Fifteen students from the University of Prince Edward Island will spend the next month learning about the history and culture of the Middle East at Misr International University (MIU) in Cairo, Egypt.

Led by Sherilyn Acorn-LeClair, coordinator of international student exchanges at UPEI, the students are participating in a Middle East Studies Program offered at MIU from July 24 to August 21. The program is a partnership between UPEI and MIU.

Each of the 15 students has received a $5,000 scholarship from MIU that will cover the cost of tuition, field trips, and transportation costs to and from accommodations and the airport. Students pay for their flight and living expenses.

Through their course work and field studies, the students will gain a greater insight into the overall understanding of the Middle East, particularly its potential and its challenges. They will enjoy a week of field trips, including the Alexandria Library, Islamic and Christian Cairo as well as museums, pyramids, the stock exchange and different cultural events. They will then attend classes for three weeks of intensive study about the region's history and culture.

They will take a maximum of two courses, which, upon successful completion, will be transferred back to UPEI. Possible choices include ancient Egyptian history, Middle East politics, economic development in the Middle East, contemporary Arabic literature, and Arabic language for foreigners.

The program began in 2008, with two UPEI students--Emily Gorman and Michael Deighan-spending a month in Egypt. They strongly recommended the program to students interested in culture, history and travel.

'We made friends that we have kept in touch with and hope to visit in the future,' said Gorman.

Deighan also hopes to return to Egypt in the future.

'It was definitely the most interesting place I've visited so far and I plan to go back soon to see everything I've missed,' he said.

For information about international student exchange opportunities at UPEI, please contact Sherilyn Acorn-LeClair at (902) 894-2837 or sdacorn@.upei.ca or visit the Internationalization website.

The Tourism Research Centre in the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island is pleased to announce the release of a new report profiling motor coach visitors to P.E.I. This report is the result of surveys collected from motor coach visitors between July and December 2007.

'Although assumptions have been made about the motor coach industry in the past, this report gives us concrete data on who is arriving on these tours,' explained Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. 'As suspected, these visitors are older, tend to be retired, and are generally travelling in pairs of two. However, we now have more information on what they do while in P.E.I., how much they spend, and their overall evaluation of P.E.I.'

Those arriving on the tour buses were generally from the United States, with the few Canadians surveyed being from Ontario. The average length of stay for the 43 per cent of motor coach visitors who come in July or August was 2.25 nights, compared to 1.78 nights for those visiting during the off-season. This is significantly lower than the 4.15-night stays of non-motor coach visitors, particularly those from the U.S. (5.9 nights).

Motor coach visitors tended to have the cost of most activities included in their tour packages. The three most popular activities were visiting historical and cultural attractions, visiting an Anne of Green Gables attraction, and attending a theatrical performance. For those visiting during the off-season, rates of visiting Anne attractions and attending theatre were lower.

Excluding the cost of tours and elements included in packages (i.e., accommodations, meals, etc.), motor coach visitors spent $31 per person per night. The majority of this was spent on shopping ($25), followed by recreation and entertainment ($3).

'Based on the short stays and details given by survey participants, it can be concluded that motor coach visitors do not get to see a lot of P.E.I. ; generally they stick to the highlights,' stated Dr. Hennessey. 'If new itineraries are not offered, these visitors may be less inclined to return to P.E.I. Encouraging motor coach tour operators to offer different itineraries may mean that more of these visitors are inclined to book another trip to the same region. Different itineraries may also appeal to younger travel markets.'

More itineraries may lead to more motor coach visitors, both first-time and returning. If the additional itineraries result in even 20 per cent more motor coach parties visiting P.E.I. for the same number of nights as the current parties, an additional $300,720 in direct spending will result-- over and above indirect spending attributed to these visitors through the cost of the tour itself. The benefit of additional motor coach visitors will flow through to accommodation providers, restaurants and entertainment venues.

This report is available on the exit survey section of the TRC's website: www.trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. More information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.

Everyone is invited to a free public reading by Bill Richardson at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery on Thursday, July 30, 7:00 p.m., an event co-hosted by the P.E.I. Writers' Guild, the Friends of the Confederation Centre Public Library, the UPEI Department of English, and the Indian River Festival.

Bill Richardson is a writer and broadcaster. He has contributed to CBC Radio since 1984, and has been the host of a number of programmes, both on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 2. His books include Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast, which won the Stephen Leacock medal for humour, Waiting for Gertrude, and After Hamelin, a novel for children and winner of the Silver Birch award. He has also been the recipient of a Vancouver Arts Award, and a gold medal for fiction in the National Magazine Awards.

