module specification

‘Destination Management and Marketing’ guides students through principles of tourism destinations management and marketing, opening prospective career pathway into planning and developing tourism destination’s portfolio. Realistic understanding of obstacles facing destinations that seek to establish or improve destination product and image will be explored critically with reference to current issues and case studies from range of destination types: urban and rural, led by events, culture, business or niche tourism products.

As core module for Tourism and Events pathway, it aims to utilise links with Tourism Management Institute and develop graduates able to meet industry needs and pursue career in this, mostly public, sector of tourism industry.

Design is based on the model of work-simulation, as the module aims to offer students an opportunity to practice industry-specific skills and competencies; apply so far attained knowledge and develop teamworking and communication skills. During the course of the module, students apply principles to practice through ‘live’ examples, advising a particular British destination on improving its competitive advantage via typical for destination manager's practice tools: poster, business pitch and project bid.

Marketing and Branding for Creative Industries

The syllabus guides students through principles of tourism destinations management, marketing and planning:
During the first stage, students will be familiarised to the concept of managing destination and will recognise how it differs from managing tourism enterprises. The role of destination management organisations and other stakeholders, including public and private bodies will be the introduced. Later on, the focus will move to the market research, planning and marketing audit and establishing destination’s image, potential and competitive environment using PESTEL and Porter’s diamond model of competitiveness. The crisis management strategies and operations in destinations will also be discussed. LO1

The following stage will examine differences in managing various types of destinations (including urban, rural, cultural, business, events, niche and UNESCO heritage sites) and adjustment of destinations for different types of visitors (e.g. the model of accessible destinations). Models of new tourism products development will be demonstrated, and focus will move on to applying the strategies of positioning and USP creation. LO2

In the final part of the module, investigation of extended marketing mix will serve as a medium to apply its principles and develop new or repositioned tourism products. Marketing concepts of branding, partnerships and facilitation strategies, segmentation and targeting will be modified to suit services and tourism destinations. Extended role of social media marketing will also be explored. Finally, the Discover England Fund will be used to determine the industry-specific process of project bid application. LO3

A third of the module is delivered via class contact, in the form of lectures, seminars, guest speakers, assignment tutorials and support sessions. Lecture sessions are available online (Weblearn) in written and audio-video form. Lectures use wide range of communication means, including videos, graphics, maps, hyperlinks and social media. Supporting readings (when possible due to copyright) are available in written and audio form.
Syllabus is built on the principle of feed-forward, where contents allow for systematic progress on assignment components and implementation of changes as a result of feedback. Field visit to the case study destination allows for reflection on secondary research findings.
Course recognition from Tourism Management Institute allows students to participate in organisation’s Annual Convention (additional to usual timetable) increasing opportunities for networking, career guidance and PDP (CPD certificates provided). Students are eligible for discounted student membership in TMI, and after successfully completing the module and course, graduates are automatically eligible for associate membership of TMI (ATMI).

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Critically evaluate destination’s tourism potential and interpret market trends relevant to destination’s development
2. Assess destination’s tourism product development options in order to propose and justify the choice of unique selling proposition
3. Design new, destination specific tourism product via creation of development plan that increases destination’s competitive position and demonstrates the application of strategic marketing principles

Assessment strategy incorporates vocational contents through introduction of work-related project (role play) that requires industry-associated research integrated with academic knowledge. Students act as destination management consultants appointed by British town or region council/DMO. In three consecutive tasks students develop new or redevelop existing tourism product aiming at strengthening destination’s competitive position in chosen market. Forms of assessment are chosen to mimic methods of data presentation, business decision making and industry-specific project bids such as Discover England Fund. 
1. Group: Destination audit poster (20%) researching destination’s tourism potential and business environment
2. Individual: Dragon’s Den model business pitch (20%) providing solutions for destinations performance gaps supported by external best-practice examples
3. Individual: Project bid application (60%) (re)designing tourism product that matches destination’s resources and tackles current issues using the Discover England Fund template
Working as a group facilitates peer learning and encourages students to develop analytical and cognitive skills within team dynamics (i.e. conflict management, flexibility, negotiation and compromise, organisation and time management), which is a crucial graduate attribute and simulates realistic work environment. It also enables students to gather more input data effectively and in shorter time, allowing for more informed individual elements of the assignment.
Assessment tariff alignment: L6 (30 credits) max. 7500 words
• Group destination audit poster (1500 words)
• Dragon’s Den model business pitch (5 minutes)
• Project bid application (3500 words)
Total word count: 5000 words + 5 minutes presentation

Core Texts:
• Kolb, B. (2017) Tourism Marketing for Cities and Towns: Using Social Media and Branding to Attract Tourists, Routledge: London.
• Morrison, A.M. (2013) Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations, Routledge, Oxon.

Other Texts:
• Kozak, M., Baloglu, S. (2011) Managing and Marketing Tourist Destinations: Strategies to Gain a Competitive Edge, Routledge. London.
• Morgan, N. and Pritchard, A. (2010) Destination Branding: Creating the Unique Destination Proposition, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Pike, S. (2016) Destination Marketing: Essentials, Routledge. London.
• World Tourism Organization (2014) Handbook on E-marketing for Tourism Destinations, UNWTO: Madrid.

Journals:
Tourism Management, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, Journal of Vacation Marketing and Place Branding.

Websites:
Visit Britain corporate (https://www.visitbritain.org/)

Electronic Databases:
Global Data, MINTEL, Keynote Market Reports and Passport