Space tourism is on the rise. Can NASA keep up with it?
Rachel, J.C. Fu, PhD, Chair of the UF Department of Tourism Hospitality and Event Management, and Director of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute discussed the reality of space tourism with Pop Science writer, Tatyana Woodall.
Dr. Fu shared her views on the impacts of this new sector of tourism explaining that government supervision would benefit the growth of leisurely space travel:
“Other experts share Thangavelu’s views. Rachel Fu, director of the University of Florida’s Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute, says that compared to typical Earth-bound leisure activities, space tourism is a much more complicated endeavor that impacts our society on a global level. The industry needs to be constantly supervised, and having at least one government entity in the new global space race take that helm would benefit all involved parties, Fu says. Beyond tourism, private companies could further open up independent research and experiments in space. Fu also notes that the more people who are able to contribute to the next generation of knowledge, the better.”
