American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)

?? It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. ? Malia Sanders serves as the Executive Director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and is the AIANTA Board Representative for the Hawai’i Region. Her work has impacted Hawai‘i’s visitor industry by utilizing Hawaiian cultural values as the foundation for professional development and business leadership. Through consultation, training and networking, her organization supports those who provide authentic experiences to Hawai?i’s visitors. Mālia has recently been recognized with the 2022 Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year Award and featured as one of AIANTA’s Native American Leaders in Cultural Heritage Tourism. She is a founding member and Alaka?i of ?Aha Pūlama Pā?ū Hololio, a Hawaiian Pā?ū Riding Club, the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, and the Chair of the annual Holokū Ball. Mālia is an experienced horseman and enjoys her time with her ?ohana. #WomensHistoryMonth #IndigenousTourism #USTourism

It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. Kate Anderson is the Director of Public Relations for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and represents AIANTA's southern California region.?She is an enrolled tribal member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a federally recognized tribe with a Reservation in Shawnee, OK. She has more than three decades of experience in journalism, photography, public relations, marketing, film and cultural heritage tourism. As the Director of Public Relations, she leads a team responsible for developing communication, educational and outreach programs to help advance community knowledge and understanding of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and its efforts. Her work includes public relations, marketing and promotions, publications, social media, media outreach, education, special events, and cultural heritage tourism, among other activities. Her work has included developing a cultural tourism plan for the Tribe and working with partners across the state of California and the Coachella Valley region in Southern California to put Palm Springs on the map around the world for Native American cultural heritage tourism. In addition, she worked diligently with Visit California to envision, create and launch the Visit Native California initiative that promotes the state of California as a place for Native American cultural heritage tourism. She also operates the Agua Caliente Film Office and serves as the liaison to all filmmakers and photographers working on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation.

?? AIANTA is excited to announce our Top 10 Indigenous Experiences of 2025, showcasing remarkable cultural tourism opportunities across Native Nations and communities. These destinations highlight authentic storytelling, immersive experiences, and deep connections to Indigenous heritage. ?? From breathtaking landscapes to guided cultural tours, this curated list offers travelers unparalleled opportunities to engage with Indigenous communities in meaningful ways. Whether you're looking to explore sacred sites, experience Native art and craftsmanship, or learn from Indigenous knowledge keepers, these destinations provide unforgettable journeys that honor tradition and innovation. ??Visit NativeAmerica.Travel to explore other Indigenous destinations and experiences and start planning your next immersive adventure! ?? https://bit.ly/4kSeXSB #IndigenousTourism #USTravel #destinationoriginal #CulturalHeritage #Tourism #IndigenousTravel

?? SPEAKER ALERT! We're thrilled to welcome Lisa Simon, CEO of the International Inbound Travel Association (IITA) as a speaker alongside AIANTA CEO Sherry Rupert at AIANTA's signature Go International event April 29-30 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ? The annual two-day Go International training is designed to introduce the international market to Indigenous-owned businesses and support participants to identify their tourism product(s) for pricing, packaging, and selling to markets overseas. ?? Register Here and Learn More! https://lnkd.in/gkxmRwq3 #GoInternational #IndigenousTourism

?? It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. ? Lora Ann Chaisson, Principal Chief is the Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation (UHN), a current resident of Pointe aux Chene, LA and is the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association where she represents the Southeast Region. She is the daughter of Theo Chaisson and the late Betty Sanders Chaisson. She is the UHN’s National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Delegate as well as the Southeast Regional Alternate Vice President to the NCAI Executive Committee, and is a current member of the United States Department of Labor Native American Employment and Training Council. Chaisson is employed as the Vice President of Tribal Solutions Group. Her work with Tribal Solutions Group encompasses a variety of divisions with solution-based services in areas such as education, gaming, medical, and broadband/ communications specifically for tribal nations, entities, and enterprises. During her free time Chaisson enjoys teaching friends and family traditional Houma Indian basket-weaving, jewelry-making, and cooking. #WomensHistoryMonth #IndigenousTourism #USTourism

?? It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. ? Nikki Graham represents AIANTA's Alaska Region, is enrolled in the Ninilchik Village Tribe and serves as the Sr. Manager of Compliance and Privacy for Southcentral Foundation, an Alaska Native-owned, non-profit healthcare organization serving nearly 70,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people. Originally from Homer, Alaska, Graham is a lifelong Alaskan and Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI) shareholder. Most recently, also served as the General Manager for the Ninilchik Natives Association and the Chief Operating Officer for the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where she served as a strategic partner who brings collaborative vision to life by operationalizing governance and programs that are grounded in Alaska Native values. Nikki is a past board member of the Alaska Native Professional Association (ANPA) and the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation Investment Council. With a passion for food and how it brings people together in community, Graham serves as an Indigenous Chef in her spare time. #WomensHistoryMonth #IndigenousTourism #USTourism

?? SPEAKER ALERT! We're thrilled to welcome Florian Herrmann, CEO/Founder of Herrmann Global as a speaker at AIANTA's signature Go International event April 29-30 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ? The annual two-day Go International training is designed to introduce the international market to Indigenous-owned businesses and support participants to identify their tourism product(s) for pricing, packaging, and selling to markets overseas. ?? Register Here and Learn More! https://lnkd.in/gkxmRwq3 #GoInternational #IndigenousTourism

Everyone please join us in wishing a Happy AIANTA Anniversary to our Partner Program Coordinator Eric Villegas! We're thankful for all of your hard work and dedication to AIANTA!

?? It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. ? Charlene Virgilio, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation, serves as the Northeast Regional Representative for AIANTA. She is the founder and principal of CMV & Associates, a consulting firm she established in 2024. Her company specializes in business development and consulting services to enhance tribal business capacity and support economic growth. Before founding CMV & Associates, Charlene retired as the Executive Director of Four Directions Development Corporation (FDDC), a Native American Community Development Financial Institution based in Orono, Maine. During her tenure, she spearheaded the creation of the Wabanaki Tourism Strategy, a comprehensive roadmap for developing cultural tourism among Maine's tribes. Published in September 2024, this strategy reflects years of dedication to community and economic development. Charlene's career spans 37 years with International Business Machines (IBM), where she held key leadership roles in strategy, operations, and transformational initiatives. Additionally, she served her community as a Penobscot Tribal Council member for eight years. Currently residing in Old Town, Maine, with her husband David, Charlene enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking, skiing, and boating. #WomensHistoryMonth #IndigenousTourism #USTourism

?? It's March and in honor of Women’s History Month, we'll be featuring the women who serve on AIANTA's Board of Directors all month long. ? Sarah Kazhe represents AIANTA's Southwest Region, is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and is the Director of Marketing for the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino Enterprises, located on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in Southern New Mexico. She was born and raised in Mescalero and has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years. Kazhe has been the Director of Marketing going on 13 years and has worked in many different areas of the resort. Coming from a diverse cultural background as well, her parents come from Chiricahua Apache, Pima, Papago, Cherokee, Irish, German, and Italian descent. She is the great-great daughter of the Apache Scout Rogers Toclanny and Siki Toclanny who were prisoners of war for 27 years. Kazhe has an Associates of Arts degree from New Mexico State University, a certificate in Cultural Tourism for George Washington University, and from Cornell University in the area of Hospitality and Service. She is also a licensed cosmetologist in the state of New Mexico. #WomensHistoryMonth #IndigenousTourism #USTourism