EFTI 2013 Annual Report by Xueji Xiao

2013 ANNUAL REPORT

ERIC FRIEDHEIM TOURISM INSTITUTE RESEARCH | CONSULTING 2013 Annual Report | 1

| EDUCATION & TRAINING

www.uftourism.org

2 Annual 2013 AnnualReport Report| 2013 |2

Cover Page: Historic City of St. Augustine, Florida

CONTENTS Message from the Director -------------------------------------------------------- 4 About Us ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Strategic Services ------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Program Areas ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Faculty ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Advisory Board -------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Affiliates ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Clients ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 Current Projects -------------------------------------------------------------------13 Completed Projects ---------------------------------------------------------------14 International Academic Partnerships ------------------------------------------16 Program Spotlight ---------------------------------------------------------------- 18 Faculty Spotlight ------------------------------------------------------------------ 19 Research Spotlight ---------------------------------------------------------------- 20 Student Spotlight ------------------------------------------------------------------22 Research Grant Awards -----------------------------------------------------------23 Speakers and Visitors ------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Fulbright Scholars ---------------------------------------------------------------- 25 Publications and Presentations ------------------------------------------------- 26 Disney Academic Exchange ----------------------------------------------------- 28 Certificate Programs --------------------------------------------------------------29 Study Abroad ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 30 Institute News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 Eric A. Friedheim ------------------------------------------------------------------34 Support Us ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 An evening sunset at the beach in San Francisco, CA

Annual Report | 2013

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

he Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (EFTI) has had a very busy and productive year as reflected in the activities in this annual report. Our associates continue to publish high impact research as evident from the publication of more than 25 scientific papers in a variety of academic journals on issues related to recreation, parks, events, sport, tourism, and hospitality industries. In addition, associates have delivered numerous presentations at local, national, and international forums. Our expertise in specific areas has resulted in invited keynote addresses for associates in various international forums and destinations. Our research and consulting projects are ongoing as we are engaged in a variety of research projects in Florida, U.S., and globally. This year we have completed several research projects including four federally funded projects based on longitudinal international partnerships with respect to capacity building and institutional development in tourism education, research, and industry outreach. Our partnerships were established at institutions in Russia, Turkey, Armenia, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania. These partnerships have been mutually beneficial for us and our international institutions. We do intend to sustain our initiatives beyond the completion of project outcomes. Also, our associates continue to pursue new funded projects as evident from proposals submitted to various agencies and organizations. Our specialty program area in tourism crisis management continues to expand via the Tourism Crisis Management Institute, which is the only tourism-specific crisis management institute in the world and is dedicated to assisting the global tourism industry with comprehensive tourism-specific crisis management initiatives. The Institute has engaged in various initiatives such as online continuing education programs, on-site workshops, customized training and examination of research topics which have had tangible impacts and applications for the industry. More information about the Institute and its initiatives are featured in this report – see Program Spotlight and Research Spotlight sections. During the year, we also offered numerous small grants and scholarships for students and faculty members to enhance tourism research initiatives. In addition, we hosted several national and international speakers and visitors. We value the partnership and contributions generated through hosting professional colleagues from other national and international universities and organizations. This year, we hosted a short-term U.S. Fulbright Scholar from Hungary, and are currently hosting another scholar from Malaysia. 2013 Annual Report | 4

Our certificate and online continuing education programs have been regularly offered to students and industry stakeholders with respect to hospitality and tourism management, tourism crisis management, and destination management. Additionally, we have demonstrated expansion in our experiential education programs most notably via study abroad as well as short-term student mobility specialty trips. Our new highlight program is a partnership with Walt Disney World® Resort, Florida to offer a six-month paid academic exchange experience program for international students from our partner universities in Canada. The first batch of students is scheduled to arrive during summer 2014. It is important to note that the Institute was established in honor of Eric Friedheim, a lifelong journalist and owner, publisher and editor-in-chief of the weekly Travel Agent magazine. This named gift has allowed us to further advance our work in fulfilling our mission in teaching, research, and outreach initiatives. In addition, we are very appreciative of the continued financial support of the Eric Friedheim Foundation and other benefactors. EFTI has also benefited from the leadership of our Advisory Board led by Hal Herman. We are very appreciative of the time and contribution of the Board, and would like to thank them for their service commitment. Finally, we have recruited Arielle Gousse as our new Program Manager who is an alumnus of the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. She has replaced Stephanie Thorn who has moved to another state. In addition, two of our faculty associates (Drs. Kelly Semrad and Asli Tasci) have also left the University of Florida and moved to another institution. We are appreciative of all their contributions and service during their stay at UF and EFTI. We do intend to recruit talented faculty to replace the vacancies in the coming academic year. After more than two decades in operation, EFTI’s success is largely due to its nationally and internationally recognized faculty and research associates, along with strong interdisciplinary research partnerships and affiliations with research associates within and external to UF. Please feel free to contact me for additional information or any assistance needed for tourism research, consultancy, education and training services. For all of our activities, please visit www.uftourism.org to learn more. Best Wishes,

Brijesh Thapa, Ph.D. Professor – Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management Director – Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute

ABOUT US University of Florida

Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management

The University of Florida (UF) is a Land-Sea-Space Grant research institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines. The University is the flagship institution in Florida and is among the oldest and most academically diverse public universities in the nation. UF is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. UF has 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes.

The Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management (TRSM) focuses on understanding the meaning of leisure time, recreation activities, tourism, and organized sports and their impact on personal behavior and on the social, economic, and resource infrastructure of society. TRSM is one of the premier programs in the country with outstanding faculty, staff and students. TRSM currently enrolls approximately 750 students (650 undergraduates, 100 graduates) with 18 full-time faculty members, and provides nationally and internationally recognized education and research programs. TRSM offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, and is housed within the College of Health & Human Performance.

UF is one of the largest universities in the nation with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students representing over 130 countries, the 50 United States and all 67 counties in Florida. UF is located on a 2,000-acre campus with two natural lakes and consists of more than 900 buildings. The University has more than 300,000 alumni located throughout the world.

The vision of TRSM is to inspire and enable a better quality of life through innovative and compelling research, education, and outreach in tourism, recreation and sport.

Please visit www.ufl.edu to learn more.

Please visit http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/trsm to learn more.

Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute The Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (formerly known as the Center for Tourism Research and Development) was created in 1992 to serve tourism destinations and industries through research in Florida. Since its establishment, EFTI has been committed to excellence, and has evolved to become a major institute for tourism research in Florida and beyond. The Institute facilitates interdisciplinary research projects focusing on a wide range of travel, tourism and hospitality opportunities, and is housed within the Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management at the University of Florida.

Vision

Mission

Goals

EFTI is recognized as a global leader responsive to the needs of industry partners and the academic process. EFTI uses interdisciplinary research teams to solve tourism problems and expand the knowledge base for the industry and the academic world. Through a commitment to research excellence and passion for knowledge, Institute personnel and affiliates lead the nation in transforming intellectual knowledge into useable, sustainable strategies to enhance international, national, state and local tourism organizations, companies, agencies and destinations.

EFTI is committed to building a bridge between the tourism industry, organizations, destinations, and higher education through excellence in interdisciplinary research that provides strategic information focused on a wide array of travel, tourism and hospitality opportunities.

• Research tourism-related impacts, including economic, environmental and cultural issues. • Develop opportunities for tourism research in the industry and communities. • Help formulate public- and private-sector policies that will lead to improvement in tourism planning and development. • Provide training for the private, public and non-profit sectors via workshops and certification programs. • Create best-practice guides, training manuals, and policy papers about tourism development. • Facilitate collaboration and communicate tourism research findings with industry partners, elected officials and community organizations. 2013 Annual Report | 5

STRATEGIC SERVICES

e serve tourism destinations and hospitality industries through research, consultancy, education and training services in Florida, U.S. and globally. Our vast array of expertise provides outstanding intellectual resources to provide strategic services for your destination, organization, and business. EFTI draws on an array of outstanding resources:

• Faculty and research associates with strong academic credentials and in-depth knowledge and expertise in the social and behavioral sciences and business practices. • Nationally and internationally recognized faculty and research associates with publications in the leading academic journals in recreation, parks, ecotourism, event management, sport, tourism, and hospitality industries. • Strong interdisciplinary research partnerships and affiliations with research associates within and external to the University of Florida.

Research

Our research projects are responsive and provide innovative solutions to the needs of destinations and industry partners such as:

Consultancy

Education and Training

We provide assistance and strategic directions on a variety of topics such as:

We facilitate a series of seminars, workshops, and training programs such as:

• Profile and Economic Impacts of Visitors

• Public Beach Access

• Needs Assessments

• Tourism Crisis Management

• Waterways Master Plan

• Destination Visioning

• Sport as a Tourism Development Strategy

• Social Media & Virtual Travel Communities

• Development of Marketing Plans

• Ecotourism Development and Management

• Customer Service Quality and Evaluation

• Research Design and Survey Methodologies

• Stakeholder Collaboration

• Importance-Performance Priority Goal Setting

• Specialized Data Collection and Research Methods

• Strategic Planning and Management

• Emergency Planning and Preparedness in Tourism Crisis Management

• Customer Service Management

• Advertising Conversion • Destination Audits & Image • Hotel Occupancy • Event Sport Tourists • Hurricanes and Tourists Evacuation Decisions 2013 Annual Report | 6

• Destination Websites and User-Generated Content • Monitoring and Managing Visitor Use

PROGRAM AREAS EFTI primarily focuses on the following program areas: Ecotourism and Heritage Tourism

Coastal, Marine and Water-based Tourism

• Explore contemporary natural and cultural resource use, attitudes and behaviors among visitors and residents.

• Provide research expertise pertaining to coastal, marine and water-based (rivers, lakes, springs, etc.) tourism planning and development.

Tourism Marketing

Sport Tourism and Event Management

• Provide insight on the integration of marketing research knowledge in the development of strategic plans for tourism destinations.

• Assess the impacts (social and economic) of sport tourism and event initiatives on local, national and international communities.

Tourism Crisis Management

Hospitality Management

• Provide assistance for tourism and hospitality organizations/destinations to be prepared when challenged with catastrophic events.

• Advance the current understanding of hospitality operations and the relationship to service quality, customer satisfaction, loyalty, and future behavioral intentions.

