Rich Harrill, Ph.D.

Director
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center
International Tourism Research Institute

Education
Ph.D., Clemson University, South Carolina, 2000
M.C.R.P., Clemson University, South Carolina, 1994
B.A., College of Charleston, South Carolina, 1991

Research Interests
Tourism Planning and Policy
Destination Marketing and Management
Tourism as an Economic Development Tool
Tourism in Emerging Markets

Biography
Author, lecturer, research, consultant, and traveler, Dr. Rich Harrill is director of the International Tourism Research Institute at the University of South Carolina, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. He also directs the university’s Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center. The institute provides both local and international projects and research while the center focuses on U.S. tourism industry competitiveness. His academic and professional experience combines tourism with economic development and urban planning, giving him an uncommon perspective on and familiarity with all three.

A native of Gaffney, South Carolina, Dr. Harrill earned his Ph.D. in parks, recreation, and tourism management and his master’s degree in city and regional planning from Clemson University. He holds as B.A. in political science from the College of Charleston. He has published his research in urban planning’s top three journals— the Journal of American Planning Association, Journal of Planning Education and Literature, and Journal of Planning Literature. In 2003, he authored Guide to Best Practices in Tourism and Destination Management (American Hotel & Lodging Association), with a second volume published in 2005. Dr. Harrill is editor of Fundamentals of Destination Management (American Hotel & Lodging Association, 2005), the first comprehensive textbook for the destination management industry. He is coeditor of the International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research and Research Notes Editor of Tourism Analysis.

Recent Publications
Harrill, Rich.  (2005). Fundamentals of Destination Management and Marketing.  Editor.  Lansing, MI:  Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Harrill, Rich.  (2005). Guide to Best Practices in Tourism and Destination Management:  Volume II.   Lansing, MI: Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Harrill, Rich. (2003). Guide to Best Practices in Tourism and Destination Management.   Lansing, MI:  Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. 

Harrill, Rich. (2004). Residents’ Attitudes toward Tourism Development:  A Literature Review with Implications for Tourism Planning. Journal of Planning Literature 18 (3):  251-266.

Harrill, Rich, and Thomas D. Potts. (2003). Tourism Planning and Historic Preservation:  Attitudes Toward Tourism Development in Charleston.  Journal of the American Planning Association 69 (3):  233-244. 
                  
Harrill, Rich. (1999). Political Ecology and Planning Theory.  Journal of Planning Education and Research 19 (1):  67-75.

Recent Grants
Harrill, Rich, and Robert Li.  The Future Outbound Chinese Tourism Market to the United States.  ($170,208).A landmark, in-progress project analyzing the motivations and preferences of future Chinese visitors to the United States.  Project conducted in partnership with the Travel Industry Association and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Harrill, Rich.  Best Practices in Southern Tourism.  ($27,000).Project documenting 16 best
practice case studies in tourism for the Southern Governors Association.  A best-practice case
study was chosen from nominations submitted by each state. 

Harrill, Rich.  A Feasibility Study for Open Studio Development in Olde Town Conyers,
Georgia.  ($21,000).A downtown planning and redevelopment project focused on increasing
arts tourism through the creation of an open studio district.

Harrill, Rich.  A Strategic Tourism Development and Marketing Plan for the Salkehatchie Region.  ($30,000).Project included asset inventory and evaluation, economic impact, and market segmentation profile of visitors most likely to visit South Carolina’s Salkehatchie region—a five county area including Allendale, Bamburg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties.                                          

Harrill, Rich.  A Strategic Tourism Development and Marketing Plan for Kershaw County. 
($20,000).Project included asset inventory and evaluation, economic impact, and market
segmentation profile of visitors most likely to visit Kershaw County and historic Camden,
South Carolina.  Emphasis on developing economic impact scenarios for future decision-
making.

Professional Affiliations
International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)