UW MBA Students Participate in Tourism Conference

Students in the University of Wyoming’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program were among the participants in the 2017 Wyoming Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism at Little America in Cheyenne.

The three-day conference, which consisted of a number of guest speakers, meetings and breakout sessions, concluded Tuesday.

The UW MBA students attended writer and futurist Joe Tankersley’s keynote address, which discussed the future of tourism in Wyoming and how it can be impacted by foresight, critical imagination and strategic narrative.

“Joe is the most optimistic person I have ever met when it comes to America’s future involvement with virtual and augmented reality advancements,” says student Mitchell Schwab, a Star Valley High School graduate and MBA and law school student. “Where most people fear the change, he embraces it. It’s quite astounding, as he is not a millennial.”

“Looking into a future where virtual and augmented reality may replace traditional tourism, there are opportunities to create virtual reality experiences that can be exported, augmented reality experiences that can enhance traditional tourism, and technology-free vacation experiences,” says Keegan Haukaas, an MBA candidate and Evanston High School graduate.

“My biggest takeaway from Joe’s keynote address is that we are in a very dynamic social and economic period,” says Tyler Cope, an energy management MBA candidate from Bixby, Okla. “His optimism for potential developments in the future, with consideration for the risks of artificial intelligence, augmented or virtual reality, and complete interconnectedness, is eye-opening.”

UW MBA Program recruiter Tanner Parmely says participation in events such as the Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism allows students to apply what they are learning to the real world. “It is truly a competitive advantage when entering the competitive marketplace that we have today,” she says.

Anyone with questions about the UW MBA Program, including how to apply, should contact Parmely at (307) 766-2449 or tparmely@uwyo.edu.