage tourism development for sustainable economic growth. These efforts are made possible by support from the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development at the Department of the Interior. To celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, this blog features our work in South Dakota, which is fostering greater diversity and inclusion in the tourism industry.
Tribal Nations in South Dakota are stewards of a diverse array of natural and cultural resources that offer untapped possibilities for tourism. While South Dakota welcomed 14.5 million visitors in 2019, who contributed $2.75 billion to the state’s GDP, there is no meaningful connectivity of tourism flows occurring between Native American communities and tourists who visit the major attractions in and around the Black Hills region, Badlands National Park and Sioux Falls.
To address this challenge, we have been working over the past year and a half with the nine federally recognized Tribal Nations in South Dakota (also known as the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ or “Seven Council Fires”) to assess the potential for native tourism. This process has led to the creation of the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance (SDNTA), an ad hoc network of representatives from the South Dakota Tribal Nations, and local, state, and federal partners. By 2025, the SDNTA envisions tribal governments actively working with industry and state and federal partners to develop Native American tourism experiences that attract visitors, encouraging them to stay and experience more in Native American communities, ultimately bolstering local economies and the well-being of local communities.
The SDNTA has developed a five-year regional tourism plan, the Native American Tourism Development and Management Plan: South Dakota 2020–2025, which outlines a shared vision, goals, strategies and priority initiatives for cultural tourism development with an emphasis on resilience and recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The SDNTA is already implementing several priority projects, such as a visitor etiquette guide, that are outlined in the tourism plan. The SDNTA’s steady progress demonstrates the organization’s resilience during this unprecedented time.
We have also been working with Native American entrepreneurs to help them remain viable during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing training and mentorship aimed at developing and launching virtual tourism experiences. One of our pilot participants was Bonnie LeBeaux (Navajo and Lakota), who resides on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. Bonnie offers a virtual tour of the traditional textiles given to mark milestones and show appreciation and gratitude. “I am just so grateful for this opportunity with the mentors and being invited into a training like this,” LeBeaux said. “I would have never done it on my own. Everybody was just so helpful and giving of their time and their talents and they just made this experience come to life.”
Bonnie is the second of five entrepreneurs who went through the training to launch her Online Experience on Airbnb. You can learn more about Bonnie’s tour and book it here.
Other tourism entrepreneurs who went through the training have created educational videos showcasing their culture. In this video, Guss and Tianna Yellow Hair of the Oglala Sioux Tribe share the history of parfleche art and explain its significance in Lakota culture. This father-daughter are partners in Tatanka Rez Tours, which is one of the very few Native American tour operators in South Dakota.
Even though most Tribal Nations in South Dakota remain closed to outsiders for now, the virus won’t last forever. As the world recovers from this pandemic, Tribal Nations will reopen and visitors will begin to explore new places and seek inspiration in new connections—with people, nature, and culture. We hope that you will consider visiting the less explored, off the beaten path Native American communities in South Dakota when it is safe to do so.
