Graduate – International Institute of Tourism Studies

NORTH DAKOTA TRIBES LAUNCH NON-PROFIT TOUR OPERATOR TO SELL CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURS

GW IITSNovember 30, 2021November 30, 2021Leave a comment

The North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance Readies to Sell Tour Products Ahead of 2022 Summer Travel Season

The North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance (NDNTA), which represents the tourism interests of the five federally recognized tribes of North Dakota, has formed a new non-profit tour operator, Native American Cultural Tours (NACT), to educate visitors about Native American heritage and create economic opportunities within Native communities. Native American Cultural Tours will promote and sell cultural heritage tours from the five sovereign nations of North Dakota.

NACT expects to launch its website and begin selling tours for the summer of 2022 by the end of the year. As a Native American-led organization, every tour is designed and delivered by the Tribal Nation it represents. This Native-ownership model allows NACT to support the economic growth of Native American businesses and entrepreneurs and provide supplemental employment opportunities in Indigenous communities.

NDNTA has prepared for tribally-owned tour packages and implemented tour operations infrastructure under NDNTA by contracting a part-time tour operations contractor and working closely with the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) for technical assistance. The GW team has worked side-by-side with NDNTA’s tour operations contractor, Alicia Hegland-Thorpe, to develop tour operations procedures, a booking website, tour operator brand identity, and undertake a tour test in August of 2021.

“This tour test marks an important milestone for NDNTA on its path to bring authentic Native American experiences to visitors,” says Darian Morsette, President of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance. “We are committed to bringing Native American-owned tours to market so that our culture and history can be shared in our own voices.”

Lena Ross of America 4 You constructs a model earth lodge during the Native American Cultural Tour Test at Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, North Dakota, August 2021

To prepare for the tour test, the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation (MHA), Spirit Lake Nation, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe each put together an overnight tour package highlighting the cultural heritage of their respective nations. Highlights of the week-long tour test attended by the GW team, tour operators, and state tourism representatives included a Native American dance performance and a traditional meal in an Earth Lodge at MHA; a guided tour of the Fort Totten Historic site, which is also a former Native American residential school on the Spirit Lake Nation; the Fort Yates Powwow; and an Indian Relay race and storytelling at Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

(Left) Lonna Street performs a traditional dance during the Native American Cultural Tour Test at White Horse Hill National Game Preserve, Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota, August 2021; (Middle) The tour group learns about Fort Totten history as an Indian boarding school during the Native American Cultural Tour Test at Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota, August 2021; (Right) Elder Louie Garcia, explains the significance of Devil’s Heart Butte during the Native American Cultural Tour Test at Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota, August 2021

“This is a remarkable achievement, as all North Dakota Tribes have worked together through the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance to develop and complete our tour packages with the assistance of George Washington University and Native American Cultural Tours,” said Douglas Sevingy, Director of Tourism for Spirit Lake Nation.

“These tours will present an opportunity for our guests to actually see our people and our cultural ways, along with our customs, traditional food and regalia of each North Dakota Tribal Nation.”

About the NDNTA: NDNTA is a non-profit coalition representing the tourism interests of the five nations of North Dakota: Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Started in 2016, the NDNTA’s mission is to protect, promote, preserve, and educate the world about the culture, history and environment of our sovereign nations.

Caption for Banner Photo: MHA Tourism’s Jason Morsette discusses the impacts of the Garrison Dam during the Native American Cultural Tour Test at Crow Flies High Butte, Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, North Dakota, August 2021

Students Rise to COVID-19 Recovery Challenges in Belize and Grenada

GW IITSOctober 7, 2020December 21, 2020Leave a comment

Every year, students from the George Washington University Master of Tourism Administration program (MTA) spend two weeks over the summer working on consulting projects for a travel destination. They tackle real life tourism challenges and assist countries beyond the U.S. in their sustainable tourism development aspirations.

Seleni Matus, Executive Director of GW International Institute of Tourism Studies explains: "the summer practicum provides MTA students with unique opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge and see for themselves the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable tourism." Matus has organized and led the short-term study away programs with GW students in prior years to Italy, Indonesia, Mexico and Cuba.

