Thank you to everyone who made our 2023 event an amazing success. With over 650 attendees over 3 days, we celebrated “Connecting the Ecosystem” of our outdoor economy to bring ideas and resources together to steward our outdoor communities to a more prosperous and sustainable future. We networked in the Expo Hall and out on the trails, we connected around shared ideals to celebrate successes, identify needs and further drive collaborations forward. It was an honor to share space with you all. Thank you to our host venue and to presenting sponsors, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. We can’t wait to reconvene in October, 2024!
Expect the return of our hugely popular Expo space, inspirational programming, workshops & field visits, cross-sector summits, facilitated networking opportunities, and much more.
All tracks and sessions are all organized around the greater conference theme of Connecting the Ecosystem. Woven throughout these core Program Tracks are common threads, including:
Equity
Sustainability & Resiliency
Funding
Accessibility & Inclusivity
Workforce
Leadership
User Retention & Growth
Policy
Data & Trends
This year’s conference featured some of the most prominent movers and shakers in outdoor industry and community.
James Melonas
North Carolina Forest Supervisor, USFS
Dr. Aby Sène-Harper
Assistant Professor, Clemson University
D. Reid Wilson
Secretary, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Earl B. Hunter Jr
Founder & President, Black Folks Camp Too
Amy Allison
Director, NC Outdoor Recreation Industry Office
Scott Bricker
Interim Vice President, Travel Oregon
Dr. Melissa Weddell
Chair, Appalachian State Department of Recreation Management
Dr. Ryan L. Sharp
Associate Professor, Applied Park Science Lab, Kansas State University
Erin McCombs
Southeast Director, American Rivers
Steven Foy
Director of Outpost Operations, Nantahala Outdoor Center
Megan Lawson, Ph.D.
Economist, Headwaters Economics
2023 Sponsorships and Exhibitor Opportunities are Available Now!
See what happened in 2022 by checking out the gallery, 2022 speaker roster and session info below.
Photos by Steven Reinhold — The Appalachian Adventure Company & Joanna Brown — MADE X MTNS
This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, who recognize the value that the outdoors brings to our communities and our companies. Our 5th Annual Conference sponsors include…
Our attendees regularly rate the Outdoor Economy Conference as one of the best events of the year, noting our top-notch production, engaging speakers and topics, and the awesome community of people they’ve connected with. Here’s just a few testimonials…
777 Casino Dr. Cherokee, NC 28719
Connect with and exchange ideas with outdoor industry and thought leaders from around the nation and the world.
Working Together to Ensure a Vibrant Future for the Outdoor Economy and Our Outdoor Communities.
