NET Newsletter, Volume 2 Issue 1, November 2023

NOTE: This newsletter was sent to NET subscribers on 11/9/2023. To subscribe to the NET mailing list, sign up here.


Compiled by the NET Communications Committee: Natalie Chin, Kristen Devlin, Mercedes Fraser, Gwynn Stewart, Stacy Tomas, and April Turner.

Table of Contents:

  • Letter from NET’s New Chair, Xinyi Qian
  • NET Design Team elects new Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary for two-year terms
  • 2023 NET Conference Upholds Tradition of Seeding New Connections and Collaborations
  • NET Announces 2023 Award Recipients
  • Let’s Connect! Join NET on Social Media
  • NET 2025 – Join us in New Hampshire!
  • Initiative launches to strengthen small-town, rural tourism in Roscommon County, Michigan

Letter from NET’s new Chair, Xinyi Qian

Dear National Extension Tourism NETwork,

As we draw closer to the 2023 holiday season, NET Design Team and all of our members have a great deal to celebrate and look forward to! Under the leadership of the 2021-23 Executive Committee, the Design Team is at its full capacity, and we have strengthened our partnerships with federal agencies. NET has also launched the new DEIA committee, the National Extension Outdoor Recreation Working Group, and the National Extension Agritourism Working Group. Read more >

NET Design Team elects new Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary for two-year terms

At its summer quarterly meeting, the NET Design Team elected new officers, who will provide leadership and guidance to the all-volunteer organization, which serves a collaborative network of more than 700 educators, researchers, and technical experts interested in tourism and recreation. Meet the new team!

Networking, Networking, NETworking! 2023 NET Conference upholds tradition of seeding new connections and collaborations

More than 80 NET members gathered in Milwaukee, WI, in September for four days of networking, learning, and experiencing greater Milwaukee. Hosted by NET 2023 Conference Chair Natalie Chin and Wisconsin Sea Grant, this was NET’s 14th biennial conference since 1995. Here’s a recap – and photos!

NET announces 2023 award recipients

The National Extension Tourism Network recognized the impacts and accomplishments of several of its members during an awards banquet held during its biennial national conference in Milwaukee, WI, in September. This year’s NET Awards program honored seven deserving teams and individuals with six awards.

Let’s connect! Join NET on social media

Stay connected with NET between conferences by following us on social media! You can also help the NET Communications Team enhance the national presence of NET through social media. Use the guidelines outlined here to engage with our LinkedIn page. Posts tagged with #NET and other related topics could be featured in upcoming newsletters.

NET 2025 Conference – Join us in New Hampshire!

Mark your calendars for the 2025 NET Conference, which will be hosted by University of New Hampshire Extension and will take place in Meredith, NH, October 7-10, 2025! Taking place along the scenic shores of Lake Winnipesaukee (New Hampshire’s largest lake), this conference will be a partnership between NET and the Northeast Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (NETTRA). The NET Design Team is excited for this opportunity to introduce more people to the work of Extension, develop new collaborations, and continue to build bridges between research and practice. If you are interested in helping out with planning, please reach out to the NET 2025 Conference Chair, Jada Lindblom (jada.lindblom@unh.edu).

Initiative launches to strengthen small-town, rural tourism in Roscommon County, Michigan

Submitted by NET Past Chair Andy Northrop

The Roscommon County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC) and Michigan State University Extension are teaming up to launch a year-long, multi-phase, and county-wide initiative designed to strengthen the northeast county’s small town tourism industry by capitalizing on stakeholder knowledge, input, and first-time visitor perspectives. Learn more here.