KAHNAWÀ:KE WELCOME CENTER
PO Box 1110, 1 River Road, Kahnawà:ke, QC J0L1B0
(450) 635-2929
Visit for more information and business hours:
http://www.kahnawaketourism.com
The Tourism Development Welcome Centre project was an initiative that begin in April 2013 following a brainstorming session with the Kateri Tekakwitha Working Committee, representatives from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke and Tewatohnhi’saktha as well as other community members to gather ideas regarding the development of a “new shrine” to honor, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. From this workshop, came the plan to champion the initiatives of all tourism activities in the community with the initial focus being Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.
There is a long history of promoting tourism in Kahnawà:ke and most recently there has been a renewed interest due to Kateri’s canonization in 2012. In 2012, a tourism feasibility study was conducted that concluded that there is significant growth potential for tourism in Kahnawà:ke based on its close proximity to Montreal. Hence came the idea to create a hub, the Tourism Welcome Centre, in which to provide support to community members who wish to take advantage of the tourism potential of Kahnawà:ke.
In 2013 the former Kateri Center building came up for sale, which in turn became an ideal location to have a welcome center based on its proximity to the church; Tewatohnhi’saktha then purchased and renovated the building. A Tourism Development Agent was hired on December 9, 2013; Kimberly Cross now leads the tourism development initiative for the community.
The goals of the Tourism Development Agent is to oversee a multi-year tourism strategy, increase and elaborate on Kahnawà:ke’s tourism product/service offering, assist in further enriching the product/service offering at the Shrine of Saint Kateri and to form relationships with regional, provincial and national tourism associations.
The mission of the Welcome Centre and its administrators is to assume leadership of the collective effort to promote and position Kahnawà:ke as a key destination for religious, cultural and leisure tourism.
The benefit of fostering tourism in Kahnawà:ke is the preservation and promotion of culture and traditions and an increase in the pride and spirit of our heritage that we can share with our visitors.
BEFORE
AFTER
