Center Initiatives

Inventory and Analysis of Sustainable Tourism Practices in North Carolina

The Center is compiling an inventory of sustainable tourism practices in North Carolina to provide advocacy for business owners who are embracing sustainable business operations and to promote awareness among individual travelers and public policy makers about the benefits and importance of responsible tourism. The inventory also serves to assist conscious travelers in making responsible choices by offering a directory of various accommodations and travel/tourism providers in North Carolina who are committed to sustainability.

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Campus Lecture Series on Sustainable Tourism

The Lecture Series provides an educational venue for students, the academic community, researchers, business operators, public policy makers, and community members to learn about the current challenges facing tourism and destination communities and share information and ideas about the latest developments and trends in sustainable tourism. Presenters have included Brian Mullis, President, Sustainable Travel International, Bernard Lane, Editor of the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, and Dr. Stan Riggs, Distinguished Professor, Department of Geology. 

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Sustainable Tourism Consultation

The Center provides assistance in sustainable tourism planning, tourism business development, and public policy development and implementation.

Faculty Experts for Sustainable Tourism Consultation

The Center is collecting an inventory of individual ECU faculty members and general program initiatives specific to sustainability and tourism. The inventory provides a multi disciplinary index of faculty expertise and features current research interests, community outreach efforts, notable publications, and courses being offered at the university related to sustainability and tourism.

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Renewable Energy Practices in Tourism Initiative (www.renewabletourism.com)

The Renewable Energy in Tourism Initiative (RETI), is a joint effort of the Center, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and the University of Colorado at Boulder's Energy Initiative,with corporate support from MilesMedia, Inc. to establish best practices in energy use for the following tourism sectors—accommodations, airlines, cruise lines, public lands, ski resorts and tour operators. Please visit www.renewabletourism.com to participate in the public comment phase.

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Climate, Weather and Tourism Initiative

Despite the fundamental influence climate has on tourism services throughout the state, there is limited understanding of the relationship between climate and business operations, and long-term economic and environmental sustainability. To address this relationship, the Center for Sustainable Tourism and affiliates are collaborating to sponsor a workshop to address the complexities of the tourism industry particularly the business and economic sectors, in addition to the complex relationship of climate seasonality and variability as well as climate warming, on economic transformation and community development.

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Community Sense of Place Initiative

In sustainable tourism development, it is essential to foster and protect community “sense of place” in order to balance the vitality of the tourism economy and quality of community experience for both residents and visitors alike. Toward that end, the Center is engaged in conducting research, sponsoring symposiums, and providing support in community and economic development to address the impacts of tourism development on community economics, business development, public policy, and community sense of place.

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Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Tourism (MS-ST)

The MS-ST is an interdisciplinary degree focusing on sustainable tourism research, development, policy and management.  This proposed offering has complete the ECU campus review and approval process and has been sent on to the UNC GA's office for review.  Partners in this effort include the Colleges of Business, Health and Human Performance, Human Ecology and the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.

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