Alex & Carnival Breeze in Summer 2012 WooHoo!

Hey Bel-
I am also going to send you my 48 slide presentation.  You are really going to like it:) And I just went to staples to print and put my portfolio together.  It is now done and you are going to be very proud:) I will hand it in when I get back next spring.  Bel!!!!! This has been the best contract ever.  I also got recommended from the office to open up the Carnival Breeze in Summer 2012 out of Italy.  I want to thank you for your support and you truly have been a big inspiration for me during my years at St.Cloud State  and during my internship program Fall 2011.  It's my last year omg lol
Thank you Bel:) sincerely, Alex

Spring 2012 Course

GEOG 444 Travel and Tourism Internship Practikum (3-12) Credit Hours.  F,S,S.  The purpose of this course is to provide students in the BA  in the Travel and Tourism program the opportunity to undertake individual, under GM supervision, tourism and hospitality industry experience integrated learning.  This course is designed for students with previous preparation ie, 1-yr.  T&T program.  The aim of this T&T nternship  program is to begin to develop the practical skills needed in the industry. In this practical exp., we place particular emphasis on developing professionally, industry training and work attitudes. Course prerequisites: GEOG 144 must be taken the semester prior to the beginning of the internship.

HAPPY Turkey Day All!

“May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!” ~Author Unknown

My brand new, very own BelExplores COMPASS!!!

Thank you Paul Berg (Ireland) for my brand new, very own BelExplores COMPASS!!! I am in looooooove with it! Best Tak-Day gift ever! LOVE your Dutch Map & furniture designs!!! http://www.paulberg.eu/

SPRING 2012 Course: GEOG 498 Cruise Line Industry

n  GEOG 498 Cruise Line Industry 3 credits. This course is an introduction to the Cruise Lines industry. Understanding of cruise company operations and management. Shipboard organization and delivery of the cruise product to the guest. Emphasis on reading and analyzing brochures and pricing structures. Study of cruise industry, ships and deck plans, and itineraries worldwide from the largest and most successful cruise lines in the world.  Cruise Lines is the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry, creating an array of job opportunities at sea. This course taught by a former Cunard Off Shore Excursions Officer  and one of  Carnival’s Port personel trainer in the port of Puerta Maya, Mexico, provides an insider's look at the skills and qualifications needed to succeed in the cruise line industry, the process of getting the  job, and the life of a cruise ship officer /crew member.  Learn how to create the perfect cruise resume, locate leads, meet cruise ship employers, and develop a strategy to hold this dream job.  Prerequisites: GEOG 290.

Course topics include:

§  Understanding Cruises

§  Marine tourism, development, impacts and management. 

§  Casting Off: The evolution from steamship transportation to cruising as a vacation

§  Coming About: The foundation of the modern cruise industry. 

§  History and development of marine tourism. 

§  The growth and importance of marine tourism     

§  What is marine tourism industry?

§  Why study marine tourism?       

§  Explore motivations for travel to develop profiles of cruise travelers

§  Understanding the way crew members interact with cruisers

Swimming with Homosassa’s Gentle Giants

They may not have the strength and grace of killer whales, or the agility and looks of dolphins, but manatees are stealing the show at Homosassa Springs.

Cruisers who want to enjoy nature at its best pre or post cruise, a nature wonderland hidden behind Orlando’s theme parks, there is another Florida, a nature-lover's Florida. This fascinating little known corner of the U.S. is Mother Nature's theme park featuring pristine rivers, trees dripping with Spanish moss, lush woods and more wildlife than people.

Our latest trip took us to the manatees’ home turf, far away from the modern-day animal refugee camps we have constructed and now call aquariums.  We aimed our compass south to Florida's west central coast line and the Gulf of Mexico, and it is here that we met one of the most formidable aquatic mammals.

From November to March, it is here that groups of manatees congregate. They have chosen to escape the cold winter ocean and bask in the warm waters near power plants and coastal clear water springs that stay about 72F degrees year-round. Snorkelers, divers and swimmers come from all over the world for a chance to swim or interact with the shy, gentle, docile West Indian manatee in its natural environment. Numerous dive sites, inland springs, good underwater visibility, calm water and its wintering manatee population have made Citrus County a popular destination for nature lovers like us.

Abundant plant life makes the area a perfect playground for the manatees, who arrive every year by the hundreds to find warmth, food and shelter, and maybe, just maybe, to visit us, the curious humans. The area is also safe for these endangered mammals whose lives are often cut short by environmental factors and fatal encounters with speeding watercraft.

