Browsing by Author "Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

A Case Study of Black Heritage Tourism.
(2008-09-05) Freeman, Stephanie Elaine; Stacy Nelson, Committee Member; Dr. Jose A. Picart, Committee Member; Dr. Larry A Nielsen, Committee Member; Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member; Dr. Sarah T Warren, Committee Co-Chair
Creating an Arts Destination: The Community Development Process in Waynesville, North Carolina
(2006-08-07) Marvill, Catherine Leigh; Dr. Candace Goode Vick, Committee Member; Dr. Karla Henderson, Committee Chair; Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member
Rural towns throughout America often embark on community development as a means of social and economic renewal. Many of these towns use tourism as a tool for community development. The purpose of this investigation was to understand how a community develops into an arts destination. With its Appalachian heritage and traditional mountain culture, tourism was a natural avenue for community leaders in Waynesville, North Carolina to initiate. The investigation included a case study methodology and relied on multiple sources of evidence including direct observations, personal and focus group interviews, and historical documents and records. Guided by grounded theory, seven critical elements of community development emerged from the data. The seven critical elements were: downtown revitalization, heritage incorporation, tourism development, public-private partnerships, collaborative leadership, community buy-in, and the value of arts. Citizen participation encompassed all elements and was critical to the success of Waynesville's community development. Community development in Waynesville resulted in both a stronger and more diverse economy and created a sense of cohesiveness and pride in its citizens. The results reinforced community development and tourism development literature and provided insight into the emerging research that introduces the role of art in tourism development. Findings from the study support the value of integrating culture and arts into community and tourism development initiatives. Through telling this story other rural communities and small towns can learn from Waynesville's holistic and citizen-based approach to community development.
Economic Impact of the Senator Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center for Horsemen
(2005-07-28) Vinay, MaryAnn Margaret; Dr. Aram Attarian, Committee Member; Dr. Larry Gustke, Committee Chair; Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member
The purpose of this study was to identify the importance of the equine industry and the economic impact created by the participants and equine centers. The United States has 7.9 million individuals participating in the recreational and showing event segments of the industry. Data suggests that the equine industry creates 1.4 million full time jobs in the United States. An economic impact of $112.1 billion and $1.9 billion in tax revenue is made in the equine industry. North Carolina's recreational equine industry segment is worth $533 million. With information about the equine industry known, an estimate of economic impact from equine events at the Senator Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center could be calculated for Martin County, North Carolina. A survey instrument was distributed to all the participants during ten equine events at the facility. This survey included questions on expenditures, reasons for visiting the center, visiting party composition, and length of stay. The IMPLAN Model was used to analyze the expenditure data to develop the spending for each visiting party. IMPLAN Analysis provided results which estimated the economic impact for Martin County. Results indicated with more participants there will be significant increases in economic and employment impacts, and indirect business taxes. Findings were used to make recommendations for reducing leakage, increasing event impact levels, participant demanded improvements, and future research to help accurately measure the impact of the center as visitation increases and the economic structure of Martin County changes.
An Examination of Variables Influencing Travel Behavior of Professional Hockey Fans.
(2007-11-18) Mohan, Leon Jagdeo; Dr. Michael Vasu, Committee Member; Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member; Dr. Edwin Lindsay, Committee Member; Dr. Larry Gustke, Committee Chair
Understanding Environmentally Significant Behavior Among Guides in the Garhwal Himalaya
(2010-04-22) Serenari, Christopher; Dr. Aram Attarian, Committee Chair; Dr. Yu-Fai Leung, Committee Member; Dr. Gene Brothers, Committee Member; Dr. Keith Bosak, Committee Member
A gap currently exists in research pertaining to the utility of low impact outdoor ethics in non-Western societies. Many non-Western societies rely on their own religious beliefs, cultural perceptions, and traditions to serve as the foundation for conservation and environmental protection and influence related behavior. This notion also includes guides, who have been identified as effective in altering client behavior and minimizing environmentally destructive behavior. Exploratory research was conducted in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India in 2009 applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to identify those cognitive factors that lead whitewater and trekking guides to pack out trash, bury human waste, and cut living trees for firewood. Results suggest that the foundational constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior are capable of predicting intention to perform pro-environmental behavior in a non-Western population of guides; however, their utility depends on the behavior performed. The implications of these results are discussed.