At the recent Black Hills Tourism conference, a leader of the Pine Ridge Chamber of Commerce was named the winner of the tourism pioneer award. He said tourism can be a meaningful driver for tribal economies.
Ivan Sorbel is the executive director of the Pine Ridge Chamber and was recognized in front of the Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Association.
He said it solidifies the work the team has done to promote the reservation.
“Our focus at the chamber, of course, is to boost the industry on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation," Sorbel said. "By attracting more visitors and building more infrastructure for people to enjoy as they travel through South Dakota is really about economic development for the reservation.”
Sorbel said that can turn tourism into meaningful change on the reservation.
“What it could mean is an increase of revenue that can go back into the school system or the hard infrastructure such as roads," Sorbel said. "That’s where were really looking as we’ve been developing for the last 30 years to get to the point we’re at.”
As a result, Sorbel said tribal tourism can offer visitors something they can’t find anywhere else.
“Authenticity," Sorbel said. "We provide an authentic cultural experience for travelers who might not get that anywhere else or might have some knowledge of the Sioux people and want to learn more, or might have no knowledge but want to learn history. That’s what we can promote.”
The Pine Ridge chamber works with the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates, an organization which seeks to bring awareness to out-of-state travelers of reservation events and activities.