Previous Story
Eco-tourism conference draws audience from the Pacific
|
Posted on Mar 13 2000
At least 94 participants from Guam, the CNMI, Palau, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap, Pohnpei, Marshall Islands, Honolulu and San Fransciso registered for the five-day heritage, eco-tourism conference in Rota.
Extensive lectures on the marketing and promotion of heritage tourism of a destination were given by Prof. Dirk Spennemann, a cultural heritage management instructor from the Charles Sturt University of Albury, Australia.
Amy Jordan Webb, director of the Heritage Tourism Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation provided the participants with guidelines on developing sites and heritage programs furnished for eco-tourist.
Other speakers included Perry J. Tenorio, managing director for the Marianas Visitors Authority; Mitt Parsons, USDA Forest Service; John Heather, UOG professor of the School of Tourism; and Karen Justin, superintendent, War in the Pacific National Historic Park and the American Memorial Park, Saipan.
Issues that were discussed included: establishing a non-profit Eco-Heritage society; site integration to generate a coherent tourism experience; community integration to reinforce community attitudes towards visitors; and visitor needs and retail opportunities.
The Heritage Eco-Tourism conference, hosted by the Rota Mayor’s office, was sponsored by the CNMI Historic Preservation Office and the Marianas Visitors Authority.
