2018 Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop to coincide with Center for Great Plains Studies 2018 Symposium

LINCOLN, Neb. (November 15, 2017) — Learn how tourism in your community and around the globe can save wildlife, create local jobs, and put money in the pockets of landowners and entrepreneurs. Register now for Plains Safaris: A Conference on Tourism and Conservation in the Great Plains on April 18-20, 2018, in Kearney, Neb. The Nebraska Tourism Commission's annual Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop and the Heartland Scenic Byways Annual Conference will join their conferences with this event.

“We’re elated to be partnering with the Center for Great Plains Studies for the 2018 Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop,” said Nebraska Tourism executive director, John Ricks. “This event will help us connect with more people seeking the opportunity to capitalize on Nebraska’s great potential as a destination for agritourism and ecotourism.”

This large-scale conference will bring together ranchers, business people, local leaders, community partners and conservationists, to learn how tourism can both be a business opportunity and a way to conserve nature in the Great Plains. Sessions will examine local and global models of conservation and tourism and will include several speakers from southern Africa where tourism has had stunning success in supporting conservation. Premiere speakers include:

•             Joel Sartore, National Geographic photographer, frequent Today Show guest, and The Photo Ark author.
•             Nils Odendaal, CEO, NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia, Africa
•             Martha Kauffman, managing director, World Wildlife Fund’s Northern Great Plains Program
•             Okwa Sarefo, owner and operator, Nature Leadership, Botswana, Africa
•             Dan Flores, author, American Serengeti and Coyote America
•             Reed Robinson, Manager, Tribal Relations & Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office
•             Dean Jacobs, traveler, author, photographer
•             Dipra Jha, Director of Global Engagement, Hospitality, Restaurant & Tourism Management
•             Michael Forsberg, conservation photographer
•             Ben Dumas and Chuck Cooper, Crane Trust
               ... And 20+ more

Along with a slate of impactful speakers, the conference offers hands-on opportunities to see and learn about regional ecotourism attractions during a series of pre-conference, optional field trips, and workshops. Field trips range in activity levels from an agritourism wine and food tour to prairie dog viewing to biking the prairie.

To register, get more information and find a full schedule go to https://www.unl.edu/plains/2018-ecotourism-symposium.