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.
Tag: Sea Grant
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.
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
The Town of Laurel, DE, and the Nanticoke Indian Association recently held a traditional blessing ceremony and ribbon cutting for the newly developed Tidewater Park in downtown Laurel, DE. Ed Lewandowski, a community development specialist with Delaware Sea Grant at the University of Delaware and the project lead for the park, shared this report from the event, which marked a significant milestone in efforts to enhance recreational spaces, advocate for Indigenous people’s history, and promote environmental stewardship in western Sussex County, DE.
To increase access to the impactful work presented at the 2023 National Extension Tourism Conference conference, NET has published its 2023 conference proceedings.
A new publication features eight case studies that explore innovative Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant work in sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation.
Oregon State University in partnership with Holbrook Travel is offering an 8-day travel program in Costa Rica. Led by Miles Phillips, OSU Extension, this fully guided tour will provide an opportunity to explore the Caribbean coast parks, beaches, lowland forests, farms, and rivers.
To increase access to the impactful work presented at the NET 2021 Conference, we are making available the proceedings from the conference.
The National Extension Tourism Network (NET) is composed of professionals from Cooperative Extension, Sea Grant, and other partner organizations, who integrate research, education, and outreach to support sustainable tourism. Learn more about the NETwork and benefits of getting involved in this “About NET” fact sheet.