SEA GRANT RESULTS
While not all work conducted by Sea Grant may be directly classified as tourism, many of its initiatives can provide the tourism industry with the assistance it needs to develop, grow, and prosper while reducing
Sea Grant has been building relationships with tourism-related partners, at the local, state, and national levels. These relationships will be key to building the capacity necessary to achieve the outcomes of Sea Grant’s Coastal Tourism vision. The partnership between Sea Grant and Land Grant university extension programs is a vital step on this path. The good news is that there are many new initiatives aimed at building community economies, particularly post-pandemic, that require community partners, along with integrated research and engagement. These initiatives (such as the EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge, and the EDA Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Grant program) that are ideal for extension tourism professional support. With connections to their communities and knowledge of community priorities, Extension Tourism programs can identify areas that will not only support sustainable tourism but will also build stronger and more resilience economies. —Elizabeth Rohring, NOAA Sea Grant
environmental impacts, as well as harm to tourists and wildlife. Sea Grant’s efforts in tourism are embedded in all four of the national Sea Grant focus areas of: • Healthy Coastal Ecosystems • Resilient Communities and Economies • Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and • Environmental Literacy and Workforce development. Each program develops their tourism priorities based on the needs of their communities, and the Sea Grant Coastal Tourism Community of Practice (CoP) meets annually/biannually to update their implementation plan and outcomes. The examples in this report are representative of the CoP’s activities, and help to identify gaps in areas of expertise, necessary partners, and associated funding needs.
Credit: Todd Marsee, Michigan Sea Grant
30 Extension Tourism: Impact and Opportunities of Land- and Sea-Grant Programming
extensiontourism.net
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