The Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center aims to boost tourism in Indian Country
July 31, 2024
MESA, AZ – The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development has been selected to implement a new federal cooperative agreement to strengthen collaboration and coordination related to travel and tourism on federal and tribal lands. The selection was made by the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior. The funding for the cooperative agreement comes through the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act (NATIVE Act) of 2016. The new program includes national and regional partners and will be called the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center (NETTAC).
“This new cooperative agreement advances the Department of the Interior’s efforts to strengthen cultural heritage tourism in Tribal communities,” said Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. “Tourism is an important part of building strong Tribal economies that provide opportunities for Native people to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives in their Tribal communities.”
The cooperative agreement, overseen by OIED’s Division of Economic Development, will continue to build, enhance, and expand federal tribal tourism inclusive of technical assistance, assets, and other potential resources needed to empower tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to participate fully in the tourism industry. This work will be carried out through OIED’s five geographic zones – Alaska, Hawaii, the Southwest, the Northwest, and Eastern – while continuing to advocate for federal government-to-government relationships with tribal governments. The new cooperative agreement will support the NATIVE Act for the next five years.
Partnering with The National Center to develop and implement the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center is NCGrowth at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The National Center will seek informal partners from across the country in the development of NETTAC and to ensure that its programming is tailored to meet the unique needs of each region it serves.
For more information about the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center, please email us.
What they’re saying:
“The National Center is thrilled to partner with OIED to create a new program to support tourism in our native communities.” said Chris James, President, and CEO of The National Center. “Utilizing our existing technical expertise, a strong partner network, and the largest Indigenous economic development conference in the world, the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center will take tourism to the next level. Tribes, Alaska Native Villages and Corporations, and Native Hawaiian communities will have a trusted partner to develop or expand their tourism ventures.”
“This cooperative agreement is one of the most important developments in the 55-year history of The National Center,” said Derrick Watchman, Chair of The National Center’s Board of Directors. “It will help our organization better serve the many Native communities for which tourism is – or could be – a vital piece of their economic development portfolio. The National Center is uniquely suited to ensure tourism in Indian Country is done the right way: a sound business investment that celebrates and uplifts our rich heritage.”
“NCGrowth is honored to join the Office of Indian Economic Development, The National Center, and others to develop the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center,” said Mark Little, PhD, Executive Director of NCGrowth. “NCGrowth will bring the resources and expertise of a tier-1 research university and practical experience developing cultural and outdoor tourism in rural communities to a new center that promises to unlock the tremendous economic potential for expanded tourism in Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. We look forward to working with all partners in the coming months and years.”
