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College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel and Tourism Industry Center

About

In the spring of 2004, the University of South Carolina launched the most comprehensive and inclusive travel and tourism industry research and outreach center in the United States as a joint effort of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and the Moore School of Business.

Funded in part through a generous grant from the prestigious Sloan Foundation, headquartered in New York, the center adopted the official name: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center at the University of South Carolina.

Center director

Photo of Ercan Turk

Ercan Turk, Ph.D.

Dr. Ercan (Sirakaya) Turk received his Ph.D. and M.S. from Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. He is the 2006-2007 recipient of the U.S. State Department's prestigious Fulbright scholarship to teach tourism and conduct destination development and branding studies in Russia. Before joining the University of South Carolina, Dr. Turk was a faculty member at Texas A&M University (1998-2006) and Pennsylvania State University (1996-1998).

 

To accomplish its mission, the center has identified several strategic focuses:

  • Locate connections among the diverse segments of the travel and tourism industry to establish a common ground for understanding and collaboration
  • Conduct research and analyze effective practices that industry can adopt through inter-disciplinary and cross-institutional teams of faculty
  • Tap into the experiences and best practices of other industries by utilizing the Sloan Industry Centers network, which represents more than 25 areas of commerce and manufacturing
  • Partner with travel and tourism companies in setting research agendas, and deliver impartial, practical information, and analysis to the industry
  • Exchange ideas and information across industries and institutions through such vehicles as “think tanks” and summit conferences
  • Provide educational resources and opportunities for the travel and tourism industry
  • Become a source of outstanding workforce talent for the industry through work-study, internship and permanent employment opportunities
  • Encourage workforce development and advancement at all levels
  • Utilize strategic alliances with universities around the world to address global challenges and opportunities

 

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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