Outdoor recreation is a rapidly expanding sector that intersects with rural life, economic development, and natural resource stewardship. Recognizing Extension’s opportunity to support this industry, the Outdoor Recreation Knowledge Exchange webinar series was developed as a model for multidisciplinary collaboration. The five-part series was organized by Hailey Sorg (University of Wyoming Extension/Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute) and Guinevere Nelson (Colorado State University Extension).
Author: NET Editorial Team
The “Triple Bottom Line” framework—economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental stewardship—offers a compelling way to assess the impact of tourism practices and policies. One of the most effective yet underutilized strategies for advancing these goals is the professionalization of guiding services. Professionally guided experiences not only enrich the visitor journey but also serve as a foundation for building resilient, well-managed, and economically viable tourism destinations. Equipping guides with the tools to lead responsibly is essential—and now more accessible than ever through the nationally available Guide & Outfitter Recognized Professional (GORP) training program.
Submitted by Miles Phillips, Oregon Sea Grant/Oregon State University Extension for the May 2025 NET Newsletter Western Region Spotlight. In the tourism industry, first impressionsRead More
This report, available from the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, presents findings from the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey. The survey questionnaire was developed by a team of researchers from Penn State, the University of Maine, the University of Vermont, and Oklahoma State University. This survey is part of a larger project aimed at defining and enhancing the agritourism support system in the United States.
During this webinar Claudia Schmidt (Penn State) and Jason Entsminger (University of Maine) shared findings from the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey. The survey questionnaire was developed by researchers from Penn State, the University of Maine, the University of Vermont, and Oklahoma State University.
NETtra Tourism Conference: Connecting Through Tourism October 7-10, 2025, Meredith, NH Co-hosted by the National Extension Tourism Network (NET), the Northeast Chapter of the TravelRead More
Compiled and edited by members of the NET Communications and Executive Committees: Natalie Chin, Kristen Devlin, Mercedes Fraser, Molly McManus, Xinyi Qian, Ann Savage, GwynnRead More
Can virtual meetings replace in-person gatherings? This webinar featured the work of an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Vermont and Clemson University, who utilized team science methods to understand how to enhance global collaboration within the agritourism sector.
A new project funded by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) seeks to provide support to agritourism service providers to empower agritourism operators to implement sustainable agritourism diversification strategies to complement viable agricultural operations, earn a livable wage, and address the opportunities and challenges of farming in the 21st century.
Compiled and edited by members of the NET Communications and Executive Committees: Natalie Chin, Kristen Devlin, Mercedes Fraser, Molly McManus, Xinyi Qian, Ann Savage, GwynnRead More