In pandemic 2020, traveling was out of the question, so digital strategy, adaptation and resilience were required. GW students who would have been traveling to Kazakhstan for on-the-ground experience performed instead in the first-ever virtual summer practicum assisting the Belize Ministry of Tourism and the Grenada Tourism Authority with COVID-19 recovery planning efforts.

By the time the international tourism consulting project began in May, tourism industries throughout the Caribbean were diligently preparing to begin reopening their borders, and there was an urgent need to help micro and small tourism businesses to prepare to reopen safely. To assist where Belize and Grenada most needed it, the students developed digital strategies for the most pressing needs.

Prior to engaging with stakeholders, student teams conducted background research on their destinations and on global COVID-19 recovery best practices. Initial research done, the student teams proceeded to engage stakeholders virtually. They conducted surveys, business focus groups, and interviews with industry professionals.

The student teams created a COVID-19 Tourism Dashboard framework and a Digital Communications Toolkit for Tourism Businesses with specific advice for hoteliers. One of the team leaders, Monica Schmidt reflected, “Our team’s most significant contribution was initiating a deeper conversation around digital transformation for the Belize tourism sector.”

Reflections from other students on their experiences can be found here.

The challenges of conducting virtual practicums were real, but so were the students’ results, and the students’ products were very well-received. Being inside a country you are trying to assist in its tourism development efforts has obvious advantages, but the GW MTA students working virtually created and developed digital strategies for Belize and Grenada that prove mastery of the virtual space can be just as useful.

STUDENTS REFLECT ON THEIR VIRTUAL CONSULTING PROJECTS WITH THE BELIZE MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND GRENADA TOURISM AUTHORITY

GW IITSSeptember 16, 2020December 21, 2020Leave a comment

“We created a COVID-19 Digital Toolkit Video Series for tourism businesses in Belize to help them better position themselves using online tools and platforms in response to the pandemic. It was very meaningful to be able to create a useful resource and provide it directly to small and medium tourism businesses and the Belize Ministry of Tourism at such a critical moment.”

Beth Wright, Team Un-Belize-Able

“Our team’s most significant contribution was initiating a deeper conversation around digital transformation for the Belize tourism sector. I hope that conversations around the topics we recommended, including introducing digital payment systems and digitizing data collection, will continue in the coming months.”

Monica Schmidt, Team Un-Belize-Able

“Our Accommodations Toolkit provides the hotel sub-sector in Grenada with recommendations on how to react to the global pandemic and prepare for the reopening of tourism. The toolkit was signed off on by the CEO of the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association because of its great benefits for this industry."

Jess Wilson, Team Pure Grenada

“I appreciated that I got the chance to apply what I learned in the class to a real-world case by working with the Grenada Tourism Authority. Our team received invaluable feedback from our professor, classmates, clients and coaching panels throughout the consulting process. This experience gave me a realistic understanding of what consulting for tourism destinations is like."

Nuo Li, Team Pure Grenada

Why this travel company is committed to reconciliation with First Nations Australians

GW IITSAugust 19, 2020December 16, 2020Leave a comment

The Australia-based responsible tour operator Intrepid Travel has always been committed to making a real difference in travel destinations by investing in local communities, human rights initiatives, wildlife conservation projects and the environment. As Intrepid's website states: "We’re all about operating in a responsible manner and incorporating principles of sustainable tourism and development into the way we provide our travellers with real life experiences."

Intrepid is not only a sponsor of the Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas—an initiative organized by the International Institute of Tourism Studies along with the Organization of American States and the Bureau of Indian Affairs— but the company's commitment to creating more opportunities for First Nations people provides valuable learnings for all of us.

By James Thornton, CEO Intrepid Travel

The current crisis is an exceptionally challenging time for travel, but it is also a chance to consider how businesses can rebuild more responsibly – environmentally, economically and socially, which includes fostering stronger understanding with Indigenous communities. Intrepid Travel is headquartered in Australia and we formally started our reconciliation journey by committing to a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Reconciliation is about building stronger relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

In July 2020, our 'Innovate’ RAP was endorsed by national body Reconciliation Australia. This built on our ‘Reflect’ RAP,
which was endorsed in 2019. While our experience is uniquely Australian and we’re still in the very early phase of our reconciliation journey, we wanted to share our experience so far to help encourage other organisations to take their first step. This is particularly important at a time when the global conversation is centered on discrimination and social justice, including for First Nations peoples.