Essential Information: November through March is when manatees are in residence in this region. Sanctuaries are in effect from November 15 - March 31.  Crystal River is the only place in the world for snorkelers to swim with the West Indian manatee in relatively clear water.  · Getting There: Citrus County and Crystal River is less than 1.5hr  drive from Orlando, Tampa or Daytona. The closest cities would be Crystal River, Inverness and Homosassa, FL.  Citrus County Visitors & Convention Bureau www.visitcitrus.com 9225 West Fishbowl Drive Homosassa, Florida 34448 P: 800-587-6667 P: 352-628-9305 F: 352-628-0703 E: info@visitcitrus.com  · Staying there:  We stayed at   The Plantation Inn Golf Resort & Spa www.plantationinn.com · Manatee Encounter Tours:  Captain Traci Wood with Native Vacations www.nativevacations.com 2880 N. Seabreeze Pt. Crystal River, Fl 37729. P: 352-302-5052 E: info@nativevacations.com expedition starts at the Twin Rivers Marina.  She knows the subject of manatees intimately.

W. Churchill

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give" ~W. Churchill

Fall 2011 Community Engagement Celebration

Fall 2011  GEOG 496/596 Ecotourism & Environment students included:  Rojas, Daniel A.; Solem, Katlyn M.; Peterson, Amanda Ellen.; Nadeau, Rachel Kaye; Sackreiter, Claire M.; Tolkkinen, Kyle E ; Voss, Kellyn C.; Cummings, Raymond V.; Anderson, Will August; Longueville, Reilly P.; Fujita, Kaori; Smith, Jamie Lynne and Parsley, Sophie L

GEOG 460 Travel Operations and Planning

GEOG 460 Travel Operations and Planning (3 Crs.) S.  Systematic analysis of commercial travel operations and group travel planning, incentive planning, meeting planning and other wholesale/retail travel operations.  Instructional Objectives: students will be able to understand how the meetings industry functions within the broader context of travel and tourism.  Goals: To familiarze students with the event industry:  Overview of meetings, conventions, special events, incentive travel, destination weddings, trade shows and exhibitions including the roles of organizations and people involved in the businesses that comprise this segment. Students will explore and develop an understanding of the events field by planning an actual event this term. The focus is on the historical development, organizational structure and career opportunities that exist within this discipline. This course introduces T&T students to the methods and techniques utilized in planning organizing and delivering events.

Set text book: The material in this course is contained in the book: Meetings, Expositions, Events, and Conventions: An Introduction to the Industry by George G Fenich, PH.D. Department of Hospitality Management, East Carolina University. Publisher: Prentice Hall; Edition Number: 2; ISBN: 0132340577; Publish.

The Meetings, Expositions, Events, and Conventions industry continues to grow and garner increasing attention from the hospitality industry. With a broad view of the industry, this book moves beyond just one segment to include all aspects related to the MEEC industry, developed as a collaborative work, the text features contributions from some of the best and most notable practitioners and educators in the field. Using the Delphi method, even the book's topics were selected based on industry input. Now in its second edition, this revision features a three-part format, revised material on technology, and coverage of growing industry trends. Chapter 12, Technology in Meetings, Expositions, Events and Conventions, has been completely revised and now includes topics such as virtual site selection & research; event technological infrastructure; RFID’s; lead retrieval systems; blogging; mobile technologies and more! For practitioners, academics and the general public involved in meetings, expositions, events and conventions.

Justine & Sarah

Are back from China!
Welcome back gals!

You can NOW enroll for Spring 2012:

GEOG 290 World of Travel and Tourism (3 Crs.) F, S. 
A course is designed to introduce and give a basic understanding of the nature, segmentation, and historical development, social, economic, and cultural aspects of the industry. An introduction of the world of travel and tourism, with special emphasis on its industries, systems and career opportunities. This course introduces students to international tourism, including definitions and historical development, positive and negative impacts, visitor motivations and market issues. Both domestic and international issues and examples will be covered. Course Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course. This course is designed for students with no previous exposure to travel and tourism.

Bosnia i Herzegovina stops we did

Lisa Marie Anderson, a senior travel and tourism student

Lisa Marie Anderson, a senior travel and tourism student in the geography department at St. Cloud State University, spent the summer traveling in the Balkans and met up in Sarajevo with Bel Kambach, an assistant professor of travel and tourism at St. Cloud State. http://www.sctimes.com/article/20111016/LIFE04/110160031/Just-back-from-Bosnia

Dear Interns,
You can now begin!
Professor Bel