Jha assists Nebraska City’s tourism efforts



Jha assists Nebraska City’s tourism efforts

18 Aug 2014    

Dipra Jha, assistant professor of Practice in Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management is helping Nebraska City, Nebraska in its efforts to increase tourism. Birthplace of Arbor Day, Nebraska City is home to several historic landmarks including the Arbor Lodge State Park. It also hosts the popular Apple Jack Festival every September, attracting visitors from Nebraska as well as out of state. Jha was contacted by Nebraska City Tourism & Commerce, Inc. requesting his expertise in lodging development and tourism-related events. He is advising the community on innovative projects including a 48-hour film festival themed around food and sustainability which will draw visitors into town and showcase Nebraska City’s historic downtown. 

Tim Pendrell, executive director for Nebraska City Tourism & Commerce, Inc. is excited about Jha’s involvement in his community’s tourism efforts. Pendrell attended Jha’s presentation at the Nebraska Travel Conference in Norfolk last year. Jha led conversations on Nebraska City’s tourism potential and how that could be leveraged for economic success for the community.

For Jha, the involvement with Nebraska City is an opportunity to put scholarly knowledge into practice while supporting community economic development within Nebraska. Using his lodging industry experience, he has advised Nebraska City on new project development and conversion of historic buildings into boutique hotels. He expects the Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management program at UNL to benefit from the relationship by generating internships and entrepreneurial opportunities for students, and also create pathways for faculty to engage in research and community outreach 

Tourism is Nebraska’s third largest earner of revenue from outside the state after agriculture and manufacturing, bringing in excess of $4 billion annually and supporting 45,600 jobs. Nebraska City is benefitting from a new tourism campaign that began this summer, and sales tax revenue in excess of $1.3 million (May 2014) shows significant growth over the previous fiscal year.

Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management is one of the fastest growing majors at UNL and resides in the Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences in the College of Education and Human Sciences.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Nutrition and Health Sciences
Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management