|
Tourism
should be a great tool for bringing revenues to Native American
Tribes and tribal members, and for helping visitors learn of
tribal culture. But, too often, tribal customs have been
exploited by outsiders who also capture the tourism revenue that
should make it to tribes and their members. Still there is a
great demand for legitimate Native American cultural experiences
and a huge demand for jobs and business opportunities among tribal
members.
The nine
federally recognized Tribes of Oregon wanted to explore the
potential of cooperating to market tourism. Egret put together a
team that included Rural Development Initiatives, Inc. and
Touristics to help the tribes explore a potential tourism-related
relationship and build a framework for cooperation.
Key issues
revolved around each tribe’s own ideas on what aspects of culture
to share and which to keep private, gaming tourism, culturally
related tourism, and how to manage tourism. Some tribes wanted
all tourism to be tribally operated while others wanted to
encourage entrepreneurial activity. There were issues over where
tourism could take place (some locations are regarded as tribal
territory by more than one tribe)
The project
generated a great deal of tribal cooperation and laid the
groundwork for establishing a cooperatively owned, funded, and
operated tribal tourism marketing office. Some tribes have used
the related research as a springboard to launch new tribal tourism
initiatives, develop new products, or improve existing products.
|