2013 Annual Report | 7

FACULTY

Brijesh Thapa, Ph.D., is the Director for the Eric

Friedheim Tourism Institute and the lead coordinator for the Ecotourism and Heritage Tourism Program. He is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, and an affiliate faculty in multiple academic units. He is also the Director for Strategic Initiatives for the UF International Center. He has conducted research projects in Florida and the U.S. Additionally, he has been involved in projects in various capacities in 32 countries in different parts of the world. Dr. Thapa has also been involved in World Heritage Sites in developing countries with respect to tourism, cultural heritage, and natural resources management issues. Recently, Dr. Thapa has focused on numerous capacity-building and institutional development projects with respect to curriculum development, research, and training in tourism, nature and cultural heritage conservation, and natural resources management. As a Principal Investigator and Co-PI, Dr. Thapa has completed several long-term federally funded projects in Armenia, Turkey, Russia, and the Southern African region. His funding for projects totals more than $3 million, and has received funding from the Departments of State, Education, and Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. 2013 Annual Report | 8

Heather J. Gibson, Ph.D., is an Associate Director

for the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute and the lead coordinator for the Sport Tourism and Event Management Program. She is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. She is the International Programs Coordinator for the department, and leads study abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Dr. Gibson teaches classes in leisure and tourism behavior, sport tourism and research methods. Her research interests include sport tourism (specializing in sport events and active sport tourism), leisure and tourism behavior in mid and later life, and women as tourists, including her recent project on Girlfriend Travel. She has published more than 60 academic journal articles, has edited two books, and has 20 years of academic research presentations. She is a member of the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars. She is an Associate Editor for Leisure Sciences and the Journal of Sport and Tourism, an editorial board member for the Journal of Sport Management, the Journal of Policy Research in Leisure, Tourism and Events and the World Leisure Journal. She is the North American Regional Editor for Leisure Studies and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for countless journals.

Lori Pennington-Gray, Ph.D., is an Associate Direc-

tor for the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute and the lead coordinator for the Tourism Crisis Management and Tourism Marketing Programs. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. Dr. Pennington-Gray has been involved in research projects in Florida, U.S., and internationally. Overall, her research theme is tourism planning and development from a demand and supply perspective. Currently, she is the Director of the Tourism Crisis Management Institute which assists the tourism industry in developing comprehensive tourism crisis management initiatives. Her other major research initiative is in tourism crisis management. Her aim is to provide destinations with research findings, which enable them to make more informed policy choices and better promote their destinations. She has worked with several stakeholders including non-profits, private sector businesses, public sector businesses and governments, as well as residents. Findings of her research have been presented at international conferences, keynote addresses, and workshops, as well as published in journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She is recognized as one of a dozen tourism crisis management experts globally and has been sought as a keynote speaker.

Stephen Holland, Ph.D., is an Associate Director

for the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute and the lead coordinator for the Coastal, Marine, and Water-Based Tourism Program. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, and an affiliate faculty with the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. He has served as the Director of EFTI from 1994-2001, and is also a recipient of the UF Research Foundation Professorship Award. He has been a contributor to 41 externally funded projects, and a lead or co-PI on 37 projects. He has been awarded a total of $2.1 million in external funding. His research has documented the business and economic aspects of the charter boat industry in four South Atlantic states. He has also assessed the recreational facilities and programs of the Suwannee River Water Management District and mapped, characterized, and wrote summaries for approximately 800 public beach access points for 23 Florida Gulf coast counties. In addition, he is an invited expert participating in NRPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online Park Resources Network, and is a voting member on the Gulf of Mexico Fishing Management Council Socio-Economic Advisory Panel. He has also received the distinguished service award for service on the Board for the National Society of Park Resources.

Svetlana Stepchenkova, Ph.D., is an Associate Director

for the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute and the lead coordinator for the Hospitality Management Program. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. Her research interests are destination management, marketing, and branding, with a focus on quantitative assessment of textual and pictorial data. She is especially interested in the influence of media messages on image formation and destination image as a factor in explaining destination choice. She also studies applications of information technologies in tourism, particularly virtual travel communities, user-generated content, and destination websites as a means of obtaining a competitive advantage in destination marketing and management. Recently, under her leadership, a three-year international tourism project between UF and the State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Russian was successfully completed. The activities focused on curriculum development, course delivery, student mobility programs, faculty training programs, seminars to disseminate best practices, and collaborative research initiatives. Dr. Stepchenkova has published her research in various academic journals, including Tourism Management and Journal of Travel Research. In addition, she has presented at national and international conferences, reviewed for highly acclaimed academic journals, and has served in various associations.

Holly Donohoe, Ph.D., is an Associate Director for

the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute. She has expertise in Ecotourism & Heritage Tourism, and the Tourism Crisis Management programs. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. Dr. Donohoe is a human geographer focused on natural resource and environmental management. She has worked in the tourism and leisure field for more than 20 years in a variety of areas including sustainable tourism, parks and protected areas management, ecotourism, heritage tourism, indigenous tourism, and international events management and marketing. Central to her research are critical examinations of health-related crises and their impacts on tourism supply and demand. Current initiatives include projects related to vector-borne diseases and their impact on the tourism industry in Florida and beyond. Key areas of interest include: public awareness; occupational risk for tourism and recreation professionals; public health policy and program evaluation; and tourism crisis management. Her expertise includes evaluation science and its use of select methods and techniques for collaborative research, policy analysis, and program evaluation. She has collaborated on projects and provided consultant support to organizations and agencies around the world. 2013 Annual Report | 9

ADVISORY BOARD Edith Hall Friedheim Director Eric Friedheim Foundation Jacksonville, FL

Alice Norsworthy Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales Universal Orlando Resort Orlando, FL

Charlie Toraño President & CEO Toraño Family Cigar Company Miami, FL

Roland Loog, CMP, CDME Former Director Alachua County Visitors & Convention Bureau Gainesville, FL

William L. “Chip” Sharkey, Jr. Vice President of Human Resources & Employee Development Naylor, LLC Gainesville, FL

Tom Wasdin President Wasdin Associates, Inc. Cocoa, FL

Charlotte Mather-Taylor Vice President of Government Relations & Public/Community Affairs Broward Health Fort Lauderdale, FL

William D. “Bill” Talbert III, CDME President & CEO Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Miami, FL

John Webb President Florida Sports Foundation Tallahassee, FL

Laurie Luongo, SPHR Director of Human Resources Monte Carlo Hotel Casino & Resort Las Vegas, NV

For more information about the members of our advisory board, please visit www.uftourism.org

Hal Herman is the Chairman of Worth International Media Group, a worldwide publishing company. Mr. Herman is a UF graduate with a

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Prior to opening his own business in 1953 as a newspaper representative, he worked at a Miami newspaper, radio station, and in public relations. Mr. Herman’s leadership roles include: past President of the Advertising Federation of Greater Miami, past Vice Chairman of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, past Chairman for the Florida Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association; past member of the Board of Directors of International Travel and Tourism Research Association; past Chairman of the Florida Derby Festival; past President SKAL Club of Greater Miami; and former Chairman of the Florida Tourism Association. Mr. Herman also served as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for Visit Florida. He currently serves as a Trustee of the Advertising Federation, Mr. Herman has received numerous awards and recognition for civic and industry work, including the prestigious Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation and the Award of Excellence from Hospitality Sales and Marketing International. In 2008, he was named an “Alumnus of Distinction” by the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. In 2011, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the University of Florida’s College of Health and Human Performance. In 2004, he was inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame.

Advisory Board – Chair 2013 Annual Report | 10

In addition to serving as Chair of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute’s Advisory Board at UF, he is the past Chair of the Broward Leadership Council of the American Diabetes Association and serves on ADA’s National Volunteer Committee. He served on the Board of Women in Distress, and is currently a Trustee as well as has received a number of awards from this organization. Mr. Herman also serves on the Foundation Board of Junior Achievement. He is active in supporting his wife Lois, who founded the Hal Herman Children’s Fund at Women in Distress.

AFFILIATES

e use interdisciplinary teams engaged in research to solve tourism problems and expand the knowledge base for the industry, governments, and the academic world. EFTI works in collaboration with numerous individual partners as well as affiliated Centers, Institutes and Programs within UF and beyond. The vast array of expertise amongst the affiliates provides outstanding intellectual resources to provide strategic services through research, consultancy, education and training for destination, organization and/or business. The following listing provides our affiliates within UF:

Anthropology

Food and Resource Economics

Landscape Architecture

• Steven Brandt

• Alan Hodges • Sherry Larkin

• Robert Grist

Civil and Coastal Engineering

Forest Resources and Conservation

Law

• Siva Srinivasan

• Grenville Barnes • Charles Cichra

• Thomas Ankersen • Richard Hamann

Family, Youth and Community Sciences

Geography

• Michael Spranger

• Brian Child

Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute

Historic Preservation

• Bruce Delaney

• Marty Hylton

Florida Sea Grant

International Center

• Charles Sidman

• Robert Swett

• Sandra Russo

• Thomas Stevens

• Martha Monroe • Taylor Stein

• Timothy McLendon

Russian Studies • Corene Matyas

• James Goodwin

Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management • Chris Silver

• Kyriaki Kaplanidou • Yong Jae Ko • Charles Lane

• Michael Sagas • Cynthia Willming

• Nikki Kernaghan

Other Affiliate Centers, Institutes & Programs • Bureau of Economic and Business Research

• Center for Governmental Responsibility

• Emerging Pathogens Institute

• Center for African Studies

• Center for Latin American Studies

• Florida Survey Research Center

• Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

• School of Natural Resources & Environment

• Center for European Studies

• Center for Training, Research & Education for Environmental Occupations

• Center for International Business Education & Research

• Center for World Heritage Research & Stewardship • Economic Impact Analysis Program

• Transportation Research Center

• Tourism Crisis Management Institute • Water Institute

2013 Annual Report | 11

CLIENTS

ur research and consulting projects are responsive and provide innovative solutions and strategic directions to the needs of destinations and industry partners from various sectors of the recreation, parks, events, sport, tourism, and hospitality industries. Projects are designed and implemented based on the needs and collaboration of the respective organization and/or business. We have collaborated with numerous clients that include: Tourism Boards, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, International and National Foundations/Organizations, U.S. Federal, State and Local Government Agencies, and Non-Profit Organizations. Below are organizations that we have worked with over the past year: • Alachua County Visitors & Convention Bureau, Gainesville, FL

• Pacific Asia Travel Association Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand

• Emerging Pathogens Institute, UF, Gainesville, FL

• Spectrum Gaming Group, Linwood, NJ

• Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas, Tallahassee, FL

• St. Augustine Amphitheater, St. Augustine, FL

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, FL • Higher Education for Development, Washington, D.C. • Japan Tourism Marketing Co., Tokyo, Japan • Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture, Antigua and Barbuda

• Travel and Tourism Research Association, Whitehall, MI • U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C. • U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. • U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Ankara, Turkey • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Arlington, VA

Century Tower & University Auditorium at the University of Florida 2013 Annual Report | 12

CURRENT PROJECTS

e are engaged in a variety of research projects in Florida, the U.S., and globally. The projects are funded via various agencies and organizations. Our project teams and research topics are interdisciplinary within the realm of tourism, hospitality, and natural resources management. Below are some examples of projects that are currently funded:

Economic Contributions of the St. Augustine Amphitheater in St. Johns County, Florida

The historic city of St. Augustine in St. Johns County, FL, is a major tourism attraction in the southeast U.S., which generates significant local spending and economic impacts. The St. Augustine Amphitheater, established in 1965, is a 4,000-seat, publicly owned venue that offers a variety of entertainment and community/cultural events between March-Deceember including 25-30 large concerts annually with nationally known musicians, and a weekly farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market. The number of events and attendance has increased since a $9 million renovation was completed in 2007. Approximately 150-200 temporary employees and vendors are employed for major events, and the facility also has a large number of volunteers. Current information on numbers and types of visitors and their economic contributions is needed for local policymakers and facility managers in order to make informed decisions in support of resource management and economic development. Some particular issues to be addressed include the types of visitors patronizing the facility, willingness to pay for events, and what features of the facility are most attractive to visitors. This project is funded by the St. Augustine Amphitheater and led by Dr. Alan Hodges (Economic Impact Analysis Program) with Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova, Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray and Dr. Michael Scicchitano (Florida Survey Research Center).

