East Carolina University Center for Sustainable Tourism
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| East Carolina University Center for Sustainable Tourism | |
|---|---|
| Name | East Carolina University Center for Sustainable Tourism |
| Formation | 2000s |
| Headquarters | Greenville, North Carolina |
| Parent organisation | East Carolina University |
East Carolina University Center for Sustainable Tourism is a university-based center located in Greenville, North Carolina, focused on sustainable tourism planning, destination stewardship, and heritage conservation. The center operates within a network of academic, governmental, and nonprofit institutions to support regional development, cultural resource management, and environmental resilience. It collaborates with municipal agencies, tribal nations, heritage sites, and international partners to integrate best practices from tourism management, historic preservation, and coastal resiliency.
History
The center was established amid growing interest in sustainable tourism models by faculty and administrators at East Carolina University and in response to regional initiatives involving North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, United States National Park Service, and local governments. Early projects linked faculty from the College of Business and the College of Fine Arts and Communication with stakeholders such as the North Carolina Sea Grant program, the Outer Banks Preservation Association, and the North Carolina Renewable Energy community. Over time the center engaged with federal programs including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and agencies tied to the United States Department of the Interior, while partnering with nonprofit organizations such as the Sierra Club, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and regional chambers of commerce.
Mission and Programs
The center’s mission emphasizes sustainable destination management, cultural heritage interpretation, and community-based economic development in coordination with entities like the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the North Carolina Museum of History, and local historic commissions. Core programs have included destination stewardship planning in collaboration with the American Planning Association, heritage tourism assessments with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and coastal resilience workshops supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Programmatic work often aligns with standards from the United Nations World Tourism Organization and best practices promoted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the U.S. Green Building Council.
Research and Publications
The center produces applied research, technical reports, and interpretive materials for partners such as the North Carolina Coastal Federation, the Pitt County, and municipal planning departments in towns like Beaufort, North Carolina, Morehead City, North Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. Publications have ranged from economic impact studies using methods endorsed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau to heritage interpretation guides informed by scholarship from the Library of Congress and the American Association for State and Local History. Research collaborations have included faculty from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State University, and partners at international institutions such as University of Cape Town and Griffith University.
Academic and Community Partnerships
Academic partnerships span campus departments including the Department of Geography, the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, the Department of Hospitality Leadership, and the Department of History. Community partnerships include municipal governments, economic development corporations, tribal governments like the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for cultural programming, and nonprofit organizations such as Preservation North Carolina and the Nature Conservancy. The center has worked with regional tourism bureaus like Visit North Carolina, arts organizations such as the North Carolina Symphony, and transportation agencies including the Federal Highway Administration, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across institutions like Appalachian State University and UNC Wilmington.
Training and Outreach
Training activities have targeted municipal planners, heritage site managers, and tourism professionals through workshops with the American Planning Association North Carolina Chapter, certification courses influenced by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and seminars involving the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. Outreach efforts have included public forums with stakeholders from Pitt County Board of Commissioners, interpretive programming with the North Carolina Aquarium, and volunteer stewardship initiatives coordinated with organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and Americorps. The center’s outreach draws on curricular resources from partner institutions including the Coastal Studies Institute.
Impact and Recognition
The center’s work has influenced local planning ordinances adopted by town councils in municipalities such as Washington, North Carolina and contributed to preservation projects recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and state-level awards from the North Carolina Preservation Society. Its economic and environmental assessments have been cited by agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and used in grant awards from foundations like the Kresge Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. Faculty and staff associated with the center have presented findings at conferences hosted by organizations such as the Travel and Tourism Research Association, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and the Society for American Archaeology.
Facilities and Funding
Operating from campus facilities within East Carolina University’s research complex, the center leverages laboratory space, GIS resources, and archives in collaboration with the Joyner Library and the Center for Sustainable Materials and Industrial Processes. Funding sources have included state appropriations from the North Carolina General Assembly, federal grants from the National Science Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities, philanthropic support from entities such as the Rockefeller Foundation and partnerships with regional economic development authorities and private sector sponsors including hospitality firms and conservation foundations.