Akwesasne Travel is the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for Akwesasne, based in the Office of Economic Development of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in Akwesasne, New York. 

For some 15 years, the Akwesasne community has had a vested interest in the development of cultural tourism to restore our cultural heritage and provide alternative employment opportunities. Many reports and documents, including Sharing the Spirit (2008) and the Akwesasne Comprehensive Community Development Plan (2009), identified cultural tourism as an opportunity for economic development.

The Akwesasne Tourism Working Group (ATWG) was established in 2013 with the involvement of several key organizations in Akwesasne. The ATWG developed the Akwesasne Cultural Tourism Strategic Plan (2014) and later refined the Akwesasne Tourism Strategic Action Plan (2016).

In 2017, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe was awarded the Administration for Native Americans Social and Economic Development Strategies grant to establish Akwesasne Cultural Tourism. This grant allowed for dedicated staff to pursue major areas of tourism development, including establishing a Destination Marketing and Management Organization, tour operations, tour development, and tourism infrastructure.  The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe was awarded a U.S. Economic Development Administration Grant in 2017 to assist the development of a marketing and branding strategy.

Akwesasne is a Mohawk community situated along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Mohawks and other Iroquois settled along the banks of the grand St. Lawrence River thousands of years ago, long before Europeans first made contact with the New World. The community today lies at the confluence of the Raquette River and St. Regis River, making it easy to understand why the community’s earliest ancestors made their homes here.

Following the War of 1812, Akwesasne was split in two as the international border between Canada and the USA was drawn right through tribal lands. This split created northern and southern portions that lie within the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, and the U.S. state of New York.

We are Akwesasne

• Creative Soul: Connect with Akwesasne by visiting with our artisans. Their craft, often handed down through generations, is best shared through the stories and culture embedded in their work.
• Natural Connections: It is impossible to visit Akwesasne without feeling how nature has inspired and shaped our culture. Whether it’s a walk along our rivers or discovering the symbolism in our arts, you’ll experience our connection to nature and how it shapes our identity.
• Living Culture: Our history and traditions are not just relics of the past. They guide how we live today. From our foods to our contemporary arts, Akwesasne culture lives, breathes and guides your experience with us.