Given the growing concern about emergent infectious diseases and their potential implications for both the supply and demand for tourism, this Employee and Visitor study will provide the data necessary for informing individual, community, and industry health risk management decision-making, occupational risk training, and public health interventions by Florida State Parks, Visit Florida, Florida Department of Health, and tourism operators. EmployPerceptions ees with state agencies involved in land management, conservation, and outdoor recreation will be asked to complete a survey about their knowland Precautions related edge, risk perceptions, precautionary behavior, and exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases at work. This study will inform the development of to Lyme Disease Risk tick-borne disease risk assessment tools, longitudinal and comparative studies, educational interventions and training programs, and future research in Florida State Parks designed to prevent tick-borne diseases and mitigate their impacts in Florida. This project is funded by the Bill Sims Faculty Grant administered by EFTI, and the Travel and Tourism Research Association. This project is led by Dr. Holly Donohoe. The overall purpose of this project is two-fold: 1) To determine the quantity of visitors entering the park along the beach (not through the entrance

Visitor Assessment station), and whether they use the dry sand or wet sand areas of the beach; 2) To determine the quantity of visitors entering the park through the at Delnor-Wiggins Pass main entrance station and via boat, under special use permits, and the percentage of these visitors using various beach areas of the park. There is interest in understanding how many people simply pass through the park as walker-joggers and how many spend longer periods of time at the park. State Park, Florida

This information will be used to assess the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity, and how its use levels compare with the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carrying capacity. The project is funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and is led by Dr. Stephen Holland.

Visitor Profile Study: Nizhni Novgorod, Russia

The city of Nizhni Novgorod (population of 1.3 million) is one of the historic and cultural centers in Russia. The city is currently conducting an audit of their tourism and hospitality inventory, identifying prospective tourism clusters, attracting investments, and engaging in brand development. However, there is a paucity of research with respect to examining visitors to the city. The current project is a joint initiative with the Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod. Domestic and international visitors will be surveyed in various city locations through the course of a calendar year about their current trip. This study is set to identify: 1) trip planning and travel behavior, 2) activities while visiting Nizhni Novgorod, 3) image of the city, 4) satisfaction and return potential, 5) spending patterns, and 6) demographic profile. This study aims to provide the city administration and tourism planners with baseline information needed to position the city relative to other cities in the state and/or region, and assist in developing a comprehensive marketing plan focused on specific market segments. This project is led by Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova and Dr. Elena Shichkova (UNN), and funded by UNN and EFTI. 2013 Annual Report | 13

COMPLETED PROJECTS Visit Gainesville Advertising Conversion Study

“Girlfriend Travel”: Women’s Friendship in Tourism

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the overall effectiveness and return on investment of Visit Gainesville/Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau’s (VG/ACVCB) promotional efforts to attract visitors to Gainesville/Alachua County, Florida. By a determination of the conversion rate of information inquirers to tourists to the county, Visit Gainesville was able to document a favorable return on investment for the expenditure of tax dollars. This study examined: 1) traveler characteristics; 2) information about traveler’s recent trip(s) to Gainesville/Alachua County (if applicable); and 3) marketing impacts of Visit Gainesville’s Visitors Guide, website, and social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. This project was led by Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray with support from her doctoral student, Ashley Schroeder. The project was funded by VG/ACVCB.

While leisure-based friendship has long been recognized as contributing to women’s health and well-being, tourism as leisure is growing in importance for many women. Yet, all-women, small-group travel has not yet been explored by tourism researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the growing trend of female small-group travel, or what the industry calls “girlfriend getaways” and the role of friendship in this type of travel. Preliminary analysis revealed experiences associated with girlfriend getaways appear to have a therapeutic effect both in maintaining and recharging important relationships and by contributing to a woman’s sense of well-being and level of sanity. This project was led by Dr. Heather Gibson. This project was funded by the Bill Sims Faculty Research Grant administered by EFTI.

Perceived Effects and Impacts of Gaming in Florida: Tourism Industry Professionals & Consumer Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived effects and impacts of gaming in Florida among tourism industry professionals and consumers. For industry professionals, there were three objectives: 1) To gauge the sentiments, perceptions and intentions of Florida tourism industry professionals toward the current gambling situation; 2) To examine industry responses toward potential changes in gambling opportunities within the State; and 3) To evaluate the related potential impacts of those changes on the State’s tourism industry. Data were collected from 195 tourism industry professionals. The analysis included results in both the aggregate and segment samples such as comparisons between respondents residing in each of the three regions (North, Central and South Florida), and between those who held a management/director role versus those who were line staff employees. For consumers, the study examined attitudes, perceptions, and intentions toward the possible expansion of gambling in Florida, and the potential impact of expanded gambling on the state and its tourism industry. Respondents were asked to provide their opinion on: 1) Preferences for gambling in general and, specifically of expanded gambling; 2) The likelihood and type of participation in gambling activities; 3) Preferred gambling regulations; 4) Travel intentions toward the State and specific Florida destinations given the presence or absence of expanded gambling venues; and 5) Demography and gambling addiction characteristics given the presence or absence of expanded gaming opportunities in Florida. Respondents were 18 years and older and consisted of adults residing in Florida (n=1223); and in non-Florida States (n=1213). Data were collected via a 20-minute online survey. This project was conducted on behalf of the Florida Legislature and Spectrum Gaming Group (Linden, New Jersey), and was led by Dr. Greg Dunn and Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray.

Alligators basking in the sun at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, FL 2013 Annual Report | 14

Public Awareness and Education: Agritourism in Antigua and Barbuda

Role of Tourism for Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation in Bahundangi Village, Eastern Nepal

Tick-Borne Disease Symposium & Think-Tank Event

The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism has committed itself to developing agritourism as a tourism attraction within the two island nations. The Ministry concluded that there is both need for awareness of and education on agritourism and how it can properly function in both Antigua and Barbuda. In response, a series of awareness seminars were conducted in Antigua on the following topics: 1) What is Agritourism? 2) How to Partner to Grow Agritourism Products? 3) What is Packaging? How to Create Award Winning Packages in Agritourism? 4) Why is Social Media Necessary to Promote Agritourism Business? and 5) How to Create a Winning Website. This project resulted in familiarization tours for workers in the tourism industry, additional workshops and private consultations, training on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), the development of an agritourism business plan, and the creation of a Ministry of Tourism Agritourism Unit. This project was funded by Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas (FAVACA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Antigua and Barbuda. This project was led by Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray in collaboration with Jennifer Maynard (Agritourism consultant for the Ministry of Tourism).

Leveraging on previous initiatives, this project aimed to use tourism and conservation education as the tool to assist implementing a multi-pronged strategy to mitigate human-elephant conflict in Bahundangi. The broader long-term goal was to develop a system whereby the community is self-reliant to mitigate the conflict in a sustainable manner. Within this theme, two objectives were formulated: 1) Conservation education for secondary schools; and 2) Tourism education and outreach via a regional international festival. Based on these objectives, eco-clubs in six schools were established and helped produce and operate the second Asian Rural Tourism Festival for the dual purposes of raising money to provide relief for elephant victims, and to promote the tourism products of the greater region, inclusive of eastern India. The second festival was hosted in February 2013 with support from the Nepal Tourism Board. This project was led by a local community non-government organization - Nature Conservation Society, with assistance from EFTI (Dr. Brijesh Thapa and his graduate student, Bhuwan Dhakal). The project was funded by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Foundation.

The first Tick-Borne Disease Symposium was hosted on December 5th, 2013 at the University of Florida. The program featured distinguished guest speakers, including Dr. Paul Auwaerter, Clinical Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. Carina Blackmore of the Florida Department of Health; Dr. Kerry Clark of the University of North Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brooks College of Health; and Dr. Cynthia Lord of UFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory. The talks focused on the importance of contemporary, and transdisciplinary issues related to tick-borne disease in the U.S., and specifically in Florida. Four main topic areas for discussion were also facilitated: 1) key issues related to tick-borne disease in Florida; 2) research capacity development; 3) multidisciplinary collaborative opportunities; and 4) potential research funding sources. A poster session followed the presentations and featured the latest tick-borne disease research from researchers at UF and other U.S. institutions. In addition, a think-tank was also convened to discuss and identify knowledge gaps about ticks and tick-borne diseases in Florida. This project was led by Dr. Holly Donohoe and funded by the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute.

Tourists appreciating elephants in a National Park of South Africa 2013 Annual Report | 15

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS Capacity Building & Institutional Development Programs

FTI has a strong track record of building and sustaining collaborative partnerships with interdisciplinary teams among various stakeholders within and outside UF. EFTI has recently completed four long-term federally funded projects (USAID, Departments of Education and State) with budgets totaling in excess of $2 million. The partnerships were in Armenia, Turkey, Russia, and the Southern African region (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Tanzania). The objectives were: development of tourism degree curriculum and pedagogy; tourism research and industry outreach; community based natural resources management education; language skills development; faculty and student exchange mobility program; online courses, experiential education; and service learning projects.

Roland Loog, Advisory Board Member, discussing tourism issues with Russian students in Gainesville.

University of Florida and Tshwane University of Technology: Partnership to Strengthen Teaching, Research, Service and Faculty Development in Tourism Management

Capacity Building Partnership to Improve Tourism Education, Research, and Industry Outreach: University of Florida (US) and the State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Russian Federation)

Funded by U.S. Agency for International Development/ Higher Education for Development, Washington, D.C.

