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Stacy Tomas
Assistant Professor and Tourism Extension Specialist
Consumer Behavior and Tourism Marketing

Stacy TomasContact Information

Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Mgmt
Campus Box 8004
3028C Biltmore Hall
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8004


Phone: 919-513-7407
Fax: 919-515-3687
E-mail: stacy_tomas@ncsu.edu

Curriculum Vita

Tourism Extension Website

Education

  • Ph.D., 2007, Texas A&M University
    Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
    Major:  Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences            
    Emphasis:  Tourism and Statistics
  • M.S., 2000, Texas A&M University
    Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
    Major:  Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences                Emphasis:  Marketing
  • B.S., 1997, Texas A&M University, Cum Laude Graduate
    Major:  Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences                              Emphasis:  Wildlife Ecology

Research Interests

Stacy's general research focus is on consumer behavior and tourism marketing, with a special interest in visual quality, service quality and tourist satisfaction.  From her research, she hopes to be able to contribute to the understanding of what constitutes satisfying tourist experiences and be able to provide managerial suggestions on engineering positive experiences for guests. Having conducted several economic impact analyses, she is also interested in how findings from economic impact studies can be used as a repositioning tool to gain political or financial leverage. In 2002, she completed a research project which examined the economic impact of tourist visitation to state parks on the Texas economy. The findings were reported to the Texas Legislature during the 2003 session.

Extension and Community Outreach Interests

Stacy has a split appointment as an assistant professor and sustainable tourism extension specialist.  Through NC Cooperative Extension, she works with county cooperative extension field faculty across the state to develop and promote sustainable tourism.  Her interests focus primarily on rural communities and the connections between the community, tourism-related businesses and tourists.  In collaboration with community leaders and business owners, she works to develop rural, cultural and nature-based tourism as a means for community and economic development. Additionally, she works with landowners and businesses to explore entrepreneurial activities relating to their tourism product.  She is primarily interested in helping businesses and destinations evaluate and improve their tourism product to enhance the tourist experience.  Of particular interest are the notions of service quality and visual quality and what cues tourists use to form perceptions of destinations and businesses.  Through NC Cooperative Extension, she has also developed two curricula to help businesses create more enjoyable experiences for their guests, and teaches numerous workshops on similar and related topics.

Peer Review Publications

  • Tomas, S. R., & Crompton, J. L.  (2004).  Repositioning Texas State Parks.  Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 22(1), 115 – 128.
  • Tomas, S. R., Crompton, J. L., & Scott, D.  (2003).  Assessing Service Quality and Benefits Sought Among Zoological Park Visitors.  Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 21(2), 105 – 124.
  • Tomas, S., Scott, D. & Crompton, J. L. (2002).  An Investigation of the Relationships Between Service Quality, Satisfaction, and Intention to Visit Among Visitors to a Zoo.  Managing Leisure, 7, 239-250.

Reports and Curricula

  • Smith, W. W., Canberg, A., Tomas, S. R., and Rozier, S. (2009). “Results of NC and SC Festivals and Events Survey” for the North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events (NCAF&E) and the South Carolina Festivals and Events Association (SCFEA).
  • Tomas, S. R., (2008, June). “Economic Impact on Carteret County of the 2007 Big Rock Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament” for the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Board of Directors.
  • Tomas, S. R., Cave, B., Edsel, D., Garwood, T., Peeler, S., Rose, B., Ryerson, B., Sandfoss, M., Smith, D., Sparks, C., Stancil, G., & Sutton, B., (2007, April). “North Carolina Hospitality:  Making Our State A Better Place To Be.”  Curriculum developed for North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
  • Tomas, S. R., & Gallitano, L. (July, 2006). “Birder Friendly Business and Birder Friendly Community Training Program.”  Curriculum co-developed (NC Cooperative Extension and Audubon, NC) to support the North Carolina Birding Trail.
  • Tomas, S. R., & Crompton, J. L. (2003, January). “The Economic Contributions of Texas State Parks” for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas Coalition for Conservation.
  • Tomas, S. R., & Crompton, J. L. (2003, February). “Estimated Economic Impact on Matagorda County of the Matagorda Bay Nature Park and Preserve Project” for the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority).
  • Tomas, S. R., & Crompton, J. L. (September, 2001). “Economic Impact Analysis of Lake Bastrop Parks on the City of Bastrop and Bastrop County” for the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority).
  • Tomas, S. R., & Crompton, J. L. (September, 2001). "Economic Impact Analysis of McKinney Roughs Park on the City of Bastrop and Bastrop County" for the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority).

