NET 2015 Agenda at a Glance

2015 National Extension Tourism Conference
Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Convention Center

Galveston, Texas, October 27-29, 2015

Copies of conference presentations may be downloaded from linked presentation titles below


Conference Schedule:
Tuesday, October 27
8:00 am-5:00 pm: Registration Open

Field Experiences
Note: Educational Field Programs will take place during the day; all programs are included with registration. Schedule is subject to change. Transportation to field sites provided. Space is limited.

9:00am-11:30am: Beach and Bay Guided Interpretive Walks. Limit: 50
10:00am-12:00pm: Sea Turtle Lab Tour. Limit: 30
11:30am-1:00 pm: Lunch on your own
1:30pm-3:30pm: Moody Gardens Behind the Scenes Rain Forest Exhibit. Limit: 30
4:30pm-5:30pm: On the Water by Boat Interpretive Program. Limit: 50
6:30-9:00 pm: Opening Reception and Poster Sessions – Moody Gardens Hotel. For poster session descriptions, click here

Wednesday, October 28
7:30 am-12:00 pm: Registration Open
7:30-8:30 am: Breakfast

carol-patterson 8:30-10:00 am: Opening remarks by Miles Phillips; and Keynote: The Business of Ecotourism. Carol Patterson, President; Kalahari Management Inc.
10:15-11:45 pm: Panel Discussion – A NET Action Plan: Key Issues and Collaborative Opportunities. Facilitator and featured speaker Dr. Will Brown, Director Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Texas A&M University. Panelists Stephen Komar (Cooperative Extension of Sussex County), Doug Arbogast (West Virginia University Extension Service), Diane Van Wyngarden (Iowa State University Extension), Holly George (University of California Cooperative Extension), Lisa Chase (University of Vermont Extension), Miles Phillips (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension), Carol Patterson (Kalahari Management Inc.) and Mary Mulvey (Ecotourism Ireland)

11:45-12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30-1:00 pm: Poster sessions

1:00–5:00 pm – Concurrent Session 1

Track 1: Rural and Community-Based Tourism

  1. Creative Connections Contribute to Community Vitality
    • Holly George – University of California Cooperative Extension
  2. Enhancing Rural Tourism in the Miss-Lou through Collaboration and Regional Planning
    • Rachael Carter and Chance McDavid – Mississippi State University Extension Service
  3. Introduction to “Understanding Tourism for Michigan Communities”: Leveraging Assets and Innovation Via Education and Partnerships to Foster Prosperity
    • Andrew Northrop – Michigan State University Extension

Track 2: Heritage, Cultural and Natural Resource-Based Tourism

  1. An Experiment Station for Tourism – Long Acres Ranch
    • Miles Phillips and James Kidda – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Long Acres Ranch
  2. A Collaborative Program with CVB’s, Guides and Extension – Wildlife Guide Training Program
    • Miles Phillips – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  3. Stranded on an Island With 23 of Our Closest Friends: The Evolution of Galveston’s Nature Tourism Partnership
    • Diane Olsen, Anja Borski and Lisa Reznicek – Galveston Nature Tourism Partnership

2:50-3:10 pm: Break

Track 1: Rural and Community-Based Tourism (continued)

  1. U.S. Farm Stays – Modeling a European Travel Experience
    • Scottie Jones – U.S. Farm Stay Association
  2. Diversification Through Agritourism in British Columbia, Canada
    • Nicole Vaugeois, Shannon Bence, and Anna Romanova – Vancouver Island University
  3. Assessing Regional Competitiveness Through Participatory Action Research in West Virginia
    • Doug Arbogast – West Virginia University Extension Service; and Raymond Moeller – West Virginia State University Extension Service

Track 2: Heritage, Cultural and Natural Resource-Based Tourism (continued)

  1. Freeman Tilden Visits Galveston: Situating Provocation, Personalization, and Coherence Principles During Heritage Interpretation
    • Tazim Jamal, Gary Ellis and Jingxian “Kelly” Jiang – Texas A&M University
  2. Characteristics of Influences Affecting Agritourism Success in the Western US
    • Diane Gaede – University of Northern Colorado; Penny Leff – University of California-Davis; and Martha Sullins – Colorado State University
  3. A Snapshot of Tennessee Agritourism
    • Megan Leffew – University of Tennessee Extension

5:00 pm: Evening on your own

Thursday, October 29
7:30 am-12:00 pm: Registration Open
7:30-8:00 am: Breakfast

8:00-9:20 am: Featured Speaker: European Perspective on Agritourism and Ecotourism. Mary Mulvey, CEO Ecotourism Ireland

9:30–10:30 am  – Concurrent Session 2 (workshops)

Track 1: Rural Tourism Development/Tourism in Resilient Communities

  1. Linking Agriculture, Tourism, Economics & Education Through Cluster Development in Rural Communities
    • Doolarie Singh-Knights, Daisy Bailey, Brandy Brabham, Jodi Richmond, Alex Straight – West Virginia University Extension; and Cynthia Martel – West Virginia Department of Agriculture