Funded by U.S. Department of Education-Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): U.S.-Russia Program, Washington, D.C.

Total: $312,500 (Agency Award $250,000; Institutional Cost Share $62,500)

Total: $800,000 ($400,000 from U.S. for University of Florida and $400,000 from the Ministry of Science and Education, Russia for State University of Nizhni Novgorod). The objective of this project was to create a synergistic partnership between UF and the State University of Nizhni Novgorod (UNN) to strengthen tourism education, training, research and industry outreach. More specifically, the project engaged in tourism degree curriculum development, a faculty and student exchange mobility program, language skills development, experiential education and service learning projects. In addition, the project engaged in collaborative research initiatives and participated in industry outreach via the newly created Center for Tourism Management at UNN. New curriculum development and online delivery was implemented at both institutions. Service learning projects and field trips for students from both countries strengthened their understanding of issues pertinent to tourism, hospitality, and destination management and allowed students to experience practical applications. Moreover, students improved their language skills and cultural understanding of the host country. During the faculty mobility program, UF and UNN teams engaged to develop, share and partner in teaching methodologies, instructional materials, research initiatives as well as industry outreach activities. The partnership was mutually beneficial for UF and UNN, and is expected to continue beyond the completion of this project. The project was led by Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova.

The purpose of this project was to formulate a partnership between UF and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria, South Africa to strengthen its teaching, research, service and faculty development initiatives in tourism management. Based on the needs of TUT there were three major objectives identified: 1) Update and develop new curriculum; 2) Develop a tourism research center and foster industry networks; and 3) Enhance and strengthen faculty development. For the first objective, the curriculum for the approved Diploma in Event Management was evaluated and updated based on international standards. Two new programs were also created: Diploma in Aviation Operations, and Diploma in Casino Resort Management. For the second objective, a new Center for Sustainable Tourism was established to focus on research and outreach. For the third objective, various initiatives were conducted to enhance and strengthen faculty development. A major research project (2010 FIFA World Cup) was jointly undertaken by both universities and resulted in participation by numerous students and lecturers. Other activities have included faculty exchange visits to both partner institutions as well as educational study tours to various tourism businesses, attractions, and destinations in both countries. This project was led by Dr. Brijesh Thapa.

2013 Annual Report | 16

Field trip for delegates that attended an EFTI conference in Yerevan, Armenia.

Meeting with staff from the Southern African Wildlife College in Hoedspruit, South Africa.

A Multilateral University Consortium to Strengthen Tourism Education, Research, and Industry Outreach: United States - Turkey - Armenia

Transforming Community Based Natural Resources Management Education in Southern Africa

Funded by U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassy-Turkey) -University Partnership Program. Ankara, Turkey.

Funded by U.S. Agency for International Development/ Higher Education for Development, Washington, D.C.

Total: $729,443 (Agency Award $569,235; Institutional Cost Share $160,208).

Total: $750,000 (Agency Award $600,000; Institutional Cost Share $125,000).

The purpose of this project was to formulate a multilateral university consortium to strengthen tourism education, research and industry outreach. This project collaborated between academic institutions and the private sector that trained, educated and brought together resources which related to sustainable regional tourism development. The partnership was led by the University of Florida (USA) along with Dokuz Eylul University (Turkey) and Armenian State University of Economics (Armenia). The following activities were conducted to accomplish the objectives: 1) Curriculum Development – a) reviewed and updated existing curriculum in all three countries, b) developed new curriculum where needed, 2) Research – a) examined best practices of putting academic research into practice, b) assessed the needs of the industry for academic research in all three countries, 3) Industry Outreach – a) hosted a multilateral tourism research symposium; and 4) Capacity Building – a) facilitated student mobility exchanges, b) developed and delivered an online course on cultural tourism. This overall project was led by Dr. Asli Tasci at UF with Dr. Gurhan Aktas as the Country Director for Turkey and Dr. Artak Manukyan for Armenia.

Southern Africa is the crucible of Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) which has been successful at conserving biodiversity and improving livelihoods by valorizing natural resources, and devolving and democratizing their governance at the local level. However, a major effort is needed to promote curriculum development and delivery in educational and vocational institutions. The objective of this project was to strengthen and expand existing alliances between the public, private, NGO and education sectors to sustain and support CBNRM programs in southern Africa by improving education and training programs. Four academic institutions in the region collaborated to institutionalize training: Polytechnic of Namibia, University of Botswana, Southern African Wildlife College (South Africa), and Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania). The following activities were conducted: 1) Developed and managed a community-of-practice in CBNRM; 2) Collected and assisted with CBNRM curricula and materials; 3) Developed foundational training materials (books and manuals); and 4) Involved faculty members from target institutions in a series of writeshops to build their capacity. This project was led by Dr. Brijesh Thapa with Dr. Brian Child (Center for African Studies/Geography), Dr. Grenville Barnes (School of Forest Resources & Conservation), and Dr. Sandra Russo (International Center).

2013 Annual Report | 17

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT Tourism Crisis Management Institute www.tourismcrisis.org

ourism is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world with greater numbers of people traveling both nationally and internationally than ever before. The importance of tourism to the economy is overwhelmingly significant and the effects of a crisis can have devastating, long-range impacts for destinations and organizations, as well as for the nation’s economy. The level of preparedness for nature-and human-induced disasters is of increasingly significant concern for governments and the private sector. Destinations around the world are faced with an increasing occurrence and intensification of crises. In addition, public consciousness about safety, security, and crisis management have been dramatically heightened because of recent catastrophic events. Tourists are vulnerable because they are unfamiliar with their surroundings and far from their social networks. The tourism industry is the “ambassador to the tourist” and, thus, responsible for informing, directing, and protecting tourists at all times. Given the economic magnitude and the critical importance of the tourism industry, it is imperative for governments at all levels to focus on preparedness and recovery efforts for the travel and tourism industry. Proactive measures such as development of tourism crisis management plans that strategically emphasize communication and training, visitor evacuation, and economic recovery will alleviate negative social and economic impacts. The Tourism Crisis Management Institute (TCMI) was established and funded by the president of the University of Florida in 2007 to assist the industry with comprehensive tourism crisis management initiatives. The Institute is housed within EFTI, and is also affiliated with other allied academic disciplines at UF. TCMI serves as the only tourism-specific crisis management institute in the world and is dedicated to assisting the global tourism industry with comprehensive tourism-specific crisis management initiatives through research, consulting, and education and training services. The mission of TCMI is to develop research-driven solutions to crises that address planning, preparedness, response, and recovery in local, state, and national tourism economies. The Institute has engaged in various tourism-specific crisis management initiatives such as online continuing education programs, on-site workshops, customized training programs, and examination of research topics which have advanced the understanding of theory, methods, and applications for the industry. Based on its portfolio of services, TCMI is involved in tourism crisis management initiatives in Florida, U.S., and in several countries such as, Antigua, Chile, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, and Peru. For more information about TCMI, contact Director Lori Pennington-Gray (penngray@hhp.ufl.edu)

TCMI trainers and workshop participants 2013 Annual Report | 18

Japan

Peru

The Online Continuing Education Program in Tourism Crisis Management will soon be available in Japanese, in addition to English. TCMI has partnered with Japan Tourism Marketing Co. to offer the program in Japan. The process of expanding the Online Continuing Education Program to Japanese was launched recently when TCMI team members, Dr. Pennington-Gray and Elaine McLaughlin traveled to Okinawa to meet with representatives of the Japan Tourism Marketing Co. and government officials in November. Over the course of a week, TCMI’s team trained several hotel managers, travel agents, destination management organization staff, and Japan Tourism Board’s staff to be program instructors. Participants were taught about tourism-specific crisis management, as well as the theories and policies to which TCMI subscribes.

The world famous Machu Picchu which has been designated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is nestled 7,500 feet above sea level in the Andean mountain range. Since this site is only accessible by foot and train for much of the way, mudslides have had catastrophic impacts for visitors during the rainy season. TCMI is involved in research with a consortium of public and private sector organizations to address issues of leadership and a coordinated effort for response in the event of a crisis in this site. In addition, a new study abroad program for UF students to Peru is scheduled for May 2014. Under the supervision of Dr. Pennington-Gray, students will examine tourism crisis management aspects of managing a World Heritage Site, and will collaborate with students from the Universidad San Ignatius de Loyola in Lima to provide recommendations for safety and security to Peru’s Ministry of the Environment.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT and better promote their destinations. As part of the TCMI training program, she has been instrumental in developing and delivering the Online Continuing Education Program in Tourism Crisis Management for professionals that work in the DMOs, attractions and lodging industry segments. The program has been completed by a range of working professionals from around the world, including consultants, government emplyees, and private-sector professionals. Recently, she has established a new agreement with the Japan Tourism Marketing Co. and the Okinawa Prefecture to deliver the program in Japanese.

Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray joined the Depart-

ment of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management as an Assistant Professor in August 1999, and is currently an Associate Professor. She has also served as the Director of EFTI (formerly the Center for Tourism Research and Development) from 2004-2007. During her tenure as the Director and faculty member, she has been engaged in numerous initiatives related to research, teaching and service in Florida, U.S., and internationally. Currently, she is the Director of the Tourism Crisis Management Institute (TCMI). Since the establishment of TCMI, Dr. Pennington-Gray has been largely focused on tourism crisis management, especially with respect to developing comprehensive plans for destinations. Her aim is to provide destination management organization (DMO) with research findings, which enable them to make more informed policy choices

