**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES ARE POSITIONED TO HARNESS THEIR RESEARCH AND OUTREACH EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE THE DATA AND PLANNING SUPPORT REQUIRED TO ASSIST RURAL DESTINATIONS IN CREATING A FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR DESTINATIONS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS. RURAL DESTINATION MANAGERS NEED DATA AND PLANNING SUPPORT TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO HARNESS POTENTIAL ECONOMIC GAINS THROUGH TOURISM WHILE MINIMIZING THE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS THAT CAN OCCUR FROM INCREASED VISITATION. WHILE RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CAN BENEFIT RURAL AREAS AND HELP TRANSFORM RURAL ECONOMIES, MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND INFORM PLANNING THAT CAN GUIDE DESTINATION STAKEHOLDERS IN CREATING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS. THE PROJECT PROPOSED HERE ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES VIA INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF RURAL DESTINATIONS BY PROVIDING RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION AND A DESTINATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR RURAL GATEWAY DESTINATIONS. PROACTIVE DESTINATIONS HAVE ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS AND AN ORGANIZATION WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON PROMOTION AND MANAGEMENT, A.K.A, A DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION (DMO). DMO ROLES IDENTIFIED BY TOURISM LITERATUREAS IMPORTANT FOR ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE INCLUDE LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION, PLANNING AND RESEARCH, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING AND PROMOTION, PARTNERSHIP AND TEAMBUILDING, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS. HOWEVER, EXAMPLES OF HOW DMOS BALANCE THESE ROLES AND COORDINATED RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT CONCERNS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS ARE NOTABLY ABSENT. WHILE PAST ATTENTION HAS FOCUSED ON RURAL DESTINATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES, NOTABLY EUROPE, RESEARCH AND PLANNING SUPPORT TARGETED TO RURAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN THE US IS ONLY SLOWLY EMERGING.