Compiled and edited by members of the NET Communications and Executive Committees: Natalie Chin, Kristen Devlin, Mercedes Fraser, Molly McManus, Ann Savage, Gwynn Stewart, and April Turner.
Table of Contents
- Letter from NET Vice Chair, Gwynn Stewart
- Next Net Webinar (March 5th): Indigenous Tourism in the US – Exploring Research and Extension Collaborations
- Updates from the NET Design Team and Partners
- NETtra 2025 Conference Proceedings: Catch Up on the Latest Tourism Research
- NET 2027 Conference Update
- Outdoor Recreation Data Dashboard now encompasses all four U.S. regions
- New Webinar Series – Destination Ready: A Virtual Forum for Tourism Stakeholders
- GenAI and Community Tourism Development
- University of Minnesota Tourism Center excited to experiment with a new format for its annual Research Showcase
- Regional Spotlight on the Southern Region
- Updates from Agritourism and Outdoor Recreation Working Groups
Letter from NET Vice Chair, Gwynn Stewart
Dear National Extension Tourism NETwork,
I am pleased to be serving as the 2026 Vice-Chair of the National Extension Tourism Network and as a member of the NET Communications Committee coordinating the quarterly newsletter.
This issue provides a wealth of information from the organization including details on the 2025 NETTra conference proceedings (from the October 7-10, 2025 conference in Meredith, New Hampshire, USA) that explores 13 papers, as well as updates on the NET Agritourism and Outdoor Recreation work groups’ new leadership and direction for 2026.
As each issue of the newsletter features a spotlight on activities for regions around the nation, this edition will include spotlights from the Southern region including work around convening coastal tourism stakeholders in Georgia, an Extension-led webinar series supporting Florida’s ecotourism community, and a tourism leadership program building leaders across Mississippi.
The planning committee is already hard at work, so be sure to “Save the Dates” for the 2027 NET Conference scheduled to take place Oct. 18-21, 2027, in the Jackson Hole area of Wyoming!
You can also stay connected with NET and learn about webinars and more by following the NET group on LinkedIn!
Enjoy this issue of the NET newsletter!
Gwynn Stewart, MS, OhioCED
Assistant Professor – Community Development
Ohio State University Extension (Noble County)
Webinar: Indigenous Tourism in the US – Exploring Research and Extension Collaborations
This webinar on March 5, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET will explore collaborations supporting Indigenous communities through travel and tourism research and extension. There are 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations in the United States, and countless more that are either recognized at the state level or not recognized formally by these jurisdictions. Indigenous communities — globally and in this context — have faced centuries of oppression, assimilation, and displacement. Tourism, and its promotion and development, is one way that Tribal Nations support their economies, Peoples, and culture, leading to cultural revitalization, development, and sovereignty. Yet, when tourism development does not integrate community voices, it runs the risk of cultural appropriation, economic leakage, and mismanaged projects. Hosted by the National Extension Tourism Network (NET) and Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), this webinar and its panelists will examine the relationship between tourism, Indigenous communities in the United States, and university research and extension programs. Learn more and register for the webinar here.
Update from the NET Design Team and Partners
NETtra 2025 Conference Proceedings: Catch Up on the Latest Tourism Research
Are you interested in destination development strategies, agritourism, medical tourism, or the outdoor recreation economy? You can explore 13 papers from the 2025 NETtra Conference – a first-time collaboration between the National Extension Tourism (NET) Network and the Northeast Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (NETTRA) — hosted by the University of New Hampshire in October 2025.
These papers represent the latest in travel and tourism research and community projects, with topics of interest to tourism practitioners and community stakeholders, as well as academics. Access the Proceedings here.
NET 2027 Conference Update
Planning is underway for the 2027 NET Conference in Jackson, Wyoming! The conference committee has been making steady progress and is excited to welcome everyone to this iconic location. More information will be shared as planning continues, but make sure to mark your calendars for October 18-21, 2027 to be in the Cowboy State!
