Carolyn Woodruff of the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Planning Office said, the two overall goals of the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Development working conference is first to create an intangible product, which is public and private sector input into the plan, with the second goal being the plan itself. A comprehensive Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Plan will result from this series of meetings, which will end in September. The resulting plan will be implemented in phases beginning in 2007.
Special facilitators have been invited to conduct breakout group discussions on this question and its answers.
Woodruff said, "This conference session, entitled Working Conference on Cultural Tourism Development, will depart from the meeting format of the first three sessions in that it will be a general open discussion forum. A summary and review of the data and information gathered during the previous working sessions will be presented, and the mission statement will be re-emphasized. This open forum welcomes comments, ideas and suggestions from the public, interested business owners and local, state and regional governmental officials."
Chad Smith, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, has issued a personal invitation to all those who might want to attend the meeting.
"I am pleased to invite you personally to attend the fourth in a series of five working conferences on Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Development scheduled for this year. The diversity of perspectives and input from both the public and private sectors within the tourism industry is playing a valuable role in the ongoing process of developing the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Plan," Smith said.
This session will focus on only one task question, which is: "From your experience, what should the Cherokee Nation know about public/private partnerships in tourism development?"
Immediately following the conference, all participants are invited to tour Tahlonteeskee, the oldest capital in Oklahoma. It was established in Gore by the Cherokees in 1828 and is considered one of the most important historical sites in the state. The Cherokee general council met here to make laws up to 1839.
Refreshments will be provided by the Sallisaw Cherokee Casino, which is also sponsoring a special door prize drawing. The Sequoyah County Fairgrounds Building is located at the corner of East Redwood and Shurley in Sallisaw.
To confirm your attendance at this session, please RSVP to Woodruff at (918) 207-3954, or e-mail her at carolyn-woodruff@cherokee.org.
