The Center is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism throughout our region, North Carolina, and the nation through innovation in graduate education, leadership development, community consultation, and collaborative research. Devoted to implementing sustainable practices in business operations, public policies, and personal travel behaviors, the Center offers solutions to challenges facing the tourism industry and destination communities as they balance economic viability with socio-cultural and environmental enhancement and equity.
5-16-2012: CST Director Pat Long testifies before the Congressional Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade's hearing, "Where the Jobs Are: Promoting Tourism to America." Dr. Long's testimony on the importance of sustainable tourism development begins at 1:30:00.
There is no doubt going green adds value. Brad Tomm, director of sustainable operations at MGM Resorts International, noted this during a recent webinar on reducing food waste that his company is observing more meeting planners asking about sustainable practices. TripAdvisor found in its recent survey on eco-friendly travel choices, 71 percent of travelers plan on making greener travel choices in the future. And the number of tourism businesses implementing green practices is also growing. Last year, the National Restaurant Association survey found 65 percent of restaurants have a recycling program in place, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association Lodging Survey found similar trends in their industry survey. But the question of what makes a green attraction or accommodation remains difficult to answer. The NC GreenTravel Initiative provides a number of resources to help attractions and accommodations become greener. The program also includes a statewide recognition program for properties that have met the NC GreenTravel recognition criteria. So far, over 20 properties have been recognized by the program, with many more joining. For more information on what the results of these surveys might mean for your tourism organization, contact Tom Rhodes at the N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach at (919) 707-8140, or Alex Naar at (252) 737-1346. Click here for more information about NC GreenTravel.
Professor and Chair, Department of Geography. Ronald Mitchelson's main research interests focus on examining the relationship between transportation and the location of facilities, e.g., golf courses. He generally finds that the quest for good location generally yields substantial spatially-based inequality. He uses GIS and advanced statistical analysis to provide predictive analyses of facility locations or the volume of flows one might expect.