For us, as a responsible business and a certified B Corp, developing a RAP was an important step. Intrepid is a truly diverse business with offices all over the world, but we were founded more than 30 ears ago in Melbourne, where our head office is. We also run trips in every state and territory in Australia (except Australian Capital Territory), including tours that visit remote Aboriginal communities and culturally significant places such as Uluru.

Intrepid Travel acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognizes their ongoing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future, and support the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices.
But we cannot reflect on Australia’s history and our place in it without acknowledging the devastating and lasting effects that colonialism, land dispossession and racism has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We know we need to play our part to close the gap that this legacy has created.

Developing a RAP, in consultation with First Nations advisors, is a way that a business can start to address inequalities, as it provides a formal framework and time frame for a business to take specific actions.
Since adopting our first RAP 18 months ago, we’ve introduced several changes – some of these are simple to implement but are significant nonetheless.

Brian Swindley, owner of Janbal Gallery in Tropical North Queensland – Intrepid started working with the gallery and including it in itineraries as part of its commitment to partner with more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism operators.

Personally, I now begin all important meetings, including company updates, with an Acknowledgement of Country. Our global websites also include an Acknowledgment of Country and at a product level, we banned alcohol on our visits to Uluru and started working with some new Aboriginal tourism operators in Queensland.

Under our Innovate RAP, we’ll take further actions over the next two years. This includes exploring internship opportunities for young people interested in a career in sustainable tourism and amplifying First Nations voices in our marketing and platforms.

We very much continue to be on the journey, but I’d like to share some of the things we’ve learnt so far:

Do your homework and be open. We have a lot of learning to do. This is an ongoing process and it’s something that we’ve committed to at every level of our business. Engage First Nations advisors and do the work to understand the issues at play, and how inequalities are present in your business.
Form a working group. Seek out people at all levels of your business who are passionate about reconciliation and who are committed to making change. These people must be empowered and made accountable. Ideally the working group would include First Nations people – this is something we continue to work on. Personally, I am updated regularly by our RAP working group lead.
Build awareness. To be truly effective, everyone within the business needs to be on the reconciliation journey. You will need to dedicate time and resources to internal communications and continually share
information. We’ve found one of the most important parts of this process has been to listen, learn, engage, reflect and build respect for First Nations cultures and histories. We continue to work on this aspect, and we are fortunate that in Australia, there are many excellent resources
available.

As we rebuild from this crisis, we hope other tourism businesses will be open to change and starting their own reconciliation journey. Together we can rebuild more responsibly to benefit all communities, including First Nations peoples.

As an Australian-owned business, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to their Elders past, present and future.

MANAGING CRUISE TOURISM IN BELIZE CITY: GW Helps Lead The Way Toward A More Sustainable Future

GW IITSDecember 5, 2019January 31, 2020Leave a comment

Post by Taylor Ruoff

The International Institute of Tourism Studies provides Master of Tourism Administration students with unique opportunities to participate in ongoing research and consulting projects that support sustainable tourism development all over the world. Last year, recent graduate Taylor Ruoff went to Belize City to work on a project designed to help the country better manage its growing influx of visitors and their impact on the country's resources. Here are her reflections on the experience and the future of tourism in Belize.

Belize City is not only the country’s largest urban area, but also serves as its commercial and cultural epicenter, and the main port of call for cruise tourism. Nearly 850,000 passengers arrived by ship last year to explore the country’s barrier reef, offshore islands, cave systems and Mayan archaeological sites.

While the industry has grown steadily and fostered entrepreneurship and economic growth in Belize, tourism is bringing an influx of people to the city, which is increasing pressure on resources, infrastructure, transportation and other services. Despite noticeable improvements in recent years, “crime-ridden”, “unsafe”, and “dangerous” are adjectives commonly used by outsiders when describing the city, and the reason that a number of tourists don’t ever venture past the port.

