Realizing the value of the tourism industry to the local economies, and the increase in heritage and culture travelers in the United States, a team of individuals from the Cheyenne River, Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations led an effort to develop Native Discovery Tours®. With support from Governor Rounds, the South Dakota Office of Tourism, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Administration for Native Americans, Native Discovery Tours® officially began in 2005.

Since that time, the organization has flourished by working with local tourism businesses, artists and attractions to preserve and promote the unique history and culture of the Lakota people. Native Discovery Tours® has five key partners who envisioned and drove the initial project; Four Bands Community Fund in Eagle Butte, the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce in Kyle, Sicangu Fund in Mission and the Prehistoric Indian Village in Mitchell. Each of these partners bring valuable talents and resources to the project, which was significant to its creation and success. New partners are becoming involved with the organization as it continues to grow.

Native Discovery Tours® is a collaborative project of non-profit organizations from the Cheyenne River, Rosebud and Pine Ridge Indian Reservations in South Dakota. The purpose of Native Discovery Tours® is to promote the partner areas as destinations for in- and out-of-state travelers in an effort to boost local, rural economies. The overall goal of this collaborative project is to share the history, culture and tradition of the Lakota culture, while creating a positive economic impact in the communities found in the partner areas.

Specifically, Native Discovery Tours® promotes events, attractions, artists, historical sites, stories, and local businesses to visitors – proving that there are many things to do, learn and see on the Reservations. Additionally, the Native Discovery Tours® team works closely with artists and business owners to provide them with tools to get involved in the tourism industry and to promote themselves to boost their business. Native Discovery Tours® markets to both domestic and international audiences through pre-planned and self directed tours, by providing information to travelers online, and by participating in travel shows.

Through the Native Discovery Tours® partnership, individuals living in the Reservation communities are learning the value of the tourism industry and are finding out how to get involved. Artists are gaining more exposure through placement on the website, NativeDiscovery.org and by new business cards that have been developed for them. Area businesses are seeing more traffic through their stores because of strategically placed marketing materials, online business directories and self guided tour itineraries. Area tourism attractions are experiencing an increase in visitation due to tour hostings by Native Discovery Tours®. Furthermore, the area has earned editorial in national tourism publications through a media tour, hosted in the spring of 2008.

Since its inception, Native Discovery Tours® has relied on grant funds for marketing and consultation to meet the goals and objectives of the project. Support from Governor Mike Rounds, the South Dakota Office of Tourism, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Administration for Native Americans have been used for the continuance of project implementation.

For more information on the Native Discovery Tour Project, or any of the participating partner organizations, contact Nicole Seaton Fiddler by phone at 605-964-3687 or .

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