California Launches Platform Showcasing Native American Culture

This month, tribal leaders and state officials gathered with Visit California at the future Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza to announce a new statewide initiative highlighting California’s native communities and cultural tourism. The initiative is designed to introduce domestic and international travelers to authentic Native experiences across the state. At the event, tribal representatives showcased a variety of cultural offerings to journalists and guests.

California is home to more than 100 federally recognized tribes, each with histories and cultures that stretch back centuries—long before European contact or the formation of the United States. To honor and promote these communities, the Visit Native California initiative will invest $1 million to raise awareness of the state’s cultural heritage tourism experiences and attract more visitors to those sites.

“As the state with the highest population of Native Americans, and one of the nation’s leading tourism destinations, California is poised to drastically boost national Native tourism promotion and interest with this undertaking,” said Sherry Rupert, CEO of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. “We’ve seen the economic benefits that come from uniting under a common banner, but more importantly we see the power of cultural tourism to support preservation and perpetuation of our culture. This is a tremendous opportunity for California’s tribes.”

Funded by a federal grant awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act, Visit Native California will act as a central resource for travelers seeking cultural experiences. Across the state, offerings range from museums and cultural centers to outdoor activities such as hiking and boating, as well as restaurants, tasting rooms, guided tours and educational programs that highlight tribal traditions and histories.

The Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, slated to open in spring 2023, will include the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, an outdoor Oasis Trail and Spa at Séche. Beyond this new plaza, the initiative supports native storytellers and cultural leaders who are helping to expand the California Responsible Travel Code, emphasizing the protection of cultural heritage and natural resources while promoting responsible visitation to native sites.

One example of community-led cultural tourism is the busy visitors center in Klamath, run by the Yurok Tribe in Northern California. The center offers river tours in jet boats and dugout redwood canoes, giving visitors a chance to learn about the landscape and the tribe’s deep connection to it. Operations like this help increase public understanding and appreciation of California’s native cultural heritage.

“The Agua Caliente people have been deeply dedicated to bringing California’s tribal nations together to promote our shared history and a bright future that we’re eager to share with our California family and visitors alike,” said Reid D. Milanovich, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. “Today marks a great new chapter for California.”