ASSESSING THE SITUATION

To help Belize City identify and overcome these challenges and plan for a sustainable future, I recently participated in the development of a destination assessment and sustainability plan. Along with International Institute of Tourism Studies Executive Director Seleni Matus and fellow graduate student Amanda Reiser—as well as Belize’s Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Board, industry associations, conservationists, tour operators, attraction managers, and other key local stakeholders—we helped to facilitate dialogue and exchange between these different groups. While they are key influencers and decision-makers, they're often not at the same table when it comes to discussing tourism.

“This sustainability assessment, the first ever of its kind for Belize, is a great step in elevating the importance and path towards responsible development and management within our cruise destinations,” noted Abil Castañeda, Chief Tourism Officer for the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Belize.

SOCIAL MEDIA LISTENING

As part of the assessment, a team of graduate students from George Washington University’s Master of Tourism Administration program analyzed reviews on TripAdvisor and Cruise Critic to better understand visitor perceptions of the destination. “Our results revealed that visitors appreciated the wealth of knowledge and stellar service provided by local Belizean guides, and greatly enjoy the diverse natural tourism products the destination has to offer,” shared Reiser. “However, visitors also noted that a lack of accessibility, safety issues, and overcrowding at some popular attractions and sites degraded their overall experience, which was further confirmed by our site visits while in-country.”

In May, the GW team presented the results of the social media analysis and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Assessment in Belize City. We also facilitated the development of a sustainability action plan with input from local stakeholders. As a result, stakeholders agreed that in the near-term, they would take measures to better understand and mitigate against the negative impacts of tourism on visitor attractions and natural sites. For example, we discussed the production of guidelines to protect and properly interact with wildlife. Stakeholders also agreed to drive local action and policy-making around tourism development more generally by, for instance, measuring maximum capacities and limiting visitation to minimize overcrowding.

THE FUTURE OF CRUISE TOURISM

Following the assessment, the Belize Tourism Board held the country’s first cruise conference this past August, which brought together cruise line executives from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, and other cruise tourism experts to discuss new trends and key issues pertaining to the sustainability of the industry and Belize. I had the opportunity to present the findings of our team’s online visitor perception assessment at the event, stressing the importance of tracking visitor experiences to better address safety, accessibility, and overcrowding challenges at popular attractions and sites. The assessment and conference are major milestones for Belize and are part of a larger effort to promote destination stewardship and cruise tourism sustainability throughout the country.

This destination sustainability assessment of Belize City was sponsored by the GSTC, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) with funding and support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Student Consultants Support Cultural Heritage Tourism in Abruzzo, Italy

GW IITSOctober 23, 2019Leave a comment

The juxtaposition of the sea and mountains makes for an ideal travel destination anywhere in the world. But in Abruzzo, Italy, this natural beauty is combined with world-class cuisine and wine, and a rich historical and cultural context.

During the summer fourteen students from The George Washington University (GWU) traveled to Abruzzo for a two-week consulting project conducted in collaboration with the local D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara and DestiMed, an initiative of the IUCNCenter for Mediterranean Cooperation, which is a nonprofit working to promote sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean.

As Seleni Matus, Executive Director of GWU's International Institute of Tourism Studies explains, "the summer practicum provides Masters of Tourism Administration students with a unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge and to see for themselves the actual challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable tourism." Matus, who organized and led the trip, has taken GWU students to Cuba, Mexico and Indonesia during prior years.

The student-consultants were paired with three local Italian students and tasked with researching the region's tourism landscape. Their primary focus was on developing ecotourism-related products and services, exploring market opportunities and evaluating the local and national governance structure in terms of tourism.

Presentations from area experts and professors, one-on-one interviews, and site visits to local attractions—including several national parks—provided students with an understanding of and insights into this relatively unknown part of Europe.

Fred Baldassaro, a second-year Masters of Tourism Administration candidate, summed up the experience this way: “Abruzzo gave us a chance to put all of our education and theory into practice through real-world encounters and experiences. The project also allowed us to contribute to a region that is using tourism for economic development and improving the lives of people living there.”

The students prepared for the project during a month-long class that provided a deep-dive into the general consulting process and included desktop research on the history of tourism in Abruzzo. Perhaps most importantly, the classroom preparation provided students with the confidence to successfully deliver on a project in an unfamiliar area and outside of their comfort zones.

