"Indian Country Tourism USA" Objectives:

• Establish a network of Native American tourism interests in the country to cooperatively develop, market and present Indian tourism attractions.  This network includes Indian tribes, individuals, associations and businesses both on and off reservations.
  
• Establish an Indian Country Tourism Office to act as a tourism information center, planning and coordinating center, publications resource, tribal interface and tourism business development center.
  
• Develop working relationships with State and Federal agencies, local, regional/national tourism offices, colleges and universities, cultural institutions, private tourism businesses (both domestic and international), chambers of commerce and cities/communities to provide support for the development, marketing and presentation of American Indian tourism attractions.
  
• Create a program to apply business skills training and expertise in planning, finance and marketing to American Indian tourism projects throughout Indian Country.  Also provide specialized technical assistance to the development and expansion of Indian tourism enterprises both on and off reservations.
  
• Develop equipment, infrastructure, methods and techniques for utilizing the latest telecommunications and information technology to support Indian Country Tourism programs.
  
• Work with Indian tribes, organizations and individuals to identify, preserve and protect American Indian sites of significance throughout the country.  Where appropriate, assist in the development of specialized educational tours for campsites, game drive sites and other historical locations from the indigenous perspective.  Work to protect the sanctity and privacy of burial locations, ceremonial and prayer sites.
  
• In all Indian tourism development projects, be especially sensitive to the protection of tribal cultural property rights and tribal member privacy.  Help ensure that the sovereignty and self-governance of tribal nations is respected in all ways.  Pay special attention to the protection and nurturing of the lands and all living and inanimate beings.

For information contact:

Ben Sherman, President
Western American Indian Chamber
bsherman@indiancountry.org