Agritourism Tours for Beach Tourists
Tommy Grandy, Agriculture Extension Agent in Currituck County poses with a group of tourists at a road-side produce stand in Currituck County. Grandy organized and led a day-long tour of agritourism sites in Currituck County for interested tourists.
Everett Davis Honored
Everett Davis, Robeson County Extension Director receives an award from Martha Glass (NCDA) for bringing the largest number of representatives to the NC Agritourism Networking Association’s annual meeting on February 1, 2008. Davis has worked to establish the Robeson Tourism Development Association.
Growing Agritourism Enterprises
Taylor Williams, Agriculture Extension Agent in Moore County discusses agritourism business practices with Joe Picariello, owner of Crystal Pines Alpaca Farm. Williams has worked with numerous agritourism businesses in the sandhills region.
NC Agritourism Networking Association and NC Cooperative Extension
Brenda Sutton, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Rockingham County presents customer service pointers and discusses the NC Hospitality Program at the NC Agritourism Networking Association annual meeting on April 1, 2008. Sutton is an avid promoter of the NC Hospitality Program and serves on the program’s advisory committee.
Strategic Planning for Tourism Development
Rob Hawk, Area Specialized Community Development Agent in Haywood County leads fellow Extension Agents from the West District in a strategic planning effort to help guide Tourism Extension goals and objectives. Hawk and other Extension Agents in the West have been actively engaged in successful tourism development in western NC.
NC Hospitality Customer Service Training Program
Wanda Sykes (Extension District Director), Wayne Batten (Pender County Extension Director), Stan Dixon (Greene County Extension Director), and Howard Scott (Wayne County Extension Director) practice business introductions at the NC Hospitality agent training. The South East District has been a key player in NC’s rural tourism development.
Over 100 Cooperative Extension Agents Trained
NC Cooperative Extension Agents from the eastern part of the state pose after completion of agent training for NC Hospitality, a customer service training program. Over 100 NC Cooperative Extension Agents across the state are offering this curriculum to service-related businesses in their communities.
Connecting Businesses, Communities, and Birdwatchers
Participants from the Birder Friendly Business and Birder Friendly Community training program in Wilkes County pose for a photograph. Participants of the training learn about catering to the niche market of bird watchers.
Workshops for Aspiring Agritourism Entrepreneurs
Surry County Extension’s Bryan Cave (County Extension Director), Brenda Rose (retired County Extension Director), and Terry Garwood (Agriculture Extension Agent) pose with aspiring agri-tourism entrepreneurs at Rising Meadow Farm. This visit was part of an educational program devised to assist potential entrepreneurs in developing their businesses.
Wine Tourism Opportunities in NC
Terry Garwood, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent in Surry County discusses viticulture and tourism opportunities with a group of aspiring agritoruism entreprenuers. Surry County Extension has collaboratively supported agritourism endeavors through numerous educational opportunities.
Welcome to our Website!
The Tourism Extension Program is housed in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, in the College of Natural Resources at NC State University. Tourism Extension is part of North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
The goal of the program is to improve the quality of tourism provision across rural NC by helping individuals and communities develop healthy, pro sperous and enduring tourism enterprises that will boost economic and community development efforts.
News and Events
Distance education courses focused on tourism to be offered via NCSU
Tourism Extension to offer two distance education graduate-level tourism courses. Both courses are designed for Extension field faculty and other professionals interested and/or working in the tourism field. Students will gain hands-on practical knowledge through online class discussions, lectures, assignments, and projects.
2009 Rural Partners Forum was held in Raleigh November 5-6th and hosted by the NC Rural Center. This year's forum was entitled "Funding Our Rural Future - Growing the Resources We Need...to Create the Communities We Want". Copies of the NC Rural Funding Directory were shared with forum participants. The directory contains more than 100 sources of state and national funding.
PRTM launches new website!
Click here to learn more about the Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism Management at NC State.
North Carolina Birding Trail complete!
On June 25th, 2009, a grand opening celebration of the Mountains Trail section of the NC Birding Trail was held at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, marking completion of the state-wide trail. Tourism Extension is proud to be involved in the NC Birding Trail effort. Click here to learn more about Tourism Extension’s involvement in this initiative.
Tourism Extension Strategic Report (White Paper)
The Tourism Extension Strategic Report, Tourism Extension: Helping Communities Develop Healthy, Prosperous, and Enduring Tourism Enterprises, outlines the role of Tourism Extension, current projects, and plans for the future.
