The National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative (BTT), powered by the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc. (CHEA), is working in partnership with the Cultural Heritage Alliance for Tourism, Inc. (CHAT), a Black-owned receptive tour operator based in Miami, FL, as the first to introduce new multi-day, regional Black cultural heritage tour (BCHT) itineraries in the U.S. and will represent diversity as the first Black-owned tour operator to exhibit at IPW in Las Vegas being held September 18-22, 2021.
Black cultural heritage tour itineraries amplify Black culture through food, music, art, dance, as well as explore little known Black history and contemporary cultural experiences in off the beaten path places in U.S. destinations. The educational, entertaining, and interactive regional tour itineraries range from one to 14-day experiences covering up to three U.S. states and can be customized for groups.
“We are delighted to welcome CHEA and their partners as first-time exhibitors to IPW, which will further enhance the diverse and authentic experiences presented for international travelers to the United States and help Black-owned and Black-focused businesses and attractions in the U.S. reach a multi-national audience of tour operators and media,” said Malcolm Smith, General Manager of IPW, U.S. Travel Association.
The BCHT tour itineraries aim to illuminate, amplify, protect, and preserve cultural heritage throughout the United States through storytelling and authentic local experiences that are life-affirming and sustainable. Itineraries offer visitors authentic connections with people and places that have shaped Black communities from the past to the present.
“As the leading Black-owned receptive tour operators in the U.S., our mission is to create inclusion and engagement of local Black businesses and attractions in the trillion-dollar tourism industry, spurring economic growth and sustainability for cultural heritage small businesses and cultural institutions in underserved Black communities. In addition, our tour itineraries expand beyond the civil rights trail and underground railroad to introduce new Black businesses that provide cultural and heritage experiences in off the beaten path communities often not promoted to inbound travelers,” said Stephanie Jones, Founder, National Blacks in Travel and Tourism Collaborative.
In addition to exhibiting, Stephanie Jones is part of Connect Travel’s speaker line-up for IPW Focus on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at 9:30am PST speaking on “Discovering Black Cultural Heritage in the U.S.”
Black cultural heritage tour itineraries currently in development include Florida; Southeast (GA, NC & SC); Northeast (NY, NJ & PA); South I (AL, MS & LA) and South II (TN, KY & AR); Midwest I (MI, IL, IN & OH); West I (SW CA, AZ & NM). More regional itineraries will be added and announced at a later date.
Here’s where to find us exhibiting and speaking at key industry events for 2021:
- IPW/Connect Travel, September 18-22, 2021, Las Vegas, NV (Listed as Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc. in Booth #3544 and participating in Media Marketplace)
- CruiseWorld, November 10-13, 2021, Miami, FL
- National Tour Association Conference (NTA), November 14-17, 2021, Cleveland, OH
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