Welcome to the
Center for Sustainable Tourism
Message from the Director, Dr. Patrick Long
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Welcome to the Center for Sustainable Tourism. The Center advances research and outreach aimed at affecting changes in tourism business practices, public policies, and individual traveler behaviors that lessen any negative impacts of travel while enhancing travel's positive outcomes for both travelers and their host communities. The Center was
originally established in 1998, and relocated to East Carolina
University in the fall of 2007. The Master of Science in Sustainable
Tourism degree program began its course offerings in the fall of 2009. Our philosophy is that all participants in the tourism experience can, together, protect the environmental health and socio-cultural distinctiveness of tourism destinations while contributing to economic vitality. At the Center, we work across disciplines, often supporting inter-disciplinary teams for teaching, research, and outreach. Our collaborative approach capitalizes on the intellectual wealth and institutional capacity that East Carolina University can bring to the study and practice of sustainability in tourism. We are proud that our MS in Sustainable Tourism-the first such degree program in the nation- is multi- and inter-disciplinary, and that the degree is conferred by our Graduate School. We welcome you to join us in ensuring that travel remains an integral part of everyone's life and that the special places travelers hold dear are enjoyed with dignity and respect.
News and Upcoming Events
(click to view)
Presentation by Dr. Long at Craven Community College as part of Earth Day activities (April 2013)
The Center was delighted to host Dr. Michael
Giebelhausen from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Dr.
Giebelhausen presented "Greening with Guilt: Navigating the
Intersection of Morality and Marketing in Sustainable Services."
(click to view)
The Center was delighted to host Dr. Michael Giebelhausen from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Dr. Giebelhausen presented "Greening with Guilt: Navigating the Intersection of Morality and Marketing in Sustainable Services."
(click to view)
Check out the latest NC Green Travel Tip and download the complete list of tips here!
(April 24, 2013) Linen reuse might not be so simpleAnyone that has stayed at a hotel during the last five years is likely familiar with linen reuse programs. The idea seems simple: Travelers that are concerned about the environment and would prefer not to have their towels and bed sheets changed every day have the option to do their part to save the environment. And hotels can save hundreds of dollars on water and energy. Yet despite its simplicity and clear benefits, linen reuse programs face many challenges. Guests that would prefer the premium of fresh-daily towels may be put-off by the program. And researches are finding out that participation in linen reuse programs may be impacted by complex psychological behavior. For example, according to Dr. Michael Giebelhausen, from his recent presentation at the Center for Sustainable Tourism at ECU, hotel guests that participated in linen reuse programs reported being more satisfied than those that did not. However, the satisfaction of guests that participated went down when they were offered an incentive to participate, while the satisfaction of guests that did not participate went up. Plus, all of this assumes that housekeeping has the proper training and does not just change the towels anyway. So maybe it really isn't easy being green. For more information about greening of the tourism industry, contact NC GreenTravel, program manager Tom Rhodes, or Alex Naar with the Center for Sustainable Tourism at ECU at (252) 737-1346.
