Skip to main content

Join us Monday, January 31, for an Intro to Sustainable Rural Tourism Development Webinar

Like a pathway in a lush forest, sustainable tourism requires communication and collaboration to build a mentality of "haves" and "cans" in rural areas of places like WV to not be seen as competing for precious resources.

The 2022 Sustainable Rural Tourism Webinar Series kicks off at 11 a.m., on Monday, January 31 with an introduction to the concept. People interested in tourism and tourism professionals should plan to register online to attend throughout the year. Recordings will be available afterward for those not able to participate in person. 

Doug Arbogast, WVU Extension tourism expert, suggests participating in the series is a way that newcomers and veteran experts can come together to collaborate and create a brighter future for tourism in the Mountain State.

This program is designed to help tourism stakeholders in West Virginia harness these opportunities using a sustainable tourism approach focusing on topics such as:

  • Breaking down the principles of sustainable tourism and how to apply them
  • Building capacity through participatory approaches
  • Destination management vs. marketing
  • Using data to make informed decisions
  • Local and regional planning and action
  • Funding tourism action plans
  • Evaluating success

The first session explores the principles of sustainable tourism and rural tourism focusing on applications in West Virginia.