Semester 2 

The module is centred on an international field trip with the objective to provide the opportunity for students to experience first hand the complex practices and processes involved in tourist destination marketing, management, planning and development. 

Business of Tourism 
N.B Due to capacity constraints, the number of students able to enrol on this module will be 20. 

The aim of the module is to engage students in practical application of existing tourism theory.  Students are expected to adopt a critical approach to analysing a tourist destination, and to draw on insight gained by hands-on experience in researching and addressing tourism marketing, tourism management, tourism planning and sustainability issues. 

On successful completion of this module the students will be able to: 
·               Apply theoretical knowledge on destination management, marketing, planning and development by examining a specific setting. (K,C) 
·               Compare and contrast between tourism theory and practice by identifying practical issues related to tourism development, management marketing and sustainability. (C,K,P) 
·               Critically evaluate the wider impacts of tourism development at a destination. (C,K) 
·               Conduct a situation analysis to assess the strategic position of a destination, including SWOT and STEP analysis, environmental scanning, competitor analysis, stakeholder mapping etc. (C,K,P) 
·               Identify key stakeholders in tourism business and policy and their interactions. (C,K) 
·               Identify and evaluate different tourism planning and marketing objectives and strategies. (C,K) 
·               Propose strategic destination management and marketing directions for sustainable tourism planning and development. (C,K,P) 
Additionally, the module is designed to encourage students to develop practical skills in gathering and analysing primary and secondary data and formally presenting their findings. (P,T). 
(Key: C-Cognitive/Analytical; K-Subject knowledge; T-Transferable; Professional/Practical skills) 

The thematic areas that the module focuses on include: 
·               Tourism management (service providers, visitor attractions, visitor management, industry regulation, monitoring)
·               Tourism planning and development (tourism policy, strategic planning, infrastructure) 
·               Tourism marketing (market research, strategy formulation, marketing communications) 
·               Tourism and sustainability (sustainability indicators, tourism impact assessment) 

The module is based on the application of knowledge and skills acquired from existing compulsory tourism modules.  The delivery includes: 
·               three main sessions before the fieldtrip, to establish the theoretical background and brief students about the module aims, structure and assessment
·               guest lectures with local tourism academics and key industry contacts at the destination, which will offer insight into latest issues concerning the destination 
·               accompanied educational visits and directed fieldwork, which will allow students to apply tourism theory in practice while researching a special project 
·               a debriefing session after the fieldtrip, which will summarize and conclude the module 
Web-based learning support and electronic resources will also be provided. 
*****N.B The cost of the trip will be covered by the participating students*****
The key teaching and learning strategy is problem-based learning.  By using a specific destination as a case study, the module will provide students with knowledge in the fields of applied tourism development and destination management and marketing, and will encourage them to explore, critically evaluate and apply theoretical perspectives in a specific setting. 
The teaching and learning methods include presentations designed to provide an essential framework of knowledge and skills, and classroom-based discussions and tasks to develop students’ critical ability – culminating in an international fieldtrip incorporating guest lectures and primary research to offer students practical engagement in analysing a tourist destination’s sustainable development, management and marketing. 
Assessment Strategy 
The assessment methods are designed to encourage students to apply and further develop knowledge and skills by researching a practical topic through working on location with their peers. Assessments will evaluate students’ knowledge and critical understanding of tourism management, marketing, planning and sustainable development issues. Furthermore, their ability to interpret academic and other secondary sources and apply theory to practice, as well as to report their findings in a creative and businesslike manner will be tested. 
The assessment for this module consists of: a) group project based on fieldwork; b) an individual written reflexive essay 2000 words. 

This module encourages students to apply theoretical knowledge from compulsory tourism modules in the BSc Tourism Management programme. 
Essential Reading 
The core reading for ‘Tourism Policy and Development’, ‘Tourism Leisure and Society’ and ‘Sustainable Tourism’. 
Recommended Reading 
Evans, N, Campbell, D & Stonehouse, G (2002) Strategic Management for Travel and Tourism. Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann 
Hall CM (2000) Tourism Planning: Policies, Processes and Relationships. Harlow : Prentice Hall
Harrison , D. (ed.) (2001) Tourism and the Less Developed World.  Wallingford : CABI. 
Holden, A. (2001) Environment and Tourism.  London : Routledge. 
Holloway, J.C. (2004). Marketing For Tourism. Harlow : Prentice Hall 
Inskeep, E. (1997) Tourism Planning.   New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold. 
Kozak, M (2002) Destination Benchmarking, Annals of Tourism Research Vol.29(2) pp.497-519 
Miller, G. and Twining-Ward, L. (2005) Monitoring for a sustainable tourism transition: The challenge of developing and using indicators.  Wallingford : CAB International.  
Mowforth, M. and Munt, I. (2009) Tourism and Sustainability: New Tourism in the Third World .  Routledge, London . 
Ritchie, B & Crouch, C (2003) The Competitive Destination: A Sustainable Tourism Perspective. Oxon: CABI 
Ryan, C (1995) Researching Tourist Satisfaction: Issues, Concepts, Problems. London : Routledge 
Scheyvens, R. (2002) Tourism for Development.  Harlow : Prentice Hall. 
Sharpley, R and Telfer, DJ (eds.). (2002) Tourism and Development.  Concepts and Issues.  Clevedon: Channel View Publications 
UNEP-WTO (2005) Making Tourism More Sustainable. A Guide for Policy Makers. Madrid : World Tourism Organisation 
Background Reading 
Additional destination specific reading material will be recommended and distributed to students during the briefing sessions before the fieldtrip.