Our Philosophy
We are destination architects. We design blueprints that account for the entire community ecosystem—where visitors and residents, downtown places, and wild spaces are deeply connected. Our systems-based approach is intentional, measurable, and built to last.
We Connect the Dots
Destinations thrive as connected ecosystems. We ensure tourism integrates seamlessly into this complex network.
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We Champion Inclusion and Access
By planning for traditionally excluded travelers, we ensure destinations are welcoming for everyone.
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We Reimagine Tourism's Purpose
Tourism should strengthen what communities value, not strain it. We help shift the center of gravity: from extraction to investment, from passing through to giving back.
We Turn Plans into Practice
Plans alone don't drive change. Our Tourism Impact Modeling™ translates strategic goals into practical, daily operations.
About TIS
Without structured stewardship, tourism can strain public lands, disrupt communities, and threaten long-term economic stability.​TIS develops actionable, scalable frameworks that embed stewardship into tourism planning—ensuring that tourism strengthens, rather than overwhelms, the places people love.​
From rural trail towns to iconic mountain communities and urban coastal cities, our work spans on-the-ground site assessments to national policy frameworks. Every solution is tailored to a destination’s character, capacity, and context.​We bridge tourism, conservation, and community development—connecting the dots between destination marketing, outdoor recreation, and public land management.​
We don’t just create vision statements—we create real solutions. Our frameworks prioritize activation, giving partners the structure and confidence to implement change on the ground.
Our Founder
TIS was founded by Bobby Chappell, a conservation biologist turned tourism strategist with more than 25 years of experience bridging public land management, outdoor recreation, and community development.
Bobby’s career spans habitat restoration, aquatic health assessments, ecotourism, and international standard-setting—from backcountry trails in Appalachia to developing nations across Latin America and the Caribbean.​​
Bobby’s approach is shaped not only by science and systems thinking, but also by lived experience—where caregiving and accessibility are part of daily life. That perspective informs TIS’s work to build inclusive, resilient destinations that serve both people and place.
