Akwesasne Travel uses tourism planning, a five‑year grant and community‑based booking to grow citizen‑owned businesses

Rayanne Adams, acting director of economic development for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and project director for Akwesasne Tourism Business Support, described a tourism‑centered approach to small‑business development that spans the Akwesasne territory in New York State, Ontario and Quebec.

Adams said tourism was first identified in a 2009 comprehensive community development plan as a strategy to diversify the local economy beyond large tribal enterprises and gaming. Akwesasne Travel, she said, positions tourism first as cultural preservation and second as an economic development strategy to cultivate artisans and other small businesses.

Adams described a five‑year award from the Administration for Native Americans to develop a destination marketing and management organization that delivers tailored curricula, one‑on‑one technical assistance, an interpretive print plan and training for guides. The office also manages a community‑based booking system so artisans and guides do not have to build full administrative capacity themselves; Akwesasne Travel handles marketing, sales, scheduling and billing.

"We are a proud community sharing world class tourism experiences that celebrate our environment, heritage, and language," Adams said. She noted an Akwesasne art market with more than 80 participating artisans and emphasized the program's cultural‑protocol guidelines—what to share and what not to share—developed through broad community engagement.

Adams said the program has piloted industry partnerships and is now pivoting toward regional visitors to build early resilience after the pandemic; she also described an EDA Indigenous Communities tourism business support award that enabled expanded case‑based technical assistance and some startup funding for graduates of the program.