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
8:30-10:00 am: Opening remarks by Miles Phillips; and Keynote: The Business of Ecotourism. Carol Patterson, President; Kalahari Management Inc. |
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
- Creative Connections Contribute to Community Vitality
- Holly George – University of California Cooperative Extension
- Enhancing Rural Tourism in the Miss-Lou through Collaboration and Regional Planning
- Rachael Carter and Chance McDavid – Mississippi State University Extension Service
- 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
- An Experiment Station for Tourism – Long Acres Ranch
- Miles Phillips and James Kidda – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Long Acres Ranch
- A Collaborative Program with CVB’s, Guides and Extension – Wildlife Guide Training Program
- Miles Phillips – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- 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)
- U.S. Farm Stays – Modeling a European Travel Experience
- Scottie Jones – U.S. Farm Stay Association
- Diversification Through Agritourism in British Columbia, Canada
- Nicole Vaugeois, Shannon Bence, and Anna Romanova – Vancouver Island University
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Impact of eMarketing Education on Web Marketing Practices of CVBs
- Adeel Ahmed – University of Minnesota Extension
- West Virginia Interpretive Guide Heritage Steward Training
- Doug Arbogast – West Virginia University Extension Service; and David Smaldone – West Virginia University
- 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
- If You Build It Will they Come? Planning for Success
- Cynthia Messer – University of Minnesota Tourism Center
- Community-based Tourism Planning on a Regional Scale for Sustainable Tourism Development
- Doug Arbogast, West Virginia University Extension Service
- 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
- 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
- What’s Happening? A Needs Assessment to Guide Initial Efforts of New Extensions Specialists in Oklahoma
- David Davis and Steve Ruby – Oklahoma State University
- 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
- 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
- Tourism First Impressions Have Lasting Impacts
- Doug Arbogast, Daniel Eades – West Virginia University Extension Service; and Cynthia Messer – University of Minnesota Tourism Center
- 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
- Strategic Plan for Long Term Tourism Sustainability
- Cynthia Bond – Ohio State University Extension
- Providing Communities With Improved Marketing Intelligence
- Nicole Vaugeois – Vancouver Island University
- 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