In addition, her research is centered on the relationship between the DMO and tourists in the context of tourism crisis management. Her interests are in marketing and planning principles (supply side), as well as understanding touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perceptions and behaviors during crises (demand side). Findings of her research have been presented at international conferences, keynote addresses, and workshops, as well as published in journals, book chapters, conference proceedings, and technical reports. Overall, her research initiatives have advanced the understanding of theory, methods, and application for the industry. The impact of her funded research has been beneficial to DMOs from the local to national level. Locally, she has received longitudinal research funding from the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau to assist in the development of the strategic marketing plan. Additionally, she has served on the Alachua County Tourism Development Council for the past 13 years, and has worked with one-fourth of the sixty-seven counties in Florida on funded and unfunded research. In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Dr. Pennington-Gray was one of four tourism/hospitality faculty in the state appointed to the Oil Spill Academic Task Force. Collectively, her research findings are tools for managers and policy makers to effectively manage visitors, industry providers, and destinations. Furthermore, she has recently completed three long-term

federally funded (Department of State; U.S. Agency for International Development; Department of Education) international projects in South Africa, Turkey, Armenia, and Russia, which totals over $2 million in funding. The projects were centered on capacity building through curriculum development, research, and training in tourism. Also, she has recently formed interdisciplinary teams and served as the lead Principal Investigator on four submitted proposals (National Science Foundation, and National Institutes for Health). The proposals relate to risk communications for vulnerable populations; assessment of immigrant hospitality workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perceptions of hurricane risk; and tick-borne disease risk perceptions and precautions among visitors and residents. Dr. Pennington-Gray is very involved in professional organizations in various leadership roles. She has served as a board member for the International Travel and Tourism Research Association for three years, and assisted with their annual international conference. Recently, she was appointed as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for BFREE- Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education. She maintains an extensive network of professional relationships globally with both practitioners and scholars who are involved with tourism and destination management. Dr. Pennington-Gray is recognized as one of a dozen tourism crisis management experts globally, and has been sought as a keynote speaker by governments to present on tourism crisis management in Japan, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Antigua. She has been consulted by various media outlets (e.g., CNN Money) for expertise in tourism crisis management. In addition to her research, she has been very involved in graduate student mentorship as well as international engagement. As a result of her efforts, Dr. Pennington-Gray was named a recipient of the College of Health and Human Performanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Outstanding Doctoral Mentoring Award, and the 2013 International Educator of the Year Award. 2013 Annual Report | 19

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT Tick-Related Diseases Rising in the United States Ticks are second only to mosquitos as vectors of infectious disease, and in the U.S. they are responsible for the transmission of pathogens that can cause serious illness in humans and animals. The number of tickborne disease cases in the U.S. has been rising exponentially over the last three decades, and concern reached an all-time high when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that more than 300,000 Americans were infected with Lyme disease in 2013. Lyme disease is a multisystem disease spread through the bite of an infected tick. Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain while advanced symptoms can include cardiac abnormalities, neurological impairment, arthritis, and paralysis. The direct medical cost of the disease is $2.5 billion annually, but the real toll is the profound economic, social, and health impacts on individuals and communities. Dr. Donohoe presenting her research at the Travel and Tourism Research Association Annual Meeting, Kansas City, Missouri.

and ecological change, tick range expansion, land use and management, clinical practice standards, human demographics and travel have been identified as contributing to the uptick in these diseases and their spatial expansion across the country. These trends underscore the shifting landscape of vector-borne infectious diseases whose rapid emergence can challenge the best efforts of science, policy, and medicine to diagnose, treat, and prevent the threats they pose the country’s health, tourism, and economy. Dr. Donohoe is leading the charge at UF and in the state of Florida, to bring together key researchers and policy-makers to better understand the tick-borne disease landscape in the south. In December 2013, she organized a Tick-Borne Disease Think Tank and the state’s first Tick-Borne Disease Symposium. She is also conducting research in Florida’s natural areas to better understand how risk perceptions and behavior Improved tick-borne disease diagnostics, disease re- contributes to the human role in the disease transmisporting standards, surveillance technologies, climate sion cycle.

Occupational and Recreational Risks for Tick-Borne Disease in Florida

Omodior Oghenekaro (Doctoral Student) communicating his research at the Tick-Borne Disease Symposium, Gainesville, FL. 2013 Annual Report | 20

Florida’s natural areas are the focus of the study because thousands of Floridians work to manage these areas and they receive millions of visitors every year. Both groups are at potential risk for tick-borne diseases because their activities may bring them into areas where the risk for tick-borne diseases is greatest. Given the growing concern about emerging infectious diseases and their potential implications for both the supply and demand for tourism, this study will provide the data necessary for informing individual, community, and industry health risk management decision-making, occupational risk training, and public health interventions by Florida State Parks, Visit Florida, Florida Department of Health, and tourism operators. Employees with state agencies in-

volved in land management, conservation, and outdoor recreation have been asked to complete a survey about their knowledge, risk perceptions, precautionary behavior, and exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases at work. More than 150 surveys have been collected so far and in 2014, visitors to state parks and conservation areas will be surveyed. This study will inform the development of tick-borne disease risk assessment tools, longitudinal and comparative studies, educational interventions and training programs, and future research designed to prevent tick-borne diseases and mitigate the impacts in Florida. This project is funded by the Bill Sims Faculty Grant which is administered by EFTI, and the Travel and Tourism Research Association.

Tick-Borne Disease Symposium Sheds Light on Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vulnerability EPI and TCMI hosted a Tick-Borne Disease Symposium on December 5, 2013 at UF. The program featured presentations by national and state experts including Dr. Paul Mead, the Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillance Activity for the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Carina Blackmore, the Deputy State Epidemiologist for the Florida Department of Health. Both spoke about the increase in tick-borne diseases and the challenges of monitoring emergent and existent tick-borne diseases when laboratory testing is not always able or available to confirm diagnoses. Other speakers discussed the challenges of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease; how ticksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; behaviors differ in Florida based on ecological and climatological conditions; and the challenges of diagnosing and monitoring Lyme disease in Florida. More than 200 individuals attended the syposium and were representive of state government, the army and navy, state universities, county public health departments, medical professionals, and concerned citizens. Ultimately, the event revealed that there is still much to learn about all facets of tickborne disease. In Florida specifically, the experts highlighted the need to get ahead of this emerging public health crisis by investing in research and policy designed to protect the health of residents and visitors and, by extension, the state economy. TCMI participants at the Tick-Borne Disease Think-Tank, Gainesville, FL.

Tick-Borne Disease Think-Tank Highlights Research Priorities More than 30 individuals who work directly or indirectly in infectious disease, entomology, public health, medicine, ecology, crisis management, and other areas of research, policy, or management attended the tick-borne disease think tank at UF in December of 2013. Funding for the meeting was provided by the Emerging Pathogens Institute - EPI (www.epi.ufl.edu), and TCMI provided event support. Participants were asked to identify knowledge gaps about ticks and tick-borne diseases in Florida and areas where research is most needed in order to get ahead of this public health problem. A set of research priorities were examined to identify future research projects. Dr. Donohoe presenting her research at the Tick-Borne Disease Symposium, Gainesville, FL. 2013 Annual Report | 21

Poster session at the Tick-Borne Disease Symposium, Gainesville, FL. 2013 Annual Report | 21

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Katerina Berezina is currently a doctoral candidate working with Dr. Kelly Sem-

rad at the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management (TRSM) at the University of Florida. Based on the educational experiences (B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism, and M.S. in Hospitality Information Management), and industry background (travel agencies and hotels), Katerina’s research interest lies within the domain of hospitality information technology, electronic distribution channels, and revenue management. She has presented her research at national and international academic conferences (e.g., Council on Hotel and Restaurant, and Institutional Education, ENTER, and Decision Sciences Institute), and has also published in leading hospitality and hospitality information technology journals (e.g., International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology). During her tenure at UF, Katerina has taught two undergraduate courses: Introduction to Hospitality, and Hospitality Revenue Management. She has also assisted TRSM faculty members as a teaching assistant for Master’s level courses (Hospitality Business Perspectives, Strategic Management in Hospitality Business, Marketing in Hospitality and Tourism, and Revenue Management in Hospitality Business) as part of the Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Business Management. The Certificate is jointly offered by the Hough Graduate School of Business and EFTI. Katerina has also been involved in grant activities, as she recently initiated and successfully completed a “Technology and Software Integration in the Hospitality Curriculum” grant in partnership with the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. As part of this grant, she was instrumental in the development of curriculum for the M3 Link business intelligence tool for hotels (www.M3LinkUniversity.com). Additionally, this project has given her valuable experience in curriculum development for on-site instruction as well as for online platforms. 2013 Annual Report | 22

As a graduate student, Katerina has been active with various service activities within the University, and the larger academic and professional community. In her first semester, she established a student organization - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) which was the first student chapter of a professional hospitality organization on campus. In addition, Katerina has been involved with the Graduate Student Council, where she has served on the Grants Committee to evaluate students’ grant proposals for travel to academic conferences. Besides her University commitments, Katerina serves as the Secretary on the Executive Board of international Hospitality Information Technology Association (iHITA). She is the editorial assistant for the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT), where she assists the editor (Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu) with coordination of the manuscript review process. Katerian’s other professional service roles include volunteering on the professional HFTP Social Media Advisory Council, Young Professional Council, and assisting with the educational sessions for the HFTP conferences. Katerina’s academic and professional achievements have been recognized with several awards. She received best paper awards from iHITA and Western Decision Sciences Institute. She was also recognized as one of the 2012 Outstanding International Students by the UF International Center, and as a 2012-13 Graduate Student Leader of the Year by UF Graduate Student Council. Katerina is a Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) commissioned by the HFTP and American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AH&LEI). Currently, Katerina is working on her three-paper dissertation on the topic “Hotel flash sales: An electronic distribution and marketing channel. Does it work?” Hotel flash sales represent a relatively new electronic distribution channel that offers time-limited deep discounts for advance purchase of products and services. Examples of hotel flash sales are found on websites such as Groupon Getaways, LivingSocial Escapes, and Jetsetter. The dissertation design summarizes Katerina’s research interests and experience. Also, the research includes qualitative, quantitative and conceptual works with the first paper focusing on hotel managers’ perspectives on the flash sales phenomenon; the second paper on consumers; and the third paper on developing future research directions in the flash sales research area. Katerina is scheduled to complete her doctoral studies in the spring 2014 semester. She is very grateful for all professional opportunities and growth that she received in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, EFTI, and UF. Katerina plans to start her career as an Assistant Professor in the fall 2014, and she hopes to make UF proud through her research contributions, teaching excellence, and service to the academic and professional societies.

RESEARCH GRANT AWARDS

he academic environment in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management is rich in research and fosters dynamic educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. The graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.) are instrumental in collaborative research partnerships with Institute members. The students are also closely mentored and supervised by Institute members during the process of their theses or dissertations. Graduate students’ research is diverse, expansive and within the various program areas of the Institute. In order to enhance tourism research initiatives, EFTI has established a seed research grant program for students and faculty members. Request for applications along with the criteria for funding and associated deadlines are periodically announced. The endowed Ogden Entertainment of Florida Program Enhancement Fund provides funding for qualified applicants. This award program is named after William (Bill) Sims who established the endowment for EFTI. The following individuals were recipients for the 2013 Bill Sims Research Award:

Faculty Award

Student Award

Holly Donohoe and Lori Pennington-Gray

Omodior Oghenekaro

Katerina Berezina

Employee and Visitor Perceptions and Precautions related to Lyme Disease Risk in Florida State Parks

Correlates of Sustainable Leisure and Tourism Academic Programs in North American Universities/Colleges

Flash Sales: An Inventory Distribution and Marketing Channel. Does It Work?