Bill Richardson hosts CBC Radio Two's flagship classical performance shows: "Saturday Afternoon at the Opera" and a Sunday afternoon that features live performances. His CBC Radio hosting has included Crosswords, As You Like It, Richardson's Roundup, Bunny Watson, Ten Times Table, and Canada Reads. As a lyricist, he has collaborated with composers Rodney Sharman and Cameron Wilson, and also worked as anarrator with Quartetto Gelato, the Vancouver Summer Chamber Music Festival, Stratford Summer Music and the CBC Radio Orchestra.

Bill Richardson will be on the Island to be guest host of the Indian River Festival's annual Midsummer Magic Weekend, July 31-August 1. At his public reading on Thursday, July 30, 7:00 p.m., at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, The Bookmark will have books available for sale and Bill says he will happily autograph them.

For more information, contact Deirdre Kessler, kessler@upei.ca.

Alumni from the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), St. Dunstan's University (SDU) and Prince of Wales College (PWC) will gather at UPEI from July 30 to August 2 for their annual fun-filled Reunion Weekend.

'Reunion Weekend is a great opportunity for alumni from UPEI and its founding institutions, SDU and PWC, to reconnect with each other, take a trip down memory lane and see the wonderful changes that have taken place on campus,' says Betty Johnston, president of the UPEI Alumni Association.

During the weekend, the classes of '45,'49, '55, '59 and '69 will renew friendships and trade memories at class events during the weekend. Special anniversaries include 60 years for the Class of '49 and '50 for the Class of '59.

UPEI will honour alumni by raising its new flag for the first time on Thursday, July 30, at 11 a.m., at the flagpoles next to the Kelley Building.

The UPEI Alumni golf tournament takes place on Friday, July 31, at the Green Gables Golf Course in Cavendish. Tee-off time for the 150 golfers who are expected to participate is at 8 a.m. Free transportation on a first-come, first-served basis for registered golfers is available on the Panther-branded bus; it will leave from the W.A. Murphy Student Centre at 7 a.m.

Bishop Faber MacDonald, Bishop Emeritus of Saint John, a member of the Class of '59 and an honorary graduate of UPEI, will celebrate the 25th annual SDU Alumni Mass on Friday at 7:30 p.m., in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall, followed by a reception in McMillan Hall of the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. He will be assisted by concelebrants Father Charlie Cheverie, UPEI chaplain, and Father Robert MacDonald, Class of '59.

A tour of the campus takes place on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. at the front steps of Main Building.

A highlight of the weekend, the PWC annual reunion luncheon, will take place on Sunday, August 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall.

For the first time, overnight accommodation on campus for alumni attending the weekend is available for a special rate.

For more information, contact Sarah MacInnis, Alumni Outreach Coordinator, at (902) 566-0687 or alumni@upei.ca. For the complete Reunion Weekend schedule, visit www.upei.ca/alumni/summer-reunion-2009.

The Canada Games PEI Women's Soccer Team and the UPEI Women's Soccer Team will hold a charity co-ed tournament on Saturday, August 1, on the UPEI soccer field to raise funds to help buy myoelectric hands for Mohamed Mara, a refugee from Sierra Leone now living on P.E.I.

During the civil war in Sierra Leone, rebel forces massacred Mara's mother, father and siblings. Mohamed escaped but was caught later by rebels who cut off his hands.

Mara uses prosthetic hooks and is able to do some simple movement functions with them. However, because of the abnormal motions his body must perform to use the hooks, he is developing problems in his shoulders, neck and back.

In March 2009, a group of people established a Friends of Mohamed campaign, which is raising funds to pay for two myoelectric hands, rehabilitation and maintenance. The total cost will be approximately $80,000.

UPEI has donated the soccer field for the August 1 tournament. The registration of $20 per person includes a barbeque and t-shirts. Each team will have five to seven players, and Mara himself will play. Games are played five v five, for a minimum of three games.

To register, contact the UPEI Soccer Office at (902) 566-6054 or e-mail soccerfriends@live.com.

Jackie MacPhail and Wensley Power, two Facilities Management staff members, display the Communities in Bloom Stone awarded to UPEI by the City of Charlottetown at its recent Make Charlottetown Bloom Awards ceremony.

UPEI received a special recognition award for its commitment to the beautification of University Avenue, improving the safety of the area and enhancing the campus, including the construction of a wrought iron fence along the property fronting University Avenue, the re-establishment of flower beds, and aesthetic improvements to the Main Quadrangle.

Julie Bull, a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island, was named the Canadian recipient of the Hart Hansen Award at a ceremony at the International Union for Circumpolar Health's 14th international congress held recently in Yellowknife, NT.

Bull received the award from the Canadian Society for Circumpolar Health, one of five charter members of the International Union for Circumpolar Health. The Union and its members are dedicated to promoting research, exchanging knowledge, and fostering greater awareness and responsiveness to health issues affecting circumpolar people.

