Rural Development News-Fall 1998
Rural Travel and Tourism
Focus of National Conference
A multi-agency panel at the National Extension Tourism Conference, held in Hershey, Pennsylvania on May 17-19,
1998, discussed future policy needs of the rural travel and tourism industry. Panel members included Jana Prewitt,
U.S. Department of the Interior; Vicky Dickson, Bureau of Land Management; Sandy Thomas, National Park Service;
Floyd Thompson, USDA Forest Service; Linda Harbaugh, U.S. Department of Commerce; Randy Williams, Cooperative State
Research, Education and Extension Service; and James Maetzold, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Tourism is a viable economic development tool that supports a variety of careers at all levels of employment. The
introduction or expansion of tourism in rural communities is a promising avenue for communities to diversify and
improve their quality of life. There is a need for the public and private sectors to work together to help rural
communities develop tourism and accommodate the needs of visitors. Equally, it is imperative that federal agencies
work effectively and cooperatively with each other to use government resources in the most efficient manner.
Linda Harbaugh, senior policy analyst for Tourism Industries in the U.S. Department of Commerce, spoke with participants
about the Tourism Policy Council, designed to ensure that the United States’ national interest in tourism is fully
considered in Federal decision making. In 1995 the TCP completed a Federal Strategy for tourism development and
found that there were more than 170 tourism programs scattered throughout 30 Federal agencies.
She added that conferences such as this one are an ideal way to begin and continue the process of cooperation as
all interested parties learn about the resources and expertise of others.
A post conference workshop was held by the National Tourism Design Team, part of the Communities in Economic Transition
National Initiative through USDA/CSREES. The workshop focused on assessing economic impacts of tourism at the local
level. Phil Alexander, district extension agent with Michigan State University Extension, presented the county
tourism profile generated in collaboration with the Travel, Tourism and Recreation Resource Center at Michigan
State University. MSU Extension has prepared county tourism profiles to help developers, tourism professionals,
public officials and others make informed decisions regarding the travel and tourism industry in Michigan’s respective
counties.
Sponsors of the National Extension Tourism Conference were the four Regional Rural Development Centers, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, the National Association of RC&D, the National Rural Tourism Foundation, and
USDA/CSREES/ECS. More information on the conference and it’s many sessions is available at http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/casconf/nercrd/publications/ntc.html.