The Center for Sustainable Tourism supports both applied and academic research that furthers responsible economic, environmental and socio-cultural development and management of tourism. Tourism’s footprint is large, contributing to both positive and negative outcomes; it is also an industry which at times is fragile, impacted in many ways by its surroundings. A primary goal of the Center is to link the expertise and interests of faculty with the information needs of both the tourism industry and destination communities. This is done in order to further East Carolina University’s academic and research standing and to ensure acceptable tourism development at the local level. Research supported by the Center follows major initiatives.

Some examples of current research being conducted at the Center include:

Community Sense of Place

Tourism Impacts and Second Home Development

• Comparative Review of Second Home Research Findings in North Carolina and Colorado. (2012). Venturoni Surveys & Research, Inc., Linda Venturoni, President, along with Long, P. and Hao, H.

• Second Home Development in Coastal Counties- A Planners Perspective.  (2012). Covi, M., Hao, H. and Long, P.

• Qualitative Analysis of Comments Submitted by Respondents on the Tourism Impacts and Second Home Development in Coastal Communities: A Sustainable Approach survey.  (2012). Hao, H., Pickett, C. and Long, P.

• Coastal Sustainability through the Eyes of Primary Residents and Second Homeowners.      (2012). Landry, C., Hao, H. and Long, P. (JOST).

• Rental Housing Supply: Second Homeowners in the Coastal Zone.  Landry, C., Hao, H. and Long, P. (Targeted for Land Economics). 

Green Consumerism

• Using Environmental Self-efficacy to Compare Festival Attendees Regarding Green Practice Preferences and Consumption Patterns. (2012). Oliver, J., Kline, C., Harris, E., and Naar, A.

Park and Recreation Planning

• Dare County Comprehensive Master Park Plan and Site Specific Plan. (2012). Kline, C.  This contract is for the completion of two parks and recreation plans: one county-wide comprehensive master plan, and one site-specific plan. Plans will be eligible for submission as part of a NC PARTF grant.

RESET (Race, Ethnicity, Social Equity and Tourism)

• Sociology/Sustainable Tourism Study Current Issues Study in North Carolina.  (2012). Powers, R. and Walton, M. 

RETI (Renewable Energy in Tourism Initiative)

• Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Communication for the Hospitality Industry Database (2012) Naar, A., Brown, Z., and Williams, K.

• Examining tourist demand for alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) and destination adoption of AFV services such as charging stations, bio-fuels, and special parking. Jason Oliver (PI) and Alex Naar.

Sustainable Tourism Practices in North Carolina

• NC GreenTravel Application Database. (2012-ongoing). Naar, A., Duncan, JP and Rhodes, T. (DNER).

Rural Tourism

• Visitor Profile Study Project. (2011-ongoing). Kline, C., Naar, A., and Joyner, L.

Entrepreneurial (Eclimate) Activity

• Entrepreneurial Climate in North Carolina Communities. (2012-ongoing). Kline, C. and Flowers, K.

• E-Metrics: Assessing Entrepreneurial Climate Indicators to Energize Local Entrepreneurship and Tourism Development. (2012-ongoing).  Kline, C. et al.