Track 2: Agritourism—Local Foods, Farmers Markets, Culinary Tourism

  1. Southern Style Hospitality
    • Megan Leffew – University of Tennessee Extension; and Stacy Tomas – Tennessee Tech University

10:40–12:20 pm – Concurrent Session 3

Track 1: Community and Regional Planning and Development

  1. Towards a Robust Framework of Sustainable Community-Based Tourism (SCBT): Exploring Destination Justice and Equity as a Part of Governance, A Case Study of Bryan-College Station, Texas
    • Tek B. Dangi – Texas A&M University
  2. Ohio’s Lake Erie Marina Industry Business Retention and Expansion Program – Case Study of A Community and Regional Economic Development Tool
    • Joseph Lucente and Sarah Orlando – Ohio State University Extension / Ohio Sea Grant College Program
  3. Building Local Foods With Micro Projects
    • Glenn Muske, Abby Gold and Megan Myrdahl – North Dakota State University

Track 2: Tourism Education, Training, and Certification Programs

  1. Impact of eMarketing Education on Web Marketing Practices of CVBs
    • Adeel Ahmed – University of Minnesota Extension
  2. West Virginia Interpretive Guide Heritage Steward Training
    • Doug Arbogast – West Virginia University Extension Service; and David Smaldone – West Virginia University
  3. The Influence of Training on Ecotour Guides and Their Environmentally Responsible Behaviors and Transformational Leadership Abilities: A Qualitative and Quantitative Case Study
    • Nancy Lackey and Lisa Pennisi – University of Nebraska-Lincoln

12:20-1:10 pm: Lunch
1:10-1:40 pm: Poster sessions

1:40–3:20 pm – Concurrent Session 4

Track 1: Regional Planning and Development & Tourism Research and Evaluation

  1. If You Build It Will they Come? Planning for Success
    • Cynthia Messer – University of Minnesota Tourism Center
  2. Community-based Tourism Planning on a Regional Scale for Sustainable Tourism Development
    • Doug Arbogast, West Virginia University Extension Service
  3. Agritourism Priorities for Extension and the National Agritourism Professionals Association (NAPA)
    • Lisa Chase – University of Vermont Extension; Martha Glass – National Agritourism Professionals Association (NAPA); and Becky Smith – Mississippi State University Extension Service

Track 2: Marketing and Promotion & Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts of Tourism and Recreation

  1. Encouraging Economic Development Through the 2014 Gulf Coast Agritourism and Ecotourism Business Development Conference
    • Rick O’Connor, Libbie Johnson, Carrie Stevenson, Blake Thaxton and Chris Verlinde – University of Florida Extension / IFAS
  2. What’s Happening? A Needs Assessment to Guide Initial Efforts of New Extensions Specialists in Oklahoma
    • David Davis and Steve Ruby – Oklahoma State University
  3. Building a Farm Trail – Developing Effective Agritourism Associations
    • Penny Leff and Shermain Hardesty – University of California Small Farm Program; and Holly George – University of California Cooperative Extension

3:30–5:10 pm – Concurrent Session 5

Track 1: Rural Tourism Development/Tourism in Resilient Communities

  1. Using Video Case Studies as a Teaching Strategy to Build Community Tourism
    • Cynthia Messer – University of Minnesota Tourism Center; and Doug Arbogast – West Virginia University Extension Service
  2. Tourism First Impressions Have Lasting Impacts
    • Doug Arbogast, Daniel Eades – West Virginia University Extension Service; and Cynthia Messer – University of Minnesota Tourism Center
  3. Implementing the Tourism First Impressions Program in Your State
    • Lisa Chase – University of Vermont Extension; Doug Arbogast, Daniel Eades, Robin Frost – West Virginia University; Laura Brown – University of Connecticut; Geoffrey Sewake – University of New Hampshire; and Andrew Northrop – Michigan State University Extension

Track 2: Community and Regional Planning and Development

  1. Strategic Plan for Long Term Tourism Sustainability
    • Cynthia Bond – Ohio State University Extension
  2. Providing Communities With Improved Marketing Intelligence
    • Nicole Vaugeois – Vancouver Island University
  3. Ohio Tourism Industry Needs Assessment
    • Nancy Bowen-Ellzey, Rebecca Nesbitt, Rose Fisher-Merkowitz and Julie Fox – Ohio State University Extension

Evening program:
6:00 pm: Dinner
6:30-7:00 pm: Panel discussion: Summary – A NET Action Plan – facilitator Lisa Chase (University of Vermont Extension)

7:00-8:00 pm: Dinner and Keynote: Impacts of Economic Development and Tourism. Kelly de Schaun, Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees.

8:00–8:30 pm: Closing remarks – Miles Phillips, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Chair NET Design Team