Native American Tourism of Wisconsin Native American Tourism of Wisconsin


An Overview of the
Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW)
In August of 1994, a major tourism initiative involving the Wisconsin Indian tribes was launched under the direction of GLITC. Originally known as the Wisconsin Native American Heritage Tourism Initiative, the program is a cooperative effort among Wisconsin Indian communities and the State of Wisconsin Department of Tourism to promote Native American heritage and cultural tourism.
NATOW's stated mission is "to promote the development of Native American Tourism for the benefit of the Wisconsin Tribes and their surrounding communities, recognizing the unique contribution and significant impact Tribes have on Wisconsin's Tourism Industry." NATOW achieves its mission by conducting domestic and international marketing programs, building networks and partnerships, leveraging resources and encouraging the preservation and protection of Native culture and resources. Native American heritage and cultural tourism in Wisconsin can potentially provide tourists with a wide variety of experiences including museums, arts and crafts, unique foods and beverages, historic sites, dance, music, festivals and Pow-wows, seasonal activities, historic and recreated buildings and villages, landscapes, and literature.
NATOW demonstrates a willingness by Wisconsin's Native communities to share their rich Indian heritage and cultural resources with tourists in order to strengthen both tribal and non-tribal economies. It strategically addresses two of GLITC's three main goals: to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of Indian people and to improve the education, economic status, living environment, and general welfare of American Indians, and particularly Indians who reside in the State of Wisconsin.
The Native American Tourism of Wisconsin Advisory Committee (NATOWAC) has been in place since 1994 to implement NATOW initiatives. This committee, made up of representatives of all 11 Wisconsin Native communities, meets on a monthly basis to plan and direct NATOW goals and objectives. Because each member of NATOWAC represents his or her tribal community, community participation in developing and implementing tourism initiatives is assured.
Long Range Plan
As part of the long range plan for its continuing Native American Tourism of Wisconsin program, GLITC is proposing to create and implement a comprehensive, statewide tourism development project, "The Wisconsin Native American Travel and Tourism Project." The objectives of this project include:
  1. planning the development of one unique cultural/heritage or nature-based tourism attraction at each of the 11 Native American reservation communities within the state;
  2. establishing a Wisconsin Native American Tourism Center, which will include a) a central clearinghouse for tourism information for all Wisconsin tribes, and b) a tour booking and travel agency for visitors to Native American communities;
  3. developing 11 new Wisconsin Native American Tourism websites with linkages to GLITC's existing tourism website, which will be expanded for the purpose of making it more accessible, more useful, and more attractive to prospective tourists worldwide, and
  4. planning an international and domestic group tour market development strategy designed to attract international and domestic tour groups to Native American tourism destinations within the state.
    The proposed project is based upon three major premises:
  1. 1) there is a need for diversifying tribal economies in our region;
  2. 2) a growing market exists for Native tourism experiences, and
  3. 3) in order to stimulate market segments to visit Native heritage, cultural, and nature-based attractions, those attractions must be promoted and marketed to the appropriate market segments.


GLITC-NATOW
Great Lakes Intertribal Council - Native American Tourism of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 9
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538