travel

Dr. Rachel Fu Speaks on Space Tourism

Space: The Hot New Travel Destination

On January 18, 2022, Rachel, J.C. Fu, PhD, Chair of the UF Department of Tourism Hospitality and Event Management, and Director of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute spoke with Bottom Line Inc. regarding the potential of space tourism.

 

How William Shatner's Blue Origin space trip can reignite passion for science

On October 12, 2021, Rachel, J.C. Fu, PhD, had the pleasure of speaking to ABC News on the realities of space tourism.

"If you are attracting this attention and other entrepreneurs want to invest in this revolution, this will lead to improvements, make [space travel] safer and make it more affordable," Fu said.

 

A lot of folks want to get away from it all, as in way away. Is space tourism ready for takeoff?

On December 11, 2021, Rachel, J.C. Fu, PhD, gave hope to the likelihood of space travel in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer.


“The sky is not a limit anymore.”

EFTI Advisory Board Welcomes Michael Andrew!

The Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute and the Department of Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management are grateful for the contribution of the industry leaders who are part of our Industry Advisory Board. We take this opportunity to thank all members who have been with us for the past years sharing their experiences and insights with our faculty, researchers, students and staff. We are excited to continue expanding our board and welcoming new insights and perspectives in the field.

Now more than ever, the Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management industries benefit from the information provided by research, as well as students need to be properly trained to showcase excellence when becoming the next generation of professionals. The input from the Industry Advisory Board will continue to be valuable for our next research projects and curriculum adjustments in the years to come. This month, we welcome Michael Andrew to our board.

Michael Andrew, a Gator alum, is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Enterprise Holdings, Inc., which operates the Enterprise, National and Alamo car rental brands. In this position, Mr. Andrew oversees the company’s global legal and government relations activities and advises the company on a wide range of legal and business issues, leading attorneys and government relations associates in the US, UK, Canada, and Continental Europe.

Outside of his successful career, Michael Andrew currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, a role he has maintained since 2018. Before this, he served from 2005-2009 on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida. He has also served in various positions on the Florida Commission on Volunteerism & Community Service, the Florida Advisory Council on Condominiums, the California Department of Real Estate’s Timeshare Taskforce, and the Hawaii Department of Consumer Affairs’ Destination Club Legislative Reform Group.

5 Tips for Traveling this Holiday Season

5 Tips for Traveling this Holiday Season

Two weeks ago I returned to the Gainesville Airport to travel for Thanksgiving. It was my first flight since August, which for the old pre-pandemic me was really unusual. Sometimes in a fall semester I would have been at the airport multiple times a week traveling to this conference or this meeting. I approached the terminal entrance grinning as I was back in familiar territory. My check-in agent greeted me like a long lost friend and asked “where had I been?” All was well on a beautifully sunny flying day! Then came the news that a new variant had been detected and over the next few days we saw countries that had recently just opened their borders to international travelers reinstitute travel bans, quarantines, and testing protocols. It felt as though we had just had a taste of our former traveling selves only to find that the playing field had changed once again. Read More

The Journey to a Destination: What is your travel story?

The Journey to a Destination: What is your travel story?

The Journey to a Destination: What is your travel story?

Have you flown recently during the pandemic? My lovely and dear friend Ayla expressed to me that she is very concerned about how difficult it is to get from one place to another place in the state where she lives. Ayla booked a small but efficient commuter airline in July this year. It was one of two airlines that offered non-stop service to the city she wanted to visit. She needed to drive at least one hour from where she lives to a nearby airport to take this non-stop commuter airline. The plane was boarding in the airfield itself. She needed to climb up a very steep staircase to her seat. Read More