Beginning an impactful career in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic
By: Samuel W. Hall, B.S. (2020), Sustainable Tourism, North Carolina State University Me listening attentively to Farmer Dan from Ninja Cow Farm, and his Ninja Cow looking attentively to the camera In the months leading up to my People-First Tourism/Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau internship start date in May 2020, I had preconceived notions about the scope of my role in these organizations. However, from that point to the time I am writing this reflection, so much has changed in the world that it is not a surprise that my role as an intern also changed drastically. Coming into the position, I anticipated that my work with P1t would be fairly self-managed. I envisioned spending many of my days in the field meeting with microentrepreneurs over coffee or lunch, driving to different municipalities or community partners to discuss the development of P1t signature experiences, and coordinating commercial partnerships with existing partners in the formal sector of hosp...