Lyme disease is an important public health problem in the U.S. and in Florida; it has the potential to threaten the state’s health, tourism, and economy. Their prevention, early diagnosis and treatment are important strategies to avoid the costs and complications of infection. Although Florida is not an endemic region, Lyme disease case rates have exponentially increased in the last decade. The purpose of this research is to survey employees and visitors in Florida State Parks to understand their knowledge, risk perceptions, and precautionary behaviors related to Lyme disease. This research has three objectives:

The future of tourism and leisure practice is inextricably linked to the viability of tourism and leisure related programs in universities and colleges. However, changes in academic program demands as well as industry needs, current economic concerns affecting most universities and colleges, coupled with the pressure to make the educational enterprise more self-sustaining, have left university management boards with no choice but to cut down, or restructure existing program offerings. Tourism and leisure programs have been affected by this trend leading to program closures and mergers. Left unchecked, this trend poses a significant threat to the future of the tourism and leisure professions. The purpose of this study is to investigate why some tourism & leisure related programs within universities are viable while others are not. Using logistic regression and correlation, this study will identify and measure the variables that are associated with viable as well as programs to be terminated. The outcome of this study will shed light on strengths and weaknesses of existing tourism and leisure programs. Rebranding, repositioning and policy formulation efforts also stand to benefit from this study’s outcome. This research is supervised by Dr. Holly Donohoe.

Flash sales websites are a relatively new electronic distribution channel often offering time-limited deep discounts (of about 50%) for advance purchase of products or services. Examples of hotel flash sales are found on websites such as Groupon Getaways, LivingSocial Escapes, and Jetsetter. Flash sales websites seem to assist with distribution of perishable inventory by providing deep discounts and generating consumer demand. However, flash sales websites also have high distribution costs associated with them. There seems to be a tradeoff between increasing sales and incurring high distribution costs. Such a trade-off may pose some difficulties for hotel managers as it pertains to the evaluation of flash sales websites’ effectiveness as distribution channels. This research will investigate impacts of the flash sales on the hotel industry from three different perspectives, including industry, consumers, and research. The study aims to close the literature gap on the topic of hotel flash sales, while also providing an understanding of the flash sales phenomenon to the academic and professional audiences. This research is supervised by Dr. Kelly Semrad.

1. To establish the first baseline data on the knowledge, perceptions, and precautionary behaviors related to Lyme disease amongst employees and visitors to FL State Parks; 2. To make recommendations for the development of communications and intervention frameworks so as to improve awareness of and precautionary behavior in regards to Lyme disease in Florida State Parks; 3. To make recommendations for future research concerned with Lyme and associated tick-borne diseases in Florida.

2013 Annual Report | 23

SPEAKERS AND VISITORS Speakers The Distinguished Speaker Series program offers an excellent opportunity to invite outstanding national and international speakers to address tourism-related topics from various sectors that includes academics, industry, non-government organizations, government, etc. In addition to the featured presentation, the speakers provide an interactive dialogue with faculty and students in various settings such as panels, issues forums, informal discussions, seminars, and classroom visits. The objective of the speaker series is to encourage discussion and debate about innovative ideas, contemporary issues, as well as an opportunity to network for faculty and students. The number of speakers varies during the academic year. Below are a sampling of speakers that we have hosted this year: • Dr. Andrew Lepp, Associate Professor, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Kent State University, OH Dr. Jacob Barkley, Associate Professor, Department of Exercise Science, Kent State University, OH * College Student’s Cell Phone Use Found to Be Negatively Associated with Leisure Time Physical Activity, Fitness and Academic Performance • Dr. Clement Fasan, Chair, Department of Physical and Health Education, Lagos State University, Nigeria * African Sports: Prospects and Challenges • Dr. Mark Rosentraub, Bruce & Joan Bickner Endowed Professor of Sports Management, Co-Director, Michigan Center for Sport Management, University of Michigan, MI * Sports Facilities and Urban Revitalization: What Really Does Work (and Why), and What Does Not

Visitors We also host numerous visiting scholars and practitioners that are interested in formulating academic partnerships with EFTI. During the year, we hosted the following individuals: • Gregory Dunn Metropolitan State University, Colorado, U.S.

• Mokgadi Ntana Botswana Tourism Organization, Botswana

• Barbara Carmichael Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada

• Yonas Desta Tsegaye Authority for Research & Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Ethiopia

• David Fennell Brock University, Canada • Ron E. McCarville University of Waterloo, Canada • Stephen F. McCool University of Montana, U.S.

Visitors from Canada: Drs. David Fennell, Brock University and Ron McCarville, University of Waterloo. 2013 Annual Report | 24

• Ilya Kuftyrev State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Russia

• Mohamed Mihad Hospitality and Tourism, MILE & Associates, Maldives • Jans Huayca Quispe National Service of Protected Areas, Peru • Catalina Murariu Education for Sustainable Development, World Wide Fund for Nature, Romania

FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS

e value the partnership and contributions generated through hosting professional colleagues from other national and international universities and organizations. Collaborative partnerships serve to enhance the mission of the Institute and also the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, especially related to research, scholarship, procurement of external resources, and teaching. EFTI does receive various requests and all proposals are evaluated accordingly based on established guidelines. During the year, we hosted a U.S. Fulbright Scholar from Hungary, and are currently hosting another scholar from Malaysia. • Hungary Adam Ligeti [January 2013 – April 2013]

• Malaysia Catheryn Khoo - Lattimore [November 2013 – May 2014]

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational

exchange. Fulbright grants are made available to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and Adam Ligeti teaching in elementary and secondary schools. For more information of the program, visit the CounFulbright Scholar from Hungary cil for International Exchange of Scholars at www.cies.org

Dr. Catheryn Khoo-Lattimore, an Associate Profes- revenue. An appreciation of how females choose their trav- Dr. Khoo-Lattimore sor at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has been at the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management since November 15, 2013. She is the first faculty member from Taylor’s University to receive a Fulbright Scholar Grant and will be at the University of Florida for six months. During this period, her main objective as a Fulbright Scholar is to produce a theoretical model of consumer hospitality needs in the female travel market. Dr. Khoo-Lattimore hopes that findings from her study will help inform the government on its future implementation strategies to appeal to female travelers. She also believes that the project will benefit the travel industry at large. Based on current statistics, women travelers make up a formidable size of the travel industry and hotels that cater to these women stand for a large sum of potential

el accommodation and what they want is advantageous to practitioners in predicting accurate accommodation demands and value. More importantly, for females themselves, this study will provide an awareness regarding entitlements during their travel and leisure preferences, and their ability to participate in satisfying experiences.

While at UF, Dr. Khoo-Lattimore is enjoying access to the library resources. Being able to read everything and anything on the topic of interest is something she does not take for granted, as journal databases are not easily available in Malaysia. She has initiated discussion with industry practitioners on the feasibility of her study and hopes to engage them in the research process. She has already been invited by Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration to give a guest lecture on the topic. She has also been asked to participate in a roundtable discussion on the role of the hospitality industry in women’s leisure and well-being.

has had her eyes on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award for years since she was a PhD student and so, it was no surprise that she applied for the grant as soon as she met the selection criteria. “Being a Fulbright Scholar is one of my dreams come true. Working and living in the US is another. Six months is not a long time for what I want to accomplish so I am making the most of my time here.” She adds humorously, “I am sleeping less and doing more.”

2013 Annual Report | 25

PUBLICATIONS

ur research outputs have been impressive this year as members have published more than 25 scientific papers in a variety of academic journals with respect to issues related to recreation, parks, events, sport, tourism, and hospitality industries. Below are select sample titles:

Select Refereed Journal Articles

• Kim, S., Holland, S., & Han, H. (2013). A structural model for examining how destination image, perceived value, and service quality affect loyalty: A case study of Orlando. International Journal of Tourism Research, 15(4), 313-328. • Stepchenkova, S., & Zhan, F. (2013). Visual destination image of Peru: Comparative content analysis of DMO and user-generated photography. Tourism Management, 36, 590601. • Best, M., & Thapa, B. (2013). Motives, facilitators, and constraints of environmental management in the Caribbean accommodations sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 52(1), 165-175. • Thapa, B., Cahyanto, I., Holland, S., & Absher, J. (2013). Wildfires and tourist behaviors in Florida. Tourism Management, 36, 284-296. • Pennington-Gray, L., Kaplanidou, K., & Schroeder, A. (2013). Drivers of social media use among African-Americans in the event of a crisis. Natural Hazards, 66(1), 77-96. • Villegas, J. Matyas, C. Sirnivasan, S., Cahyanto, I., Thapa, B., & Pennington-Gray, L. (2013). Cognitive and affective responses of Florida tourists after exposure to hurricane warning messages. Natural Hazards, 66(1), 97-116. • Schroeder, A., Pennington-Gray, L., Kaplanidou, K., & Zhan, F. (2013). Destination risk perceptions among U.S. residents for London as the host city of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Tourism Management, 38, 107-119. • Schroeder, A. Pennington-Gray, L., Donohoe, H., & Kiousis, S. (2013). Using social media in times of crisis. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), 126-143. • Kaplanidou, K., Karadakis, K., Gibson, H., Thapa, B., Walker, M., Geldenhuys, S., & Coetzee, W. (2013). Quality of life, event impacts and mega event support among South African residents before and after the 2010 FIFA South Africa World Cup. Journal of Travel Research, 52(5), 631-645. • Walker, M., Kaplanidou, K., Gibson, H., Thapa, B., Geldenhuys, S. & Coetzee, W. (2013). Win in Africa, With Africa: Social responsibility, event image, and destination benefits. The case of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Tourism Management, 34, 80-90. • Heere, B., Walker, M., Gibson, H., Thapa, B. Geldenhuys, S., & Coetzee, W. (2013). The power of sport to unite a nation: The social value of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. European Sport Management Quarterly, 13, 450-471. • Jett, J., Thapa, B., & Swett, R. (2013). Boater speed compliance in manatee zones: A proposed predictive model. Society & Natural Resources: An International Journal, 26(1), 95104. • Buta, N., Brennan, M., & Holland, S. (2013). Citizen differences in conservation attitudes, affective response, and pro-environmental engagement: Findings from rural Romania. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 31(2), 6-27. • Buta, N., Holland, S., & Brennan, M. (2013). Residents interactions’ with and attachments to Retezat National Park, Romania: Implications for environmental responsibility. World Leisure, 55(2), 1-16. • Nicholas, L., & Thapa, B. (2013). The politics of world heritage: A case study of the Pitons Management Area, St. Lucia. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 8(1), 37-48. • Thapa, B. (2013). Visitor segments and attitudes towards sustainable tourism in protected areas: A case study in Zambia. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 31(2), 5060. • Cole, Z., Donohoe, H., & Stellefson, M. (2013). Internet-based Delphi research: Case based discussion. Environmental Management, 51(3), 511-523. 2013 Annual Report | 26

