Title: Instructor Introduction
Course: TOPkit

HFT4735 - Tourism Geography
Duncan Dickson

Professor Introduction

Have Passport, Will Travel!

A passion for travel that goes back to being an Air Force brat is probably what distinguishes Prof. Dickson's approach to HFT 4735. The son of a real life cowboy (Pop, Deadeye b. Skull Valley, Territory of Arizona) and a Mom who grew up in the mining towns of Northern Arizona (Betty was the daughter of the editor of the Prescott newspaper); the wanderlust set in early as Deadeye and Betty had 27 homes before settling in Annapolis, MD. The fervor for travel was aided by a less than spectacular career as an undergraduate History major at the University of Maryland. Prof. and his yet to be wife took the summer between junior and senior year to do "Europe on five dollars a day."

The desire to travel set, 2nd Lt. Dickson found opportunity with the US Army and lived in Germany for six years before returning to Cornell for his Masters in Hotel Administration. Post Cornell, Disney fed the travel bug by allowing Prof. Dickson to create the Walt Disney World College Program, the World Showcase Fellowship Program and the Cultural Representative Program. These programs allowed Prof. to travel the US and the world recruiting students for the various Disney programs. He was the first HR person in all of the World Showcase countries and participated in the opening of Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disney (a one year expat assignment).

The insatiable desire for traveling adventures is alive and well and being a college professor (doctorate post Disney) since 2001 has not thwarted it. The travel bug is now satisfied by going to international conferences and teaching overseas (Portugal, France, Aruba [Spring 2006]). Also, by being active in international organizations creates travel opportunities. Prof is the North American VP of AMFORHT (French acronym for World Association for Hospitality & Tourism Training), and active in several international associations.

Because of these associations, Prof Dickson has been able to visit five continents, over fifty countries, and forty-nine states; looking for more adventures. Travel expands the mind and aids with understanding people from all over the world.

"To really understand, a person you need to walk around behind them and see the world from their viewpoint." ~ Will Rogers

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