TGA offers workshops and presentations designed to introduce the concepts, principles, opportunities, and challenges of green travel and help destinations and tourism organizations develop an effective strategy to support, develop, and promote green travel. TGA attends and speaks at a wide range of conferences and events.  We strive to demonstrate sustainable travel while traveling to and from and during our time at these events and inspire others to travel green.

Recent Presentations

2011 Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College

TGA again traveled to Dahlonega, GA to discuss the opportunities and challenges for going green and destination stewardship in the southeast with 3rd year students at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College on July 25th, 2011.

2010 Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College

TGA again traveled to Dahlonega, GA to discuss the opportunities and challenges for destination stewardship in the southeast with 3rd year students at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College on July 26th.  The presentation included an overview of tourism and sustainability, marketing green travel and sustainable destinations, and how to develop a strategy for destination stewardship.

2009 West Virginia Governors Conference on Tourism

TGA discussed the itravelgreen sustainability rating system with potential participants and tourism industry leaders at the 2009 West Virginia Governors Conference on Tourism at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in October of 2009.

Southeast Tourism Society’s 2009 MarketingCollege

TGA presented a 3 hr. workshop on sustainable travel and tourism principles, marketing, and applications to 3rd year students on July 28th, 2009.

LaurelHighlandsSummit

TGA presented the principles of sustainable travel and tourism and TGA’s current projects on a panel during a breakout session at the Laurel Highlands Summit at Hidden Valley Resort in southwestern Pennsylvania on April 27th, 2009.  TGA will be following up with Pennsylvania leadership to assist them in developing a local leadership team and a green travel program.

Oglebay Resort’s Living Green Lecture Series

TGA presented the principles of sustainable travel and tourism and their application in Appalachia as a part of the Living Green Lecture Series at the Shrader Environmental Center at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WV on Sunday, April 26th at 2 pm.

Southeast Tourism Society’s 2008 MarketingCollege
TGA was asked to discuss green travel at the Southeast Tourism Society’s 2008 Marketing College.  60 3rd year students attended the 3 hour presentation on July 30th, 2008.  The 3 hour session was intermixed with a discussion of the principles of green travel, examples of traveling green, benchmarking and certification programs, and the travel green market.  Participants were asked to develop a travel green product and marketing plan.

Southeast Tourism Society’s 2008 Fall Meeting
TGA gave a presentation on traveling green a the Southeast Tourism Society’s Fall Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas on September 5th, 2008.  Highlights of the presentation included going green and staying out of the red and what CVB’s and DMO’s are doing to develop and promote being green.  A lively discussion followed the presentation with representatives from many of the 12 southern states that are members of STS.  The entire presentation can be found on the STS website.  Over the winter of ’08-’09 TGA plans to work with STS to develop a travel green strategy for the entire southeast region.

2008 West Virginia Governors Conference on Tourism
TGA was part of a panel of experts presenting travel green concepts and principles at the 2008 West Virginia Governors Conference on Tourism at Mountaineer Race Track and Casino in Wheeling, WV on September 17th, 2008.  The panel included TGA, Greg Adolfson of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Joe Brouse of the Natural Capital Investment Fund, and Geoff Heeter of Opossum Creek Retreat.  The Travel Green West Virginia protocol and checklist and registration, benchmarking, and certification program were discussed with West Virginia travel and tourism organizations.

Alpharetta, GA CVB
TGA visited Alpharetta, GA on 10-6-08 and conducted a workshop for the Alpharetta CVB with local hoteliers, parks and rec., and city employees.