PRESENTATIONS

ur associates have also communicated their research via numerous presentations at local, national, and international forums. Also, our expertise in specific areas has resulted in invited keynote addresses for associates in various international forums and destinations. Below are select sample titles:

Select Professional Presentations

• Henderson, K., & Gibson, H. (2013). An integrative review of women, gender, and leisure: Increasing complexities. Journal of Leisure Research, 45(2), 115-135. • Berdychevsky, L., Gibson, H., & Bell, H. (2013). Girlfriend getaways and women’s well-being. Journal of Leisure Research, 45(5), 602-623. • Donohoe, H., Pennington-Gray, L., Omodior, O., & Liu, B. (2013). Employee and visitor perceptions and precautions related to Lyme disease risk in Florida State Parks. Presentation at the 2nd World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality: Crossing the Bridge. Orlando, FL, December 15-17. • Omodior, O., & Donohoe, H. (2013). A One Health approach to understanding and managing emerging infectious diseases of importance for travel, tourism, and hospitality. Presentation at the 2nd World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality: Crossing the Bridge. Orlando, FL, December 15-17. • Berdychevsky, L., & Gibson, H. (2013). Phenomenology of women’s sexual-risk taking in tourism. Presentation at the 2nd World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality: Crossing the Bridge. Orlando, FL, December 15-17. (Best Paper Award). • Gibson, H., Berdychevsky, L., & Bell, H. (2013). All female sport tourist experiences: Sport as a purpose and a means. Paper presentation at the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand, November 20-22. • Gibson, H. (2013). Mega-events vs. Smaller-scale events: The best path to sustainable sport tourism development. Presentation at the World Sport Management Association Summit. New Taipei City, Taiwan, October 24-27 (Invited Keynote Speaker). • Berdychevsky, L., Gibson, H., & Bell, H. (2013). Girlfriend getaways as an ambivalent term: Discourse analysis. Paper presentation at the National Recreation and Park Association Congress. Houston, TX, October 8-10. • Gibson, H., Buning, R., & Weinberg, M. (2013). Social capital, enduring involvement and charity motive among runners: Comparing event and non-event participants. Paper presentation at the 21st European Sport Management Association Congress. Istanbul, Turkey, September 11-15. • Bell, H., & Gibson, H. (2013). Cohesion in women’s sport experiences. Paper presentation at the Leisure and Recreation Association of South Africa Conference. Durban, South Africa, September 16-19. • Liu, B., Norman, W., & Pennington-Gray, L. (2013). Developing a conceptual framework to understand why local residents contribute to online travel communities. Presentation at the 44th Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Kansas City, MO, June 20-22. • Cahyanto, I., & Pennington-Gray, L. (2013). Dynamics of seeking information from local tourism offices in the event of a crisis among African-American tourists. Presentation at the 44th Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Kansas City, MO, June 20-22. • Schroeder, A., Pennington-Gray, L., & Kaplanidou, K. (2013). Examining whether exposure to external information influences perceptions of increased crime at an Olympic Games host destination: The case of London 2012. Presentation at the 44th Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Kansas City, MO, June 20-22. • Holland, S., & Cichra, C. (2013). Assessing recreational use and environmental impacts on the Rainbow River. Presentation at the Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Cooperstown, NY, April 7-9. • Binjie, L., & Donohoe, H. (2013). Virtual heritage experiences: Towards a typology. Presentation at the Southeastern Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Atlanta, GA, March 18-20. • Schroeder, A., Pennington-Gray, L., & Barbieri, C. (2013). The development of a Tourism Area Response Network in Machu Picchu, Cusco region, Peru. Paper presentation at the 2013 International Crisis & Risk Communication Conference. Orlando, FL, March 5-6. 2013 Annual Report | 27

DISNEY ACADEMIC EXCHANGE

FTI and TRSM in conjunction with Walt Disney World® Resort (WDW) are excited to offer a six-month paid academic exchange experience program for international students enrolled in tourism, hospitality, marketing, business or other related fields at UF’s international partner universities in Canada. Students will take classes and earn 12 credits from the University of Florida while participating in academic training and gaining valuable experience at WDW in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Students will have an opportunity to learn about tourism, hospitality, destination and event management in a fun and exciting environment from top-notch professors, and one of the most successful tourism attractions in the world. During the six-month program, international students will be able to experience the life of an American college student spending a week at UF and then as a Disney Cast Member for the remainder of the program. Students will have the opportunity to work in front-of-the-house operations at Disney’s theme parks and resorts and obtain experience working for a world-renowned entertainment company. This will be an once-in-a-lifetime experience where students will meet people from all over the world, learn valuable business strategies from Disney leaders, and develop and refine their skills in leadership, communication, guest service, teamwork, and responsibility. Students will live on the Disney campus and will have a multitude of opportunities for valuable tourism and hospitality industry experience. The resort encompasses 40 square miles, and the theme parks are some of the most visited and beloved attractions in the world. Currently, this program is open only to our international partner universities (University of Waterloo, Brock University, and Wilfrid Laurier University) in Canada but we intend to expand our partnerships to other countries in the near future. The program is scheduled to begin Summer 2014. For additional information on the Disney Academic Exchange Program, visit: www.uftourism.org

Program Manager Arielle Gousse, B.S., is the Program Manager for EFTI, and her primary roles include - promotional and print marketing, public rela-

tions, graphic design, social media management, website content management, event planning and management, development/fundraising, and managing the Walt Disney World Academic Exchange Experience International Program. Arielle graduated from UF with her Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Event Management in the Spring 2013 semester. Arielle has worked at UF since 2009 as a freshman and continued throughout her undergraduate studies. She has a strong background in event management with experience coordinating events. She formerly worked at the College of Pharmacy in the Development and Alumni Affairs Office where she coordinated more than over 15 events each year. She also had the opportunity to work on two of Gainesville’s largest events: The Downtown Festival and Art Show and The Hoggetowne Medieval Faire. In addition to event management, Arielle’s interests extend into sport and society as well as tourism marketing. 2013 Annual Report | 28

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Business Management

Online Continuing Education Program in Tourism Crisis Management

Certificate in Specialized Tourism Ambassador Program

The tourism and hospitality industry is a fast-growing, dynamic, and global industry with a variety of career options for individuals to develop into upper-level managerial positions. The certificate coursework will allow students to gain a comprehensive managerial knowledge base of the processes and strategies used by leading firms to gain a competitive advantage in the tourism and hospitality industry. The content of the courses centrally focus on developing the students’ managerial skill set as opposed to back-of-the-house hospitality operational skills. To earn this certificate, students must take a total of 10 credits (5 courses) over the fall and spring semesters. This certificate is jointly offered by the Hough Graduate School of Business and EFTI at the University of Florida. This certificate program is offered to all graduate students in the Hough Graduate School of Business and the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management. For more information, visit: www.warrington.ufl.edu

Online continuing education programs are offered by the Tourism Crisis Management Institute to assist the tourism industry with comprehensive tourism crisis management initiatives. To address the critical need to prepare tourism industry professionals for crises, TCMI has developed and offered a comprehensive online Tourism Crisis Management continuing education program. The program aims to prepare industry professionals in the development of programs, policies, and plans by focusing on reduction, readiness, response, and recovery from natural and human-induced crises. Participants develop a tourism crisis management plan for their destination or business that will enable them to mitigate economic, environmental, and social consequences of crises. This program is only offered at UF with its unique approach to blending current research with leaders who have planned and implemented crisis management for tourism destinations and businesses. Upon completion of the program, participants receive a Certificate of Participation from UF. For more information, visit www.tourismcrisis.org

The Institute's newest certificate program prepares employees at all levels of the hospitality industry to become tourism ambassadors for their community, region, and state. Using a customer service focus, this certificate program looks at six primary tenets: 1) the importance of tourism; 2) competition for tourism dollars; 3) improving industry commitment and alliances; 4) increasing guest satisfaction; 5) improving tourism product knowledge; and 6) providing branding and consistent messaging. Participants will become prepared to act as ambassadors for tourism through videos, case studies, discussion, and collaboration with others in the industry. Upon completion of the program, participants receive a Certificate of Participation from the University of Florida. Workshops are led by Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray and are offered as half-day sessions. For more information, visit www.uftourism.org

Testimonial

Recipient of the Tourism & Hospitality Business Management Certificate

Recipient of the Tourism Crisis Management Continuing Education Program

Recipient and Site-Coordinator of the Tourism Ambassador Program Certificate

Pam Brown

Paulette M. Lord

Ting Sun

M.S. Student Recreation, Parks and Tourism, UF

Conference & Event Manager Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, FL

Marketing Director Columbia County Tourist Development, FL

“Taking the courses to acquire the Certificate has prepared me to enter the work setting by building up the business mind needed to be a tourism professional. It has been a great complement to the theory-oriented courses in the Recreation, Parks, and Tourism program employing the practical nature of teaching and learning in the business school. Besides, it really opened my eyes to more opportunities through interacting with students and professors from diverse backgrounds.”

“I found this course to be very informative and an excellent addition to my knowledge to date. I have been working with our local emergency operations center since 2002, taken all of the necessary course from Homeland Security and FEMA, and attended numerous hurricane conferences. I learned how the applications I already have in my crisis arsenal can be tweaked and adopted to other crisis situations such as wildfires, contagious diseases, mass casualty and terrorism.”

“Tourism Ambassador Program - not only is it the best approach to making everyone proud of what we have and willing to share the information with all who will listen, but our industry has asked us to include the program for next year. Everyone who attended talks about what a worthwhile program it is, and has also changed their way to thinking about their interaction with the traveling public. ” 2013 Annual Report | 29

STUDY ABROAD

ur faculty associates are involved in experiential education most notably via study abroad programs. The programs offer students an opportunity to earn academic credits while traveling as a group with faculty and local field guides throughout different regions in the world. All programs offer an interdisciplinary approach in many different fields and are open to all UF students. As part of the annual study abroad programs, we have taken students to Australia (Northern Queensland and Sydney), New Zealand, and Fiji. These programs are conducted in partnership with American Universities International Programs (AUIP) and coordinated by Dr. Heather Gibson with the University of Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Center: www.ufic.ufl.edu For additional information on study abroad programs, visit www.floridadownunder.org

Testimonial Ting Sun, M.S. Student: Recreation, Parks and Tourism [Study Abroad: Fiji] "My study abroad experience in Fiji was incredible. I would even go so far as to say that it changed my life given the lessons I have learned. Before studying in Fiji, sustainability was only a terminology to me. However, through living with a Fijian family and knowing that villagers solely depend on the natural environment for their livelihood and their resulted vulnerability to climate change, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started to understand why it is so pertinent for people to be environmentally responsible for their lifestyle. Also, having the opportunity to stay with a local family and be part of their daily life, I was able to truly immerse myself in Fijian culture."