On site, the consulting project began with a two-day seminar at the D'Annunzio University in Chieti and featured speakers from the region, including Gran Sasso National park officials and representatives of the the Italian National Institute of Statistics. Site visits brought classroom research to life and into focus. Yet it was the dozens of interviews with Abruzzo’s tourism stakeholders — mayors, museum curators, park rangers, tour guides professors, hoteliers and restaurant owners— that provided the most useful insights.

Following the interviews and field research, the students synthesized all of the information they gathered and assembled a presentation for local stakeholders— which was covered by local and national TV news-outlets—and a final consulting report that included recommendations for ushering into the region a new generation of sustainable travel.

Spring Colloquium Features Presentation on Loudoun County Revival

GW IITSMay 5, 2017December 11, 2017

Spring Colloquium Features Presentation on Loudoun County Revival ...continue reading

Tourism & Debate Students Travel to Indonesia: Competition Awards Ceremony Provides New Appreciation for Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Tourism

GW IITSDecember 15, 2016December 13, 2017Leave a comment

Visitors to Rawa Pening, a lake in Central Java, Indonesia, describe their experience as “peaceful”, “calm” and “joyful.” But the tourist destination is threatened by an influx of invasive plants, which scientists warn may cause the lake’s waters to dry up within a few years. So Inasa Ori Sativa, a student from the from Bandung Institute of Tourism, came up with the innovative idea of using water hyacinths as a craft material for local artisans. Her proposal, submitted to the 2017 Forum on International Tourism and Environment (FITE) Business Solutions competition won first place among more than one hundred entries.

For the competition—sponsored by the George Washington University International Institute for Tourism Studies, the GW Debate and Literary Society, the Bandung Institute of Tourism, the Embassy of France to Indonesia and the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism—students were invited to submit proposals for business ideas in support of sustainable tourism. In addition to the students in Indonesia, George Washington University students also applied to the competition. Debate and Literary Society organizers Bailey Fischer-Columbo and Jeffery Lear along with GW competition winners Stephanie Westhelle and Sarah Marin, received all-expense-paid trips to attend the award ceremony in West Java, where they helped to prepare the Indonesian students for the event by coaching them on presentation and English language skills.

The GW students were joined by Director of Debate Paul Hayes and International Institute of Tourism Studies Executive Director Seleni Matus, who in her presentation underscored the importance of this particular year, which has been designated by the UN as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. She remarked: “When carefully managed, tourism has the transformative power to be a force for good—it can enrich lives, strengthen communities and help protect resources and hertiage.”

For the students, the opportunity to work with counterparts in Indonesia and witness first-hand their commitment to sustainability, was truly life-changing. As Westhelle observed, “In America, too often we take our education for granted. But it’s clear that the Indonesian students I met value the opportunities their universities provide in terms of shaping their careers. They were so proactive. Also, sustainability is well-integrated into the culture. The competition submissions were truly inspiring.”

This was the competition’s second year. According to Paul Hayes, the YouTube video submissions from last year where students proposed their ideas for sustainability now have more than 60,000 views. For more information, please visit the FITE website.

Alum Feature: Tania Curry, World Wildlife Fund

GW IITSApril 20, 2016

From time to time the IITS likes to showcase the work of our Master of Tourism Administration alumni who are contributing to a more sustainable world through their work. Immediately after earning her degree in 2103, Tania Curry accepted a position as an intern with the World Wildlife Fund’s Travel, Tourism, & Conservation program. A couple of months later, she was hired as a Travel Specialist.

What is the role of the WWF Travel Program?

WWF’s Travel Program aims to give people opportunities to observe the world’s diversity first hand, immersing them in nature and inspiring them to actively care about conservation. We offer trips for both members and non-members alike that educate travelers about conservation work in the field.

Which aspects of that work are you involved with?

I help coordinate and promote our nature trips, and assist as needed with special trips we organize for major donors. The program works closely with Natural Habitat Adventures to promote educational nature travel, and train and equip their guides with the latest in conservation and science research. I also contribute to Good Nature Travel and World Wildlife Magazine.

