The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) announced that the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute of the University of Florida Department of Tourism, Recreation,&Sport Management has become a partner of ICTP.

President of ICTP, Juergen T. Steinmetz, said: “ICTP was impressed with EFTI’s aims of researching tourism-related impacts, including economic, environmental, and cultural issues, as well as developing opportunities for tourism research in the industry and communities. EFTI is committed to building a bridge between the tourism industry, organizations, destinations, and higher education, providing strategic information focused on a wide array of travel, tourism, and hospitality opportunities.”

EFTI serves tourism destinations and hospitality industries through research, consultancy, education, and training services. Since 1992, it has evolved to become a major center for tourism research in Florida, the United States, and globally. EFTI is at the forefront to address the challenges facing all of us, both today and tomorrow.

“We are very pleased to be joining ICTP as a tourism partner. We are greatly looking forward to working with such an ideal, dynamic group of tourism organizations from around the globe and supporting each other in any way that we can,” said Stephaine L. Thorn, Program Manager of EFTI, “EFTI is committed to quality research and education, as well as sustainability in all tourism factors. ICTP seems to be a professional organization that is at the forefront of supporting sustainable development, and we are very excited to become part of the process!”

The Institute, which taps into experts from a wide range of disciplines, is world-renowned for its fresh, academic, and applied approach to the field. Dedicated to research excellence and with a passion for knowledge, the EFTI team works to solve tourism-related issues within six program areas: 1) Tourism Marketing; 2) Sport Tourism and Event Management; 3) Ecotourism and Heritage Tourism; 4) Coastal, Marine, and Water-based Tourism; 5) Tourism Crisis Management; and 6) Hospitality Management.