MARKSVILLE, La. — Destination Original Indigenous Tourism (DO-IT) formalized its partnership this week as the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA), the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and New Zealand Māori Tourism entered a commitment pledge partnership at AIANTA’s 26th-annual American Indigenous Tourism Conference, hosted by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana in Marksville.
DO-IT aims to unify the collective voice for Indigenous tourism worldwide and the Indigenous people it comprises. With a mission to provide leadership in the development and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism destinations through innovative partnerships, DO-IT’s vision is to support the establishment of a sustainable international Indigenous tourism network, led by Indigenous destinations and work to support a sustainable, thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences.
Sherry L. Rupert, CEO of AIANTA; Keith Henry, president and CEO of ITAC; and Dale Stephens, Chair of New Zealand Māori Tourism led an insightful discussion on DO-IT at the conference, where they examined Indigenous tourisms standards from each country and discussed the need to establish guidelines for Destination Original-branded experiences. This ensures that travellers can immediately recognize and trust they’re receiving an authentic Indigenous experience. The leaders also discussed the goals of the newly formed organization and explored the future of Indigenous travel across the globe.
“Destination Original Indigenous Tourism mission aligns with AIANTA’s mission to define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian tourism that honours traditions and values, so it’s a natural fit for us to join our colleagues in establishment of this vital organization,” said Rupert. “As the leader in Indigenous tourism in the U.S., AIANTA is thrilled to join this global community of Indigenous leaders to amplify our commitment to sharing authentic cultural heritage experiences as a united front.”
“Destination Original Indigenous Tourism is a solid strategic alignment of three world-leading associations that allows us to uplift the voices of Indigenous-led tourism experiences worldwide while building on the important work that ITAC has supported across Canada to create authentic, sustainable experiences that celebrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples,” said Henry. “This partnership is the next step in the growth of global Indigenous tourism, creating opportunities for Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs and enhancing the profile of Canada by showcasing the unique stories and histories of Indigenous peoples through tourism.”
“New Zealand Māori Tourism is proud to support the establishment of Destination Original Indigenous Tourism and its aspirations for Indigenous peoples globally,” said Stephens. “We see this partnership as a significant platform that empowers Indigenous peoples to take control of their destinies, builds whanaungatanga (filial connections) which leads to kotahitanga (unity). By celebrating opportunities that come from our indigeneity and authenticity, we identify a pathway towards the culturalization of commerce, rather than the commercialization of our culture. This is what draws international visitors to Aotearoa New Zealand who are looking to forge connections with people and place – and what better way than to do this through Indigenous tourism.”
DO-IT also announced its initial founding board member composition of six leaders and appointed its first president and CEO to include:
- Sherry L. Rupert, CEO of AIANTA
- Travis Owens, VP of Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism and president of AIANTA’s board of directors
- Pania Tyson-Nathan, CEO of New Zealand Māori Tourism
- Dale Stephens, Chair of New Zealand Māori Tourism
- Keith Henry, president and CEO, ITAC
- Marilyn Jensen, ITAC’s Chair of the Board and business owner
- Sebastien Desnoyers-Picard of the Huron-Wendat Nation in Canada, president and CEO, DO-IT