George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies has been selected for a $1.5 million federal cooperative agreement to help tribal nations, tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian organizations develop cultural heritage tourism.
The funding will pay for technical assistance, assessments of communities’ needs and coordination with federal agencies. The agreement provides $1.5 million annually and could total up to $7.5 million over five years, subject to appropriations, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The NATIVE Act Tribal Tourism Cooperative Agreement targets assistance to organizations that applied to BIA’s Tribal Tourism Grant Program or the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations’ tourism grant programs.
For Native tourism businesses and organizations, the initiative will provide planning assistance and technical expertise to develop destinations, attract visitors and strengthen local economies. The institute will also coordinate tourism efforts with the Interior and Commerce departments.
GW will partner with NCGrowth at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Center for Native American Health and Economic Development.
The institute has supported more than 20 tribal nations with tourism planning, product development and regional partnerships, according to the university. In 2021, it helped establish the Indigenous Tourism Collaborative of the Americas after co-hosting a tourism forum with the Organization of American States and BIA.
The university’s announcement did not specify when assistance will begin or how organizations can request services.
