This webinar explores how to work with tourism officials and/or economic development councils to drive economic development.
Presented by:
** This event has passed **
October 11, 2018
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM (Pacific Time) {more time zones}
Cost (RECORDING):
FREE for membersNote:
Closed Captioning is available for this webinar.
Learning Credits are available for this webinar.
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Advocates and transportation officials are continually frustrated by the lack of funding and support for the places we know are great to explore by bicycle. Bike trails, quiet and scenic roads and gravel routes are the kind of places we know anyone would love to cycle, but tourism officials generally lack the knowledge of these places, how to support them and overlook them in their tourism offerings. In addition, there are some amazing trails, events and tours available across the country that could really use a boost. Pairing these needs with tourism’s role in providing destination development and marketing, it seems like an incredible missed opportunity. Adventure Cycling will cultivate a session that shows the best way participants can work with tourism officials and/or economic development councils; this may include featuring/promoting existing trails including mountain, dirt, paved. water, greenway and non-trail bike routes; assist communities in developing bike tourism related amenities; or funding trail projects that are proven to drive economic development.
This session is fits all types of trails, is for novice to experts and fits the domestic audience.
Ginny Sullivan, Director of Travel Initiatives, Adventure Cycling Association
Virginia “Ginny” Sullivan is the Director of Travel Initiatives at Adventure Cycling Association, North America’s only organization dedicated to bicycle tourism and travel. Programs under Ginny’s direction include: working with state and local partners to officially designate interstate bicycle routes into the U.S. Bicycle Route System, currently at over 13,000-miles; co-leading the Amtrak Bicycle Task Force, with a goal of seeing carry-on bicycle service available on all Amtrak lines; working with National Park Service and State Park systems on bicycle tourism amenities and accommodations; and advocacy for better rumble strip policies, safe passing and distracted driving laws including enforcement. Ginny’s team also works to protect and improve Adventure Cycling’s 47,283-miles of cultivated and mapped bicycle routes across North America. With the support of Adventure Cycling’s 53,000-members, Ginny is growing bicycle tourism through outreach to communities across the country. She also advocates for improved road conditions and safety for cyclists. Ginny’s work is partner focused and her efforts are driven by the Adventure Cycling mission to inspire, empower and connect people to travel by bicycle.
Alex Duryea, Recreational Trails Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Alex is the Recreational Trails Manager at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC). He works to further develop, improve, and maintain NGPC’s network of land and water trails and administers the Recreation Trails Program for the State of Nebraska. Previously Alex worked at the Nebraska Tourism Commission (NTC) where he worked with communities and destinations to find and develop ecotourism opportunities for the state. While at NTC he worked in his state to reinvigorate the interest of bicycle tourism and sees it as a promising economic driver for rural destinations in Nebraska. Alex is an avid cyclist and a proud hoarder of many two wheeled hunks of steel. Occasionally eats dirt, especially the Nebraska kind.
Kalene Griffith is the president of Visit Bentonville in Bentonville, Arkansas. Griffith promotes Bentonville as a world-class travel destination and advocates for growth within the arts, cycling, culinary, music, aviation, and film scenes.
In 2005, Griffith was hired as the president of Visit Bentonville. She was recently appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to the Arkansas State Parks and Tourism Commission. She is a board member of the Arkansas Hospitality Association Travel Council, Arkansas Association of Convention Visitors Bureau, Bentonville Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Bentonville, Inc., Bentonville Public Arts Advisory Board, Bentonville History Museum and Amazeum Children’s Museum.
She has been awarded the 40 under 40 by the Arkansas Business Journal and more recently the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal C-Suite Award.
We are offering closed captioning for our webinars, thanks to a partnership with VZP Digital. If you are in need of this service, please email us prior to the webinar. An unedited transcript will be sent to all attendees following the webinar.
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Learning credits are free for attendees for American Trails webinars and the International Trails Symposium, as well as for other conferences, webinars, and workshops we offer credits for. Learn more here.
While we may individually agree (or disagree) in whole or in part with any or all of the participants, the views expressed in these webinars are not necessarily representative of the views of American Trails as an organization or its board and staff. Unless specific situations are noted by presenters, nothing in American Trails webinars should be considered to be interpreted as a standard.
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1,358 views • posted 06/12/2018