Can you tell us about any special projects you’re excited about?

We’ve been working on a project we’re calling Conservation Travel that focuses on harnessing the economic potential of the travel industry to create incentives for communities and governments to conserve wildlife and wild places and support green growth.

How did your experience in the Master of Tourism Administration program prepare you for your current work?

Through the program, I gained access to contacts and networks that I otherwise would not have found on my own. Guest lectures, events, and course projects allowed me to further explore career options. I actually found my current job while assisting with the UNWTO.Themis Foundation course, Tourism and International Cooperation for Development. The MTA summer practicum in Peru was one of my most personally rewarding courses and gave me a better understanding of the economic importance of tourism and the value of over-communicating when multiple stakeholders are involved. Finally, the experience I gained during my research assistantship with the Crow Nation helped me understand the value of capacity-building and community empowerment within tourism development.

Do you have tips for graduate students who are considering their own career paths?

Consider exploring careers that fall outside of the traditional tourism umbrella and don’t be afraid to think beyond the typical jobs you hear about most. If you’re interested in working with a smaller company and have a research or internship idea that you think may be worthwhile, don’t be afraid to pitch it to them.

[button href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/travel" style="emboss" size="medium" color="#0096d6" hovercolor="#ffffff" textcolor="#ffffff" texthovercolor="#0096d6"]Learn more about WWF’s Travel Program[/button]

Seleni Matus Joins the IITS as Executive Director

GW IITSApril 20, 2016

IITS_International-Institute-Tourism-Studies_Blog_Seleni-Mattus_1_600x150 (1)

In January 2016, Seleni Matus became the new Executive Director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies (IITS) at George Washington University. A native of Belize, she has served as the country’s Director of Tourism, and held positions at Conservation International and Sustainable Travel International. Seleni brings more than 15 years of experience designing and overseeing large-scale initiatives in sustainable destination management throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Seleni to welcome her to GWU and learn about her experiences and vision for the IITS.

Welcome Seleni! How did you first become involved in sustainable tourism?

While I was still living in Belize and working on development and entrepreneurship, I oversaw the design of a national tour guide training and certification program. Tour guides can play a key role in sustainable tourism because they interact directly with tourists and act as interpreters of local culture. As a result of the program, and seeing how well-managed tourism can transform the lives of people in local communities, I became very passionate about sustainable travel and tourism. We need to ensure that there’s more good tourism going on around the world.

Would you say that the development of the tour guide training program was among your proudest achievements?

Absolutely. More recently, however, I led the development of the Sustainable Destination Alliance of the Americas. We brought key players to the table to develop a practical toolkit designed to help tourism-dependent destinations start on their sustainability journey. To have been able to connect all the dots by bringing together top-level decision-makers, regional organizations, NGOs, and major corporations — and to get them to agree on a shared vision — is one of my proudest moments.

What are some upcoming IITS projects you’re most excited about?

We’ve been working to expand the reach of our destination management certificate program to other regions in the world, particularly to the Caribbean, where program partners and universities have expressed enormous interest.

We’re also planning to develop a more robust applied research agenda. Because the tourism industry needs reliable information to make more informed decisions about our future, we’re hoping to position the IITS as a leader in the field, helping to advance industry thinking around sustainability and destination management.

IITS_International-Institute-Tourism-Studies_Blog_Seleni-Mattus_3 In addition to research, we also want to fill the more pressing needs for capacity building on sustainability and destination management in key regions such as the Caribbean and Latin America. And finally, we want to develop strategic partnerships that would enable us to offer our students very unique experiences working in tourism development issues around the world.

How can students and professionals get involved in these new projects?

Oh, in many ways. We offer non-degree certificate programs that provide professionals with practical ways to enhance their skills in the tourism industry. Our students can participate in our research projects and the programs we’re developing with strategic partners. For example, we hope to collaborate with partners such as the Organization of American States on specific tourism projects. This would allow students to spend a few weeks or even a semester helping to implement projects in the real world.

And finally, what’s your favorite travel destination?

There’s a saying in Spanish: “I’m taking it in my heart.” Places like Cozumel, Suriname, and Jamaica are all very special to me because of the work I’ve done there and the relationships I’ve built.