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Webinar: ‘Responsible Travel & Sustainability in Tourism’
Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 10:00 am - 11:15 am
VIEW A RECORDING OF THIS EVENT HERE >>
VIEW PHOTOS FROM SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE FAIR HERE >>
Blue Ridge Parkway by Rob Travis
Top, from left: Jesse Dean, Leah Ashburn, J Smilanic. Bottom: Shelton Steele, Jessica Flores (keynote), Peter Pollay
One of Explore Asheville’s four strategic imperatives is Encourage Safe & Responsible Travel. As part of this commitment, we’re hosting two events for partners on Tuesday, August 3 how you can take part in these efforts.
Webinar: ‘Responsible Travel & Sustainability in Tourism’
- Date: Tuesday, August 3
- Time: 10am – 11:15am
- Where: Online
Join us the morning of August 3 for a Zoom webinar featuring a presentation from Tourism Cares, followed by an update from Explore Asheville on related initiatives. We’ll wrap up the webinar with a panel of fellow tourism partners who are embracing sustainability measures in their businesses.
Meet Our Keynote: Tourism Cares’ Chief Experience Officer Jessica Flores
Jessica Flores serves as the Chief Experience Officer of Tourism Cares, maximizing the organization’s engagement and impact to best serve the people and places of travel.
Finding Tourism Cares shortly after graduating with a degree in Communications and Public Relations, Jessica has been a part of the organization for more than 13 years. Her love of travel grew as she began connecting with travel communities around the world and her passion continues through activating tourism professionals to turn sustainable tourism from a niche to main practice in the industry.
Jessica serves on the Future of Tourism Coalition’s Communications Committee and has been named one of the “Rising Stars: Top 100 Young Professionals in Travel”. When she’s not busy connecting with the Tourism Cares community or daydreaming about the next adventure, you can find her in her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island with her husband Dan and their two pups, Sophie and Abbie.
Local Tourism Partners Weigh In
We’ll end the webinar with more inspiration – this time from local tourism partners who are embracing sustainability measures in their businesses. Tune in to hear from:
- Asheville Tea Company Founder & CEO Jessie Dean
- Highland Brewing Company President & CEO Leah Ashburn (also a board member with Buncombe County TDA)
- Mandara Hospitality Group (Posana, Bargello, and District 42) Co-Owner & Executive Chef Peter Pollay
- WNC Photo Tours Owner & Photographer J Smilanic
- Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins Co-Owner Shelton Steele
In between, the Explore Asheville Marketing and Sales teams will provide an update on related initiatives and how you can can take part in these efforts. Join us!
….And later that day, please also join us for the Summer Social & Sustainability Resource Fair!
- Date: Tuesday, August 3
- Time: 4pm – 6pm
- Where: Highland Brewing
Join us on the afternoon of August 3 for a Summer Social at Highland Brewing to network with fellow tourism partners and connect with local organizations focused on sustainability and the environment.
A look back at past Explore Asheville Summer Social events!