Andy
Northrop
Andy holds a statewide appointment with Michigan State University Extension’s Community, Food, and Environment Institute. As an MSUE Educator focused on sustainable tourism, he leads MSUE’s signature tourism programs, including First Impressions Tourism (FIT) program and Rural Tourism Assessment (RTA) programs. Prior to joining MSUE, Andy’s career spanned more than ten years working abroad across multiple countries fostering sustainable tourism initiatives in locations like Thailand and St. Eustatius. His global experience coupled with his MSUE role fosters the community transformations necessary to create and sustain places where people want to live, work, play, learn, and return. When he is not out around MI for MSUE, he is enjoying Lake Huron off his back porch, riding his bike, or gearing up for something new.
Sessions with Andy
Small towns, big potential
3:15PM-4PM
Many rural communities have everything they need to attract visitors — except the tools to identify and organize those assets. That’s where Michigan State University Extension’s Rural Tourism Assessment (RTA) comes in.
This four-phase, community-driven model helps rural areas map their tourism potential, gather feedback from fresh eyes, and build a strategic, locally led plan for growth. Walk through the RTA process and hear how it played out in Roscommon County, where more than 120 stakeholders — from villages to DMOs — came together to create a shared tourism vision
Northern Lights
Sponsor