Selected Presentations

  • Tomas, S. R. (June, 2009). Connecting to the Niche Market of Bird Watchers: The Birder Friendly Business and Birder Friendly Community Training Program. National Extension Tourism (NET) Conference; June 14-17, 2009, Park City, UT.
  • Tomas, S. R. (June 2009). The Effects of the Visual Environment on Tourists’ Perceptions of a Destination. National Extension Tourism (NET) Conference; June 14-17, 2009, Park City, UT.
  • Tomas, S. R., and Rozier, S. (June 2009). Customer Service Training with a Twist: North Carolina Hospitality. National Extension Tourism (NET) Conference; June 14-17, 2009, Park City, UT.
  • Rozier, S., and Tomas, S. R. (June 2009). Marketing the Experience: Give Your Visitors What They Really Want. National Extension Tourism (NET) Conference; June 14-17, 2009, Park City, UT.
  • Tomas, S. R., and Rozier, S. (April 2009). Using Service Quality to Create a Competitive Advantage for Tourism Businesses. National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) Conference; April 20-22, 2009, San Diego, CA.
  • Tomas, S. R., and Rozier, S. (April 2009). Marketing to the Environmentally-Minded Traveler. National Association of Community Development Professionals (NACDEP) Conference; April 20-22, 2009, San Diego, CA.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2008, June). "Unique Marketing Trends and Activities:  Excelling in an “Experience Economy”, Invited presentation, state-wide. North Carolina Bed & Breakfasts and Inns Association Annual Meeting, Durham, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2008, April). “Ecotourism Marketing”, Invited presentation, regional. 4th Annual Tourism Summit, Pine Knoll Shores, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2008, April). “Tourism Product Development Cycle and Research:  Considerations for the Vacationscape”, Invited presentation, multi-state. South East Travel and Tourism Research Association annual meeting, Asheville, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2008, March). “Agritourism in Western North Carolina”, Invited presentation, regional. NC Small Farm Week Kick-Off, Taylorsville, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2007, April). “Agritourism in North Carolina:  Economic Development, Open Space Preservation, and Cultural and Historical Preservation”, Invited presentation, state-wide. North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Annual Meeting.
  • Tomas, S. R., Cave, B., Edsel, D., Garwood, T., Peeler, S., Rose, B., Ryerson, B., Sandfoss, M., Smith, D., Sparks, C., Stancil, G., & Sutton, B. (2007, March). “North Carolina Hospitality:  Making NC A Better Place To Be”, presented at the North Carolina State Extension Conference, Raleigh, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2007, December). “Destination Branding for NW NC and SW VA”, Invited presentation, multi-state. Northwest North Carolina and Southwest Virginia Regional Tourism Initiative group, Elkin, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2006, September). “Using Economic Impacts as a Repositioning Tool for Parks”, presented at the National Extension Tourism Conference, Burlington, VT.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2006, May). “Sustainable Tourism in North Carolina”, Invited presentation, state-wide. Connecting in North Carolina Tour for new NCSU faculty, Asheville, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R. (2006, February). “Strategic Marketing for Agritourism Providers and Communities”, Invited presentation, multi-state. Southeast Region Agritourism Networking Meeting, Raleigh, NC.
  • Tomas, S. R., Scott, D., & Crompton, J. L. (2001, October). “An Investigation of the Relationships Between Quality of Service Performance, Benefits Sought, Satisfaction, and Future Intention to Visit Among Visitors to a Zoo” presented at the Leisure Research Symposium (National Parks and Recreation Association) Annual Conference.
  • Tomas, S. R., Crompton, J. L., & Scott, D. (October, 2001). “Identifying Key Service Quality and Satisfaction Elements in the Zoo Visit Experience” presented at the Leisure Research Symposium (National Parks and Recreation Association) Annual Conference.

Grants and Contracts

  • Development of PRT 5## Applications of Tourism Management Practices Distance Education Course, $8,000 (Co-PI with S. Rozier) 2009.
  • North Carolina Zoo Economic Impact and Visitor Study for 2009 contract, $59,925 (Principal Investigator, contract approved then rescinded due to North Carolina budgetary crisis) 2008-2009.
  • Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant: Agritourism Training for Agriculture Professionals, $82,986 (Collaborator, with G. Bullen and K. Wolfe as Co-PIs) 2008.
  • Southern Regional Risk Management Center grant: Agritourism Business Training, $38,750 (Collaborator, with G. Bullen and K. Wolfe as Co-PIs) 2008.
  • GoldenLEAF Grant—“The North Carolina Birding Trail Initiative:  Economic Development, Environmental Education and Conservation--Continuation.”  $100,000 matching grant (Principal Investigator) 2006.
  • USDA Forest Service Special Grant—“Enhancing the Management and Utilization of North Carolina’s Rural Natural Resources to Promote Economic and Community Development:  Creating Jobs for North Carolinians Through Better Natural Resources Utilization.”  Total award of $500,000; responsible for $166,667 (1/3 of total amount) for Rural Tourism Development Outreach Associate, Bill Ryerson. (2005, investigator with D. Robison as PI.)
  • GoldenLEAF Grant—“The North Carolina Birding Trail Initiative:  Economic Development, Environmental Education and Conservation.”  $94,000 (Principal Investigator) 2005.
  • Community and Resource Development grant ($5,000) for development of tourism extension program (Principal Investigator) 2005.
  • Community and Resource Development grant ($2,500) Co-PI with Brenda Rose (Surry County) to develop a program for tourism development in Surry County, 2005.
  • Community and Resource Development grant ($5,000) for development of tourism extension program (Principal Investigator) 2006.
  • Community and Resource Development grant ($6,000) for development of NC Hospitality Training Program, (Principal Investigator) 2006.
  • Renewable Resources Extension Act grant ($6,000) for development of tourism extension program (Principal Investigator) 2004.

Awards

  • Outstanding Extension Service Award, NC State University (2006-2007)
  • Gene Phillips Memorial Scholarship Recipient (2000)—rewarded to the graduate student in tourism in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University who exhibits most promise to contribute to the advancement of the tourism industry.
  • Cum Laude Graduate, TAMU (1997)
  • Dean’s List, TAMU, six times (1993-1997)
  • National Dean’s List, five times (1993-1997)
  • Alpha Lambda Delta—Freshman Honor Society (1994)

Complete Curriculum Vita