Distance Education Course to be offered Summer 2012
PRT 595-601 Niche Tourism as Sustainable Community Development

Dr. Samantha Rozier Rich, Assistant Professor and Tourism Extension Specialist at NCSU, will be teaching a five-week tourism-related graduate-level distance education course this coming Summer 2012 (June 28 – August 2, 2012).  The course is designed for Extension Field Faculty and other professionals interested and/or working in the tourism, parks, and recreation field.  The overall goal of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about different types of niche tourism and how to use these concepts as a mechanism for sustainable community development.  The course will involve students researching various niche tourism businesses located throughout their community (e.g., agritourism, culinary tourism, festivals and events, and nature-based tourism) while applying theories and concepts related to services marketing, creating the experience, marketing and promoting tourism, and tourism research. Course enrollment begins March 20, 2012.  Click HERE for more information about the course and how to register.

Study Finds Summer Camps Contribute $365 Million in Total Economic Impact to Western North Carolina

In partnership with the North Carolina Youth Camp Association and the American Camp Association, Dr. Michelle Gacio Harrolle and Dr. Samantha Rozier Rich conducted an economic impact study of summer camps in Western North Carolina. According to the study, residential summer youth camps in four western North Carolina counties (Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson and Transylvania) contribute $365 million in total economic impact to western North Carolina.The study also estimated a direct economic impact of $218 million, more than 10,000 full-time equivalent jobs created in addition to camp staff, $260 million in increased resident income, and $33 million in new tax revenues during the summer of 2010.

Click HERE to read more about the study and to access a complete copy of the final report.

Webinar Series Brings Agritourism Education

by Natalie Hampton, NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Communication Services, Perspectives Summer 2010

Tourism Extension specialists at N.C. State University attracted nearly 250 participants to a spring webinar series on agritourism. Dr. Samantha Rozier Rich along with Sue Colucci (area specialized horticulture Extension agent) and colleagues from Rutgers University, hosted the five-part series. "We are thrilled the webinars were such a success. While nothing can replace face-to-face workshops, the webinars provided an excellent alternative for sharing pertinent information in a time where travel is limited for both Extension professionals and others,” Rich said. Click HERE to read the entire article.

East Coast Agritourism Webinar Series

NC State University Tourism Extension teamed with colleagues from Rutgers University to offer a FREE webinar series on agritourism during March and April 2010. The East Coast Agritourism Webinar Series included five different sessions designed to provide an overview of important information related to agritourism. Recordings of these webinars are available for viewing.  Click HERE for detailed information about the sessions and links to the recordings!