2012 Best Research Paper Award

Dr. Fang Meng and Dr. Simon Hudson are the winners of the Best Research Paper Award for the 2012 Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Conference. Their paper "Drive Tourism in Rural Destination Development: Dual Perspectives from Industry Stakeholders and Potential Visitors" is the 2012 award selection bestowed by Sage Publications.

Report on Tourism in The Pee Dee Just Released

The Center has just completed a study that looked at the rural Pee Dee region of South Carolina and its potential to capitalize on the thousands of drive tourists that come through every year on their way to coastal destinations. Interviews and focus groups of tourism industry stakeholders and two consumer surveys were conducted for data collection. Results revealed major constraints to tourism development in the Pee Dee including the lack of a clear brand, poor accessibility, limited cooperation between regions in Pee Dee, lack of cooperation between Pee Dee and the coastal regions, limited infrastructure and tourism product, very poor signage, and limited marketing funds. But opportunities for tourism development in this rural area as a drive tourism destination were also recognized, such as the unique historic and nature-based attractions. Culinary tourism and festivals and events are also likely to attract drive tourists to the Pee Dee, and potential tourists would be interested in natural beauty scenic drives as an alternative way of reaching the coast.

Based on the results, a number of recommendations have been made in the report for growing tourism in the Pee Dee. The full report can be downloaded at:

http://www.hrsm.sc.edu/CoEETourismandED/PDFs/SCTourismStats/DevelopingTourismintheRuralPeeDee.pdf

Association of American Geographers 2012 Annual Conference

PhD Student Stefanie Benjamin will be presenting her paper at the 2012 Association of American Geographers Annual Conference in New York City on February 26.  Benjamin will be presenting with Dr. Derek Alderman of East Carolina University on Being Black in Mayberry: The racial politics of tourism in Mount Airy, North Carolina.  


To find out more about the conference please visit the below link:
http://www.aag.org/annualmeeting 

African American Tourism Niche in Low Country

PhD Student, Stefanie Benjamin attended "Raising the Curtain:  African-American Niche of the Tourism Industry"  Conference in Berkley County, South Carolina on Saturday, February 4.  More than 60 people were in attendance in the reconstructed, one room schoolhouse to brainstorm and network on developing the African-American tourism product to promote economic and educational growth to the state.

From this conference Benjamin will be working to help conduct an economic impact study of African-American tourism to the state of South Carolina in addition to other research projects including assisting with grant and funding opportunities for the Gullah Geechee Group Inc.

To find our more about the conference please check out the below press release:
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2012/feb/05/group-seeks-to-grow-states-black-tourism/

Domestic Medical Tourism

Simon Hudson presented on Domestic Medical Tourism at the 4th World Medical Tourism and Global Health Care Congress in Chicago, IL, October 25-28, 2011. Dr. Hudson's session was filled to capacity with a topic of both broad and keen interest to conference attendees. The presentation itself was also every well received.

The 2011 medical tourism conference was an unprecedented success overall with record attendance - roughly 1,800 representatives from 90 countries.

South Carolina Tourism and Higher Education Summit

The College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management was well represented at the conference hosted by the South Carolina Travel and Tourism Coalition in Columbia, SC today. Dean Brian Mihalik participated in a four person expert panel on hospitality education and six of the seven full-time tourism professors in the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management were among attendees. Dean Mihalik recognized the SC Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development as the only SmartState program dedicated to tourism in the State. He also recognized the Center's Director, Dr. Simon Hudson, as the 'go-to guy' for State focused tourism research.