Students on the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney, Australia. 2013 Annual Report | 30

Hiking opportunities for students in Queenstown, New Zealand.

New Program: UF in Peru

International Academic Partnership Project: UF in Russia

A new study abroad program is being offered for Peru with respect to tourism crisis management in Machu Picchu and will be led by Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray. The 10-day study abroad trip (May 2014) will include Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu. Students will have the opportunity to examine tourism crisis management aspects of managing a World Heritage Site and to collaborate with students from the Universidad San Ignatius de Loyola in Lima. The program will also focus on topics such as culture, environment, natural resources, sustainable development, tourism planning and development. The study abroad will include a working relationship with the local Ministry of Environment to address issues related to tourism and the management of disasters, as well as field visits with additional tourism officials and local tour operators. As part of the program, students will work together to provide recommendations for safety and security to the Ministry of the Environment.

In addition to annual study abroad programs, various short-term student mobility specialty trips have also been conducted in Russia, Turkey, and Armenia by EFTI faculty associates as part of the international academic partnership projects. During the summer 2013, Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova led a five-week Tourism and Hospitality Practicum to Russia with a small number of qualified students. The program focused on tourism and hospitality management and marketing as well as learning Russian language and culture. Students were hosted by the State University of Nizhni Novgorod, and were sponsored as part of a grant (FIPSE - Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education www2.ed.gov/programs/fipserussia) by the U.S. Department of Education. As part of this exchange program, EFTI also hosted students from Russia for five weeks and engaged in experiential education with respect to destination marketing & management. The student program was funded by State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Russia.

An opportunity for students to study at Machu Picchu - World Heritage Site.

UF students in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia. 2013 Annual Report | 31

INSTITUTE NEWS • The Eric Friedheim Foundation has continued its support as a Research Benefactor courtesy of President Sidney Gefen and Edith Hall Friedheim. The Foundation donated $50,000 for 2013 and 2014. • EFTI will initiate the Eric Friedheim Travel Journalism Awards in 2015. These awards will be facilitated by EFTI in partnership with the Eric Friedheim Foundation. (Edith Hall Friedheim) • One new member joined the EFTI Advisory Board: Charlotte Mather-Taylor, Vice President of Government Relations & Public/Community Affairs, Broward Health, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. • EFTI hosted a visiting U.S. Fulbright Scholar from Hungary (Adam Ligeti), and currently hosting another scholar from Malaysia (Catheryn Khoo - Lattimore). • EFTI is currently recruiting students for the international six-month student Academic Exchange Experience program at Walt Disney World® Resort, FL from three universities in Canada (University of Waterloo, Brock University, and Wilfrid Laurier University). • Dr. Heather Gibson was an invited keynote speaker at the World Sport Management Association Summit, New City Taipei, Taiwan. Her talk was entitled: “Mega-events vs. Smaller-scale events: The best path to sustainable sport tourism development.” The event was hosted by Aletheia University. • Dr. Brijesh Thapa was an invited keynote speaker at the UF International Student Award Annual Ceremony sponsored by the UF International Center. • Dr. Brijesh Thapa was promoted from Associate Professor to Professor.

Dr. Thapa presenting as a keynote speaker at the UF International Student Award Annual Ceremony, Gainesville, FL.

• Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray offered a one day (morning and afternoon) workshop for 20 people in each session in Lake City, FL as part of the Specialized Tourism Ambassador Program. She was assisted by Arielle Gousse – EFTI Program Manager. • Former doctoral student Liza Berdychevsky and her advisor Dr. Heather Gibson received the Best Paper Award at the 2nd World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality: Crossing the Bridge, Orlando, FL, December 15-17, 2013. • Former doctoral student Liza Berdychevsky was awarded the 2013 Association for Academic Women Madelyn Lockhart Dissertation Fellowship. She was mentored by Dr. Heather Gibson. Liza received a $2,000 cash award for this accomplishment during a reception at the University of Florida’s President’s home.

Dr. Holland delivering a presenta- Dr. Holland enjoying the views on tion at a Recreation Research the South Island of New Zealand Symposium, Cooperstown, NY. during a study abroad trip. 2013 Annual Report | 32

• Dr. Heather Gibson was inducted to the Fellow of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars, University of Florida. Recipients must have strong evidence of the integration of superior teaching and research and a record of distinguished scholarly accomplishment that has garnered recognition at the national and/or international level.

• Drs. Lori Pennington-Gray and Svetlana Stepchenkova were awarded as the 2013 College of Health & Human Performance’s International Educator of the Year. The award recognizes achievements in international engagement as it relates to teaching, research, and service. • Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray was the recipient of the College of Health & Human Performance Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award for 2012-2013. The award encourages and rewards excellence, innovation and effectiveness in mentoring doctoral students through their final dissertation. • Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova led UF students for a short-term study program to the State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Russia, as part of an international academic partnership project to improve tourism education, research, and industry outreach in Russia. • Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray, Advisory Board member Roland Loog, and General Manager of the Best Western Gateway Grand in Gainesville, Ron Gromoll, all traveled to Russia along with Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova to conduct a workshop on tourism destination management. This event was part of an international academic partnership project in Russia. • EFTI planned and implemented an international conference entitled “Tourism & Hospitality: The Highway to Sustainable Regional Development” in Yerevan, Armenia. The event occurred from June 28-30, 2013, and was part of an international academic partnership project between the U.S., Turkey and Armenia. • Dr. Stephen Holland completed a four week study abroad trip to New Zealand with UF students, while Dr. Heather Gibson completed a four week trip to Australia and a ten-day trip to Fiji.

Drs. Pennington-Gray and Stepchenkova were each awarded as the 2013 International Educator of the Year.

• Dr. Brijesh Thapa traveled to South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland to assess and wrap up a USAID funded regional project – Community based natural resources management education in southern Africa. • Dr. Pennington-Gray and Elaine McLaughlin traveled to Okinawa, Japan to conduct a weeklong training program on tourism crisis management to several hotel managers, travel agents, destination management organization staff, and Japan Tourism Board. • TCMI along with the Emerging Pathogens Institute hosted a Tick-Borne Disease Symposium on December 5th at UF. The program was led by Dr. Holly Donohoe. • Dr. Holly Donohoe completed a Certificate in One Health from the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida. • EFTI sponsored the 6th Annual Gainesville Amazing Race in honor of National Travel & Tourism Week on May 11. The scavenger hunt raised money for the March of Dimes.

Dr. Gibson at the World Sport Management Association Summit, New Taipei City , Taiwan. 2013 Annual Report | 33

ERIC A. FRIEDHEIM

n a career that spanned more than 60 years, Eric Arthur Friedheim personified and shaped the travel and tourism industries into what they are today. As owner, publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the weekly Travel Agent magazine he reported on all major developments in travel and tourism, logging over one million miles and 150 countries, eventually winning a place in the Travel Hall of Fame and a seat on the Tourism Advisory Board to the President of the United States of America. Born in London, England, the son of Arthur Friedheim, one of the most celebrated concert pianists of his time, Eric moved to New York City with his family when he was only nine years old. Although he shared his father’s love of music – he later endowed the Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards and the music library at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University – Eric gravitated to a career in journalism. Dropping out of college after only two years due to a lack of funds, he joined the International News Service (INS) as a Washington Correspondent, covering, among other beats, the White House. As a combat correspondent for Air Force Magazine during World War II, Friedheim survived a plane crash behind German lines and wrote a book, “Fighters Up,” about the experience. After the war he was one of the first travel journalists to visit the Soviet Union, and the first American travel journalist admitted to the People’s Republic of China. In 1951 he bought Travel Agent, founded as a monthly magazine in 1930 but struggling at the time. Under his guidance the publication flourished for nearly five decades. He sold it in 1978, but remained Editor-in-Chief until 2000, using his weekly opinion columns to illuminate trends in travel and tourism and to put the industry’s latest issues into a perspective that earned him the respected title of Dean of the Travel Industry. His articles appeared in the publication until shortly before his death on June 24, 2002. He was 92. Besides the new Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute at UF, the Eric Friedheim Foundation provides funding for the Eric Friedheim Center of Communication at his alma mater, American University, in Washington, D.C.; the Eric Friedheim Library at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.; and, through Tourism Cares, academic scholarships for graduate study in travel and tourism.

2013 Annual Report | 34

SUPPORT US

e do not receive any financial resources from the University of Florida or the State of Florida. The Institute does receive in-kind contributions from the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management with respect to physical space and other cost-share initiatives. EFTI is largely dependent on revenues via indirect costs (administrative) generation from external grants and contracts. In addition, the Institute is appreciative of the generosity of individuals who have created endowments in support of EFTI’s efforts. The annual income from these endowments provides valuable resources for numerous programs to support research, education and training. Currently, the following endowments are housed within EFTI: • Eric Friedheim Foundation Endowment • Hal and Lois Herman Endowment • Ogden Entertainment of Florida Program Enhancement Fund

The Institute is at the forefront to address current and future challenges, and is world-renowned for its innovative, academic and applied approach. We, at the Institute, have the talent and the ability to accomplish much more. We look forward to the challenges and opportunities tomorrow will bring. Together, we can make a positive impact now and continue for generations to come. Your financial support will create professorships, fellowships, scholarships and research programs that will strengthen the mission and vision of the Institute. Your support will shape the Institute, certainly, but its ripple effect will also touch the state of Florida, the nation and the entire world. We invite you to join us in the journey for the future and appreciate any level of support from you. We look forward to your generous support and would like to sincerely thank you in advance.

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TO MAKE A GIFT There are number of ways to give a gift to EFTI:

• Online • Cash and Securities • Real Estate • Planned Gifts • Endowments • IRA Gifts Under the Pension Protection Act • Gift Matching Opportunities • Faculty Support We would be privileged to prepare a proposal for you to review with absolutely no obligations. Please visit or contact us for more information.

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P.O. Box 118208 Gainesville, FL 32611, USA Phone: 352.392.3992 Fax: 352.392.7588 www.uftourism.org

EFTI | 2013 ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHER & EDITOR Brijesh Thapa, Ph.D. Professor & Director MANAGING EDITOR Arielle Gousse Program Manager COPY EDITOR Allison Vitt Director of Communications â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HHP GRAPHIC DESIGN (Sherry) Xueji Xiao Research Associate 2013 Annual Report is also available online. Please contact us if you have any questions and/or need additional information. Follow us on Social Media:

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