Researchers Strive to Boost NC’s Oyster Tourism Industry

The cultivation of oysters is a rapidly growing industry in the state,” said Dr. Whitney Knollenberg, Assistant Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. “North Carolina produces exceptional oysters; we’ve been called the ‘Napa Valley of oysters’ because of all the unique flavors you can get from different places where people grow oysters.”

In partnership with the North Carolina Sea Grant, research to enhance the shellfish mariculture tourism industry is being conducted by Knollenberg, along with Dr. Carla Barbieri, Professor and Extension Specialist in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Dr. Jane Harrison, Coastal Economics Specialist for North Carolina Sea Grant; Dr. Emily Yeager, Assistant Professor in the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University; and Julie Leibach, Science Writer and Digital Content Specialist for North Carolina Sea Grant.

See full article full article by Emma Gosalvez.