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$2 million in federal funding will promote tourism, employment opportunities and economic development in Akwesasne

Posted 11/16/16

AKWESASNE -- The Akwesasne Tourism Working Group will receive $2 million from the federal government to promote tourism, employment opportunities and economic development through their new Creating …

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$2 million in federal funding will promote tourism, employment opportunities and economic development in Akwesasne

Posted

AKWESASNE -- The Akwesasne Tourism Working Group will receive $2 million from the federal government to promote tourism, employment opportunities and economic development through their new Creating Akwesasne Tourism Industry Businesses and Jobs initiative.

Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand say they will receive $400,000 annually for five years.

The Akwesasne Tourism Working Group includes the Native North American Travelling College, Akwesasne Cultural Center & Museum, Onkwehon: We Arts Council, Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs, Akwesasne Area Management Board, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Sustainable Employment and Economic Development Strategies Program (SEEDS).

“Diversifying our economy is a priority for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. We are currently expanding our broadband technology, investing in agriculture and developing a cultural tourism industry in Akwesasne,” Christopher Thompson, director of the tribe’s Office of Economic Development said in a prepared statement. “We celebrate our current achievements and look forward to more successes as we develop this industry. The impact that this will have on the North Country economy is significant in terms of business development, job creation, and tourism from visitors coming to the region. This award is a culmination of effort from local stakeholders within the Akwesasne community and has been led by Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Community Planner Lindsay Tarbell. Together we will transform the way we invite, treat, and engage visitors to the North Country.”

“This award will allow the Akwesasne Tourism Working Group to make a long-term investment in tourism, job creation and economic development,” Gillibrand said in the statement. “The Creating Akwesasne Tourism Industry Businesses and Jobs initiative will help stimulate economic growth in the region and showcase the community for visitors in the North Country.”

“These federal funds will give the Akwesasne Tourism Working Group the opportunity to support tomorrow’s tourism industry and local business owners right here in the North Country,” Schumer said in the statement. “This smart, multi-million dollar federal investment will support entrepreneurship and the creation of good-paying, middle-class jobs through the area’s burgeoning tourism industry for residents across Franklin County and its surrounding areas.”