Federal Boost for Native Tourism: $35 Million Authorized for Tribes and Native Hawaiian Groups Starting 2025

This legislation amends the existing Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to kickstart a new, dedicated grant program aimed at boosting tourism in Native American and Native Hawaiian communities. The core of the bill is setting up the mechanism for federal agencies to hand out money for tourism development, backed by a planned $35 million authorization over five fiscal years, running from 2025 through 2029.

More Cooks in the Kitchen

Before this change, federal support for Native tourism was a bit fragmented. This bill broadens the field significantly. It gives specific grant-making authority to the Directors of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations (OIA). That’s important because it creates direct funding streams focused on these specific communities. But the big change is that it also authorizes the heads of several major federal departments—think Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Labor—to join the party. They can now enter into agreements and provide grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations to meet the Act’s tourism goals.

The Real-World Impact: Building the Road to the Museum

What does this mean on the ground? Imagine a tribal organization in Arizona wants to develop a cultural heritage site into a sustainable tourist destination. They need funding not just for the museum exhibits, but for infrastructure: better roads, signage, and maybe even workforce training for guides and hospitality staff. Under this expanded authority, that organization could now potentially apply for grants from the Department of Transportation for road improvements, the Department of Labor for job training, and the BIA for the cultural development itself. This multi-agency approach, backed by the $35 million authorization, is designed to tackle the complex, holistic needs of building a tourism economy.

What the Fine Print Means for Funding

The authorization of $35 million is the money signal here. It shows a commitment to funding these activities for five years. While the money still needs to be appropriated by Congress each year, this authorization provides the green light for tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to start planning larger, multi-year projects. The goal is to move beyond small, one-off projects and fund initiatives that create sustained economic activity and jobs in these communities. By spreading the grant authority across several agencies, the bill aims to make sure that tourism development isn’t just about cultural sites, but also about the necessary infrastructure and human capital required to support a thriving visitor economy.