Outdoor Recreation Data Dashboard now encompasses all four U.S. regions
In fall 2024, the Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) released open-access data from household surveys conducted in three U.S. regions, and the University of Minnesota Tourism Center created an interactive dashboard that summarizes and compares data from the survey’s outdoor recreation questions. With the RRDC’s recent release of survey data from the Western U.S. region, the Tourism Center has just updated their data dashboard to include these data, making it a comprehensive national data set. Check out the dashboard here.
New Webinar Series – Destination Ready: A Virtual Forum for Tourism Stakeholders
As destinations face increasing disaster risks, it is important to put plans in place and know the available resources. NC State Tourism Extension is launching a webinar series to provide destination leaders and tourism stakeholders with valuable resources and perspectives from those who have faced difficult decisions amid disasters (Registration Link).
While the first session will focus on North Carolina, subsequent sessions will be broader and applicable anywhere. Topics and tentative speakers are:
- March 4 – North Carolina Resource Showcase with the North Carolina State Climate Office, State of North Carolina and Visit North Carolina.
- April 1 – Destination Organizations Providing Critical Support with initiatives and non-profits we’ll hear from Greenville, South Carolina’s À Heart GVL Foundation and Explore Asheville
- May 6 – Lessons from Events on the Front Lines with insights from the NC Liver Mush Festival, The Mid South Bike Race and the National Weather Service
- June 3 – Tourism Workforce Mental Health Toolbox with the expertise of Resources for Resilience.
For more information visit go.ncsu.edu/tourism or contact Ann at aesavage@ncsu.edu.
GenAI and Community Tourism Development
The University of Minnesota Tourism Center recently published a series of byte-size learning materials on GenAI and Community Tourism Development, created in collaboration with Applied Economics faculty. At the bottom of the landing page, you will find the links to the two additional pieces on the topic.
University of Minnesota Tourism Center excited to experiment with a new format for its annual Research Showcase
We are excited to bring to you the Research Showcase in a brand-new format. We are presenting our collection of applied research projects as pre-recorded video presentations for your viewing. The eight projects are grouped into three themes: Economic impact of tourism, Community tourism development, and Outdoor recreation. We encourage you to reach out directly to the presenters with questions and feedback — their name and contact information are available underneath each video.
Spotlight on the Southern Region
In each newsletter, we’ll feature NET-affiliated people and programs from a particular region. This time, we’re shining a light on the South.
Convening Coastal Tourism Stakeholders in Georgia – The 2025 Coastal Georgia Tourism Conference
Submitted by Bryan Fleuch, Associate Director of Marine Extension. UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, fluech@uga.edu
According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia’s tourism sector generated $82 billion in economic impact in 2024. Tourism and recreation also represent the largest contributing sector of Georgia’s ocean economy as well. Given the Georgia coast’s reputation as a popular destination for millions of visitors annually, the need for balancing visitor experience and economic prosperity with proper management and stewardship is critical to sustaining Georgia’s coastal tourism industry and the communities that support it.
In response, University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant collaborated with partners from Explore Georgia, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Manomet and the Darien-McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce to organize and host the 2025 Coastal Georgia Tourism conference in December. This is the fifth event since 2019 that Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has organized to convene stakeholders to learn about current issues relevant to the state’s coastal tourism sector while also strengthening local networks and opportunities for future collaborations among participants. Learn more about the Coastal Georgia Tourism Conference here.
