Schatz bipartisan legislation supports, helps grow native tourism

U.S. Senate recently unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to update the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience, or NATIVE, Act, which was authored by Hawai‘i Democratic U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and signed into law in 2016.

The original law enhances and integrates native tourism, empowers native communities and expands unique cultural tourism opportunities in the United States. The new legislation passed makes key updates to the existing law to help improve the program and make it easier for native communities to access federal resources.

“This bill will help improve the NATIVE Act so that it can continue to empower native communities to tell their own stories and build their own economic opportunities,” said Schatz in a release about the new legislation. “Visitors are increasingly seeking out a more authentic and historically rich travel experience, and there is nothing more authentic and unique than the cultural tourism experience our native communities provide.”

The NATIVE Act requires federal agencies with tourism assets and responsibilities to include tribes and native organizations in national tourism efforts and strategic planning.

It also provides Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and Native American communities with access to resources and technical assistance needed to build sustainable recreational and cultural travel and tourism infrastructure and capacity, spur economic development and create good jobs.