EL PASO – The Ecotourism: Business Development and Conservation workshop presented by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service will be held from 1-5 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1380 A&M Circle in El Paso.

The workshop is designed to assist those involved in small outdoor, nature-based tourism businesses, according to Miles Phillips, AgriLife Extension specialist in nature tourism with the department of recreation, parks and tourism sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“This workshop will benefit those involved in ecotourism, but also will be useful to community officials, city planners, parks and recreation employees, outdoor recreation providers, hotel and motel owners with a connection to nature tourism, and others,” Phillips said.

He said the workshop is a continuation of local county efforts related to ecotourism involving AgriLife Extension and will be an “expanded and enhanced” version of a program he presented last year in El Paso.

“We’re hoping this workshop and other efforts by AgriLife Extension will work in conjunction with efforts and activities by the area ecotourism group comprised of El Paso County officials, members of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce and El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau, area nature-based businesses and others,” said Dr. Ray Bader, county director for AgriLife Extension, El Paso County. “We’re making good progress in promoting nature-based tourism in this county, plus there are many ecotourism opportunities in neighboring counties as well.”

Bader said area nature tourism opportunities can be found online at http://www.outdoorelpaso.com.

“At the upcoming workshop, attendees will learn how to plan for business or community project success and to integrate their product into the entire tourism industry,” Phillips said.

He added that topics addressed will include Internet marketing, economic costs and benefits of parks and open spaces, nature-based case studies and opportunities, and business or fee-based planning for ecotourism business.

“Many people in a nature center, park or other nature-based business who are planning to charge a fee need to better understand the ecotourism market so they may know how to properly price the ecotourism product they are offering,” Phillips said.

He said attendees should bring laptops and that advance registration is required for the workshop. The fee is $50 and payment should be made by Aug. 1 to: Texas AgriLife Extension – El Paso County.

To register, contact Bader at 915-860-2515 or rbader@ag.tamu.edu. Provide name, phone, email address and the name of the organization you represent. Be sure to state you are registering for the El Paso Nature Tourism Workshop on Aug. 10.

More information on nature tourism efforts through the Texas A&M University System can be found at: http://naturetourism.tamu.edu.

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