Cultural Tourism and Ecotourism in the Four Corners Karen Jarratt-Snider, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Applied Indigenous Studies and Faculty Research Associate, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Northern Arizona University Dawn Melvin, Native American Tourism Manager Arizona Office of Tourism Sally Chambers, International Trade Specialist, US & Foreign Commercial ServiceUS Department of Commerce James Surveyor, Sales & Marketing Management Team Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites

Cultural Tourism Visitors who want to experience new places by learning about the peoples of those particular area—past and present. Learn about new cultures by experiences with peoples of particular cultures and their lands—authentic representation.

Ecotourism Responsible (conserves the environment and contributes) tourism to natural areas and contributes to local communities. Generally speaking, ecotourists are concerned with: Natural and scenic places Minimizing impact in their travels Cultural awareness Providing benefits for conservation

Visitors to Tribal Lands What do we know about them? Arizona Office of Tourism and Arizona Hospitality Resource & Research Center(2005, 2011): Why do they come? Sightseeing, to enjoy the natural and scenic beauty of the area Native American arts and crafts Cultural/Historic activities Educational experiences More domestic than international visitors

Cultural and Ecotourists – Common Ground Interest in cultural awareness – Respect for diverse cultures Natural places and scenic beauty Concerned with benefits to local communities

Geotourism Map

Challenges Land Use and Business Site Leasing Processes Infrastructure Adequate Seed Financing Developing a strategy for tourism development that attracts visitors while respecting their peoples, cultural values, and protects their lands, resources, and sacred places.

Opportunities Both the Navajo and Hopi tribes are pursuing further development of tourism, and many communities within each tribe are either already involved in tourism or have expressed interest in developing tourism. The following tourism initiatives have been identified as opportunities for development. In addition to tourism initiatives at the tribal level, local communities and villages are involved in their own tourism development efforts (a few selected examples): Shonto (scenic byways) Village of Sipaulovi Village of Moenkopi

1.Develop additional overnight accommodations including hotels and motels, RV parks, and campgrounds. 2.Expand community-based, or cooperative Native tour and guide services to offer consistent, reliable tours without undue burden on individuals or families. 3.Increase information sharing and coordination of efforts within tribes and communities to enhance efficiencies and better leverage resources. 4.Further develop regional/area cultural tourism and ecotourism circuits and partnerships to multiply benefits to tribal communities and travelers. 5.Develop synergies between tourism, agriculture, and renewable energy to lessen environmental impacts important to ecotourism and multiply economic impacts of tourism enterprises. Opportunities

6.Gather comprehensive visitor data and develop visitor studies to understand better visitor patterns and needs.7.Consider changes to tourism permitting and licensing structures to capture more revenue from tour operators. 8.Expand marketing initiatives and raise visibility by establishing signage, information kiosks, online marketing, and marketing partnerships. 9.Address barriers such as land use and business site leasing processes, gaps in infrastructure, and the need for start-up financing options. Opportunities