Archive for Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Economic and Quality of Life Indicators for Allegheny National Forest Counties in Pennsylvania
Tourism and leisure activities play vital roles in the economic landscape of Pennsylvania’s rural counties, particularly in the northern region of the state. The five counties of Cameron, Elk, Warren, McKean, and Forest represent a significant rural tourism cluster that has experienced various economic challenges and transformations over the past two decades. This report examines the employment trends in these counties’ Leisure and Hospitality (L&H) sector from 2000 to 2023, providing insights into the sector’s resilience and vulnerabilities during major economic or other shocks.
Authors: Luyi Han, Stephan J. Goetz, Daniel Eades and Doug Arbogast
Publication: Published by NERCRD Date Published: February 17, 2025
Insights and oversights: Behind the data on agritourism and direct sales in the United States
Abstract: Agritourism is growing worldwide as farmers and ranchers seek alternative sources of revenue, and consumer demand for agricultural experiences is on the rise. Understanding this sector is important for policymakers, researchers, agricultural service providers, and others seeking to support farm viability and rural entrepreneurship. However, in the U.S., this support is hampered by the lack of a clear definition and consistent, comprehensive means for measuring the agritourism sector. The best available data for the U.S. are from the quinquennial U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS)’s Census of Agriculture. However, the two questions used by the Census of Agriculture that relate to agritourism are worded in ways that limit a comprehensive understanding of the size and scope of the sector. To illustrate the limitations, we highlight cases from two U.S. states (Texas and Vermont), where different forms of agritourism are present. One such form, hunting, is included in the USDA’s economic assessments of agritourism; another, pick-your-own berries, is not. Along with tastings and purchases of locally grown products, this falls in the category of direct sales. The discrepancy can result in misrepresentation and misinterpretation of the data in analyses and subsequent publications with distorted policy recommendations related to agritourism. We discuss these cases alongside recommendations on how to more accurately measure, and support, agritourism development in the U.S.
Authors: Chadley R. Hollas, Claudia Schmidt, Zheng Tian, Stephan J. Goetz, and Lisa Chase
Publication: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Date Published: August 26, 2024
Tags: agritourism
Land-Grant University Capacity to Support Recreation Economies in National Forest Gateway Communities
This report was developed by Doug Arbogast, Rural Tourism Specialist, West Virginia University Extension Service, with support from the Extension Foundation, Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs), and the members of the National Extension Outdoor Recreation Working Group (NEORWG). It describes findings from an assessment conducted in 2024 of the capacity of Land Grant Universities to provide both Extension and research support for the development of recreation economies, and to determine the places in each RRDC region best positioned to deploy resources for program implementation. Arbogast’s analysis also includes two map resources:
- A data dashboard showing USDA RD investments already made in counties that contain a national forest.
- A map designed to identify opportunities for USDA Partnerships (Extension, Forest Service, and Rural Development) to support the development of recreation economies in gateway communities to U.S. National Forests. This map’s layers include Land Grant institutions that responded to the recreation economy survey, USDA Rural Development locations, USDA Forest Service locations, National Forest gateway communities, and regions served by the National Extension Tourism Network and the RRDCs.
Authors: Doug Arbogast, West Virginia University
Publication: Published by Extension Foundation and NERCRD Date Published: September 20, 2024
Tags: neorwg, NET, outdoor recreation
2023 National Extension Tourism Conference Proceedings
With administrative support from the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, the National Extension Tourism Network (NET) has published proceedings from its 2023 national conference, which took place in Milwaukee, WI, September 24-27, 2023.
Authors: Edited by: Lisa Chase, Natalie Chin, Douglas Arbogast, Gwynn Stewart, Ann Savage, Mercedes Fraser
Publication: Published by the National Extension Tourism Network Date Published: September 18, 2024
Tags: NET