The goal of the Hart Hansen Award is to increase cooperation in circumpolar health research and education by mentoring and encouraging emerging researchers and health-care workers.

Bull received her bachelor of arts (honours) and master of applied health services research degrees from UPEI. She is now working on an interdisciplinary Ph.D. from Dalhousie University with a focus on aboriginal research ethics.

"It was an honour to have such recognition from the Canadian Society of Circumpolar Health. There are so many aspiring young health researchers in Canada deserving of this and I feel privileged to receive this award,' says Bull. 'It is through the support of established researchers, health workers and organizations who have the passion to mentor young people that we will see generations of Aboriginal youth not only working in the health field, but taking control of the research, policy and practice."

Bull is now project manager of aboriginal education at UPEI. Her work involves providing support to current aboriginal students at the university and working on recruitment and retention of new aboriginal students. She also educates university faculty and staff about issues affecting aboriginal students and manages the Mawiomi Aboriginal Student Centre, which opened in January of this year.

Originally from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Bull was a National Aboriginal Role Model in 2007. The National Aboriginal Role Model Program celebrates the accomplishments of First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth aged 13 to 30. She is involved in the Native Council of PEI and the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island.

UPEI's Tourism Research Centre has released a new report profiling differences and similarities between first-time and repeat visitors to PEI. This report is one of many based on Exit Survey results collected between July 2007 and June 2008.

'This report is important as most travel parties to PEI are comprised of visitors who have visited PEI previously,' states Dr. Paul Lewis, Research Director at the TRC. 'In fact, only 21 per cent of our guests are on their first visit.'

Where visitors come from has a strong bearing on the likelihood that they will be repeat visitors. Visitors from New Brunswick or Nova Scotia are extremely unlikely to be visiting for the first time, whereas those from international countries outside the US are almost certainly on their first visit to PEI.

Reasons for visiting the Island vary. Most first-time travel parties came primarily for a holiday, vacation or a short getaway, whereas repeat travel parties indicated a variety of other reasons as being the primary purpose of their trip. For example, only 3 per cent of first-time travel parties came to visit friends/relatives, but 26 per cent of repeat travel parties came for this reason. Not only was visiting friends/relatives a much more prevalent reason for visiting PEI, it was also a much more common activity for repeat travel parties (54 per cent) than first-time travel parties (14 per cent).

First-time travel parties were more likely to participate in typical tourist activities than repeat visitors. They went sightseeing, went to the beach, visited National and Provincial parks and visited tourist attractions at rates well above those of repeat visitors. This was especially the case for visiting Anne of Green Gables attractions (51 per cent of first-time visitors took in Anne attractions compared to only 10 per cent of returning visitors). The types of activities that are more popular among repeat travel parties are generally activities with overall low participation rates. For example, only 15 per cent of repeat visitors participated in outdoor sports and activities but even fewer first-time visitors did so (11 per cent).

Repeat travel parties stay slightly longer in PEI (an average of 4.3 nights versus 3.8 nights for first-time travel parties) but they spend less per night ($95 per-person-per-night for repeat travel parties versus $109 for first-time visitors). Accommodations are the largest per-person-per-night expense for both groups, but the figure is notably higher for first-time visitors. In addition, first-time travel parties also spend more at restaurants and less on groceries than repeat visitors do. Both these findings would suggest that many repeat visitors have discovered, through previous travel to PEI, either cheaper accommodations with cooking facilities or else they stay with families or friends at no cost and contribute toward the grocery bill.

'Overall, first-time visitors are high-yield visitors. They spend more, stay in the most expensive types of accommodations and they see and do a lot while visiting,' elaborates Dr. Lewis. 'The challenge with this group of visitors is that almost 40 per cent do not consider Prince Edward Island to be their main destination. They have other places to go. In many respects, repeat visitors are the opposite. They stay longer but they stay in less expensive accommodations, and see and do less.' Nevertheless, repeat travel parties don't just settle in and relax; they are more active in terms of recreational and even community-based activities than first-time travel parties.

The full report is available on the exit survey section of the TRC's website: www.trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. More information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.

The Tourism Research Centre (TRC) was created out of a vital need for independent, high-quality research on the PEI tourism industry. Housed in the UPEI School of Business, the TRC is dedicated to significantly expanding the tourism research capacity on the Island. An independent body established in 2006, it studies, develops, analyzes and recommends tourism research processes, frameworks, models, strategies, insights and other research offerings to the tourism industry. Generating PEI-specific reports for industry and government, as well academic papers, the TRC distributes value-added information to enhance the Province's tourism competitiveness.