Students Attend Record-Breaking Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism
For the second year in a row, the Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management (RHTM) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, sent six Hospitality and Tourism Management majors to attend the annual Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism (GovCon). Organized by the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association (TNHTA) in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD), GovCon brings together industry professionals, government representatives, and stakeholders for educational sessions, networking, a trade show, and the “Stars of the Industry Awards Dinner.” This year’s conference, held in Kingsport, TN, set a record with 608 attendees from across Tennessee.
The experience began with a pre-conference tour of Bristol Motor Speedway. Students heard from staff about major sports tourism events hosted at this venue and its role in promoting tourism in rural northeast Tennessee. During the conference, students listened to remarks from Tennessee officials, including Commissioner for Labor and Workforce Development Deneice Thomas, Commissioner for Tourist Development Mark Ezell (honoree of the 2024 RHTM Student Enrichment Fundraiser), and Governor Bill Lee. Their remarks highlighted tourism’s vital role as Tennessee’s #2 industry.
The conference gave RHTM students the opportunity to learn, connect, and represent the university. Three students, Grace Keffer, Grace Powell, and Georgia Smith, were selected as official TNHTA Student Ambassadors through a competitive process. Each university with hospitality and tourism management program is allowed to nominate up to three students for the ambassador selection process. RHTM was thrilled to have three outstanding students selected to represent UTK during this year’s GovCon.
In addition to the TNHTA Student Ambassadors, three additional students, Skylar Taylor, Austin Anderson, and Veronica White, attended the event. They gained valuable insights into their career goals while networking with industry professionals.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of representing the place I love to call home. Thank you to the Department of RHTM and the entire team at TNHTA for this amazing opportunity. A special thank you to my advisor, Christopher Kelley, for being a great support throughout my hospitality journey,” said White.
Junehee Kwon, Professor and Department Head, emphasized how this opportunity was made possible through the success of the 2024 Student Enrichment Fundraiser.
“I appreciate all who have supported our fundraiser in the past,” she said. “With industry support, we will continue to fund opportunities like this to create an unparalleled student experience for RHTM students,” said Kwon.
You can learn more about UT’s Hospitality and Tourism Management major or support the Student Enrichment Fundraiser here, or contact HTM Senior Coordinator Christopher Kelley at ckelle15@utk.edu.
Below: RHTM students dressed up for the 2025 Stars of the Industry Awards
