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.
Tag: Sea Grant
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.
Through a national survey process, the NET Design Team and the Regional Rural Development Centers found that the Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant systems offer agritourism programming in 36 states.
The NET Design Team and the Regional Rural Development Centers carried out a national survey process from 2017 to 2019 to catalog current tourism andRead More