Tick-Borne Disease Seminar and Think Tank to Explore Threats to Florida's Tourism Industry

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - June 17, 2013 - PRLog -- Gainesville, FL --  Dr. Holly Donohoe, Associate Director of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (EFTI), Associate Director of the Tourism Crisis Management Institute (TCMI), and Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism, Recreation & Sport Management (TRSM) has been awarded $10,000 to host a Tick-Borne Disease Seminar and Think Tank.  The purpose of the Seminar and Think Tank will be to develop interdisciplinary research capacity at the University of Florida related to tick-borne disease in the State of Florida. To initiate the collaborative process, a Tick-Borne Disease Seminar is being organized for the fall of 2013 and this event will be open to all UF faculty, students, staff, and other interested individuals. The following day, key experts working directly or indirectly in tick-borne disease research at the University of Florida, together with stakeholders from State agencies, will be invited to contribute to a facilitated dialogue about key issues relating to tick-borne disease in Florida. The outcome of this project will be the identification of priority research needs and the mobilization of multidisciplinary collaborative research teams that following the think tank, will move forward to secure the funding necessary to begin addressing these emerging infectious diseases and their potential to threaten Florida’s health, tourism, and economy.

These events will be co-hosted by the Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI) and the Tourism Crisis Management Institute (TCMI). Undergraduate and graduate students from the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management (TRSM) will gain practical experience in event management and collaborative research processes through their involvement in all aspects of the planning and management of these events.

The Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute is committed to building a bridge between the tourism industry, organizations, destinations, and higher education through excellence in interdisciplinary research that provides strategic information focused on a wide array of travel, tourism and hospitality opportunities.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Dr. Michael Sagas (Department Chair) at msagas@ufl.edu (352.294.1640) or Stephanie Thorn (Marketing and Public Relations) at stephaniethorn1@hhp.ufl.edu (352.392.3992).