Extension-Led Webinar Series Supports Florida’s Ecotourism Community
Submitted by Carolyn Kovacs, Kate Rose, and Mike Sipos
The Florida Society of Ethical Ecotourism (Florida SEE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining a professional code of ecotourism ethics in order to encourage an awareness and stewardship of Florida’s natural and cultural heritage. As such, they provide education as well as promote professionalism within Florida’s ecotourism industry through a voluntary certification and recognition program. In 2024, Florida SEE partnered with Florida Sea Grant at University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension to relaunch its educational webinar series and re-engage current and prospective members following reduced participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three Florida Sea Grant Extension agents joined the Florida SEE Board of Directors to form an education committee and restarted the Florida SEE Webinar Series, which had been dormant for several years. Over the past two years, the series has offered six monthly webinars each year from June through December. Webinars were delivered live and recorded for later viewing on the Florida Sea Grant YouTube channel, expanding statewide access. Webinar topics focused on Florida ecosystems and environmental issues relevant to ecotourism operators and educators, including invasive species, plastic pollution, red tide, coral reefs, estuarine ecosystems. Sessions also highlighted opportunities for participation in citizen science programs such as Eyes on Seagrass and Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch. Read more to learn about the outcomes and impacts of the Florida SEE webinar series.
Excellence in Tourism Leadership Program Builds Recognized Leaders Across Mississippi
Submitted by Rachael Carter, Ph.D., Center for Government and Community Development, Mississippi State University Extension, rdm1@msstate.edu
Tourism professionals today are expected to do more than promote destinations. They must lead partnerships, navigate change, and translate local assets into measurable economic outcomes. Mississippi State University Extension’s Excellence in Tourism Leadership (ETL) Program was created to meet those expectations, and its graduates are helping shape tourism practice across Mississippi and the Southeast.
Since its launch, the ETL Program has graduated dozens of tourism and community leaders representing convention and visitors bureaus, destination marketing organizations, Main Street programs, chambers of commerce, museums, and local governments. Participants come from rural and urban communities alike, reflecting the diversity of Mississippi’s tourism economy and the range of leadership challenges facing the industry. Find out what participants have to say about the ETL program.
Updates from the Agritourism and Outdoor Recreation Working Groups
Agritourism Working Group Update
The Agritourism Working Group kicked off the year with the announcement of leadership transition during the January meeting. Lisa Chase and Lindsey Pashow passed the baton to Garrett Ziegler of Michigan State University and Rachael Callahan of the University of California to take over as co-chairs of the Working Group. A huge thank you to Lisa Chase and Lindsey Pashow for their many years of leadership.
A new year and new leadership provided an excellent opportunity to revisit the mission and goals of the Working Group. To that end, during the January meeting, participants engaged in a collaborative visioning exercise that will inform how we shape our work over the next couple of years. A big thank you to the group for their thoughtful engagement.
In the spirit of collaboration, we encourage all NET Agritourism Working Group members, and those interested in joining the Working Group, to sign-up for and actively engage in the working group mailing list.
Outdoor Recreation Working Group (NEORWG) Update
The Outdoor Recreation Workgroup transitioned leadership in December 2026. Jake Powell (Utah State University) and Hailey Sorg (University of Wyoming) were elected as workgroup co-chairs and will serve until November of 2026. One of the primary changes approved in the workgroup’s December meeting was to change the recurring monthly meeting to every other month to allow for regional workgroups to meet and make progress on regionally relevant objectives. The workgroup will meet in regional workgroups the first Wednesday of each month in January, March, May, July, September, November, and the national workgroup will meet on the first Wednesday of each month in February, April, June, August, October, December. The national meeting will focus on regional report outs, a member or partner spotlight, and collaborating on progress toward the goals established by the group.
For questions or to get involved in the outdoor recreation workgroup or any regional workgroups please contact Jake Powell (jake.powel@usu.edu) or Hailey Sorg (hsorg@uwyo.edu).
Thanks for reading! The next NET newsletter will be published in May. View older newsletters here.
The National Extension Tourism Network (NET) is an all-volunteer organization. NET Executive Officers and Regional Representatives are employed in various capacities by Land Grant and Sea Grant institutions throughout the U.S. In addition, NET receives administrative support from the Regional Rural Development Centers, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the submitting author(s) and should not be construed as an endorsement by NET or employers of NET officers/representatives, or to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy or that of other funders.