Tribal group boosts reservation tourism

By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer | Thursday, October 13, 2005

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RAPID CITY - Although South Dakota’s tourism industry has promoted images of American Indians to draw tourists into the state, few reservations have cashed in on the tourism trade in a big way.

Daphne Richards-Cook, Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates executive director, wants to see that change.

Richards-Cook has worked with tribes to establish day trips and excursions catered to clients’ interests in Indian heritage and culture, hiking, trail rides, bed and breakfasts, camping, hunting and fishing trips, she said.

“We even have tours about tribal government,” Richards-Cook said.

She said that all of the tribes have tourism departments but that they soon realized that they were capturing little of the tourism market. To improve the tourism economy, the nine reservations joined together to create ATTA in 1993.

Richards-Cook said each year, the agency has become more and more successful. Last year, ATTA moved its offices from Lower Brule to Rapid City to increase its connections with others in the tourism industry and to improve visibility and access to potential customers.

“We want to forge a relationship with the Rapid City community,” she said.

With more than 180 Indian contacts throughout South Dakota’s nine reservations, Richards-Cook and ATTA provide a clearinghouse between the people wanting to visit Indian communities and the reservations.

“We’re the tribal arm of tourism in the state of South Dakota,” she said.

To introduce ATTA to the Rapid City community, the nonprofit agency will host an open house and ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the office on 522 Seventh St. Suite 210.

The agency also will launch its new campaign: “We Want to Make Your Reservation to a Tribal Sovereign Destination,” Richards-Cook said.

This fall, ATTA will network with scores of Indian artists, storytellers and business people to organize excursions for international tour groups visiting the Pine Ridge, Rosebud and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe reservations beginning in July.

“The five-day itineraries will involve lodging, several education and craft sessions with stops in Wounded Knee, Kyle, Wanblee and Pine Ridge,” she said.

A basic day tour to Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation begins at $50, with more elaborate visitors packages costing $210 or more.

To bridge the gap between out-of-state tourists wanting to connect with attractions on reservations, Richards-Cook said, the tribes couldn’t rely on South Dakota’s tourism office.

“We have to promote our own image,” she said.

Ruth Ziolkowski, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation president and chief executive officer, agreed.

Ziolkowski said that as her family made progress on the mountain carving of Crazy Horse near Custer, tourism officials began to promote the family’s venture.

“As we’ve grown, they’ve paid more attention to us. It’s like they say: Nothing succeeds like success,” she said.

The 79-year-old businesswoman often recommends lodging and restaurants to her visitors. But beyond the towns of Hot Springs and Oelrichs, Ziolkowski doesn’t know any lodgings or businesses that she could promote on the Pine Ridge or Rosebud reservations.

“No one had educated me to what is down there,” she said.

Ziolkowski said organizers needed to figure out how to get tourists to the reservation, work together to create a two- to three-day package and list the tourist attractions.

“Then, make sure surrounding businesses are aware of it,” she said.

This is one of Richards-Cook’s office’s immediate goals.

For information, call Richards-Cook at Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates office at 341-2378.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com