module specification

‘Culture, Tourism and Regeneration’ explores the growth and increasing diversity of cultural tourism, the role it plays in urban centres and their regions, and the ways in which cities have reinvented themselves as centres of leisure and recreation consumption using major cultural infrastructure investment, heritage commodification, events and festivals.

The module considers how cultural tourism utilises notions of identity, authenticity, memory, tradition, heritage and intangible heritage for the entertainment of tourists. At the same time destinations are looking for new ways of presenting their existing cultural assets while developing new experiential and creative products to an increasingly sophisticated audience. The module explores the way in which culture and tourism have become a central part of regeneration strategies as cities try to adapt to the far-reaching social and economic changes that have transformed them over the last 60 years. London is a prime example of these processes, but the module will also consider examples from other parts of the UK and beyond.

The module is designed to enhance students’ understanding of cultural tourism by developing their analytical and creative skills by employing photography, product design and case study analysis. The assessment programme consists of three components: a photo essay analysing an aspect of cultural tourism (30%); a design and prototype for a visitor trail (30%) and finally an analytical case study of an urban regeneration project (40%).

The module consists of three themes: cultural tourism, tourism products and the instrumental use of cultural tourism in regeneration.
The first section starts with defining cultural tourism, its institutions and agencies, strategies and initiatives and moves on to the discussion of who is the cultural tourist and what is a cultural tourism product? This is followed by the presentation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and issues of identity, authenticity, memory and commemoration, invention of tradition, ethnoscapes, the tourist gaze and representation of place. LO1

The second part of the curriculum examines tourism products using tourist trails, routes and corridors as examples. Dark tourism, experiential tourism, creative tourism and niche tourism are used as illustrations of practices where contemporary tourism products are being developed. LO2

Finally, the module focuses on the instrumental use of tourism in culture- and events-led regeneration. The wide scope of destinations in the need of regeneration is discussed using case studies including industrial cities and coastal resorts. Specific regeneration tools such as cultural quarters, hubs and creative clusters are considered along with the role of spectacle, festivals, fairs, mega-events and expos that celebrate culture. Finally, the role of destination branding and marketing is demonstrated. LO3

The lectures will deliver the core ideas, concepts, and theories while seminars will explore the application of the conceptual material to practical case studies through discussion, workshops, film, visits and fieldwork.
Seminar activities are designed to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for the assessment programme (photo-essay, designing a tourist trail and analysing a regeneration case study). Students will be guided in data collection, researching tourist locations, handling official documentation, analysing cultural tourism and regeneration policies and strategies and their implementation.
Core reading materials will be provided through Weblearn and students will be expected to undertake 81 hours of reading and class preparation, and 138 hours of independent study, planning and visiting locations relevant to the development of the 3 assignment to build a practical understanding of the issues being studied. Three fieldwork weeks help students prepare for their assignments: a photographic exercise; an urban trail; a regeneration transect.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Recognise and analyse the operation of the key cultural tourism concepts in tourism landscapes;
2. Apply an understanding of cultural tourism to the design and creation of a new cultural tourism products for specific target markets;
3. Critically analyse the use of culture and tourism in urban regeneration projects

A short formative assignment is set in week 4 for diagnostic purposes.
The first assignment is a photo essay, where students identify an appropriate tourism landscape to analyse photographically, illustrating key tourism concepts (such as ethnoscapes, memory, identity, heritage, the tourist gaze) that can be recognised in a destination. This requires students to understand key cultural tourism concepts, recognise them in the real world, record and discuss them.
In second assignment students are asked to design a tourist trail in a location of their choice, selecting both: theme and a target market. They also need to discuss the rationale for the trail design. This requires them to use the understanding of cultural tourism and cultural tourists developed in LO1, and apply it to creating a tourism product to meet the needs of a specific market.
The third assignment in the form of case study analysis of an urban regeneration which makes instrumental use of culture and tourism as part of a strategy to effect lasting social, economic, planning and environmental change. Students need to identify an appropriate case study, apply the models and concepts of culture-led and event-led regeneration to that case study and analyse the effectiveness of strategy employed.
Assessment tariff alignment: L5 (30 credits) max. 7500 words
• Photo essay (2000 words)
• Tourist trail (1500 words) plus images and product design
• Regeneration case study (3000 words)
Total word count: 6500 words

Core Text:
• Smith, M.K. (2016) Issues in cultural tourism studies, London: Routledge 3rd ed.

Other Texts:
• Carter, D.K. (ed) (2016) Remaking post-industrial cities, London: Routledge
• Du Cros, H., McKercher, B. (2015) Cultural Tourism, Abingdon: Routledge
• Gold, J.R., Gold, M.M. (eds) (2017) Olympic cities: city agendas, planning and the world’s games, 1896-2020, 3rd ed, London: Routledge.
• Prebensen, N.K., Chen, J.S., Uysal, M. (eds) (2016) Creating Experience Value in Tourism, CABI
• Roodhouse, S. (ed.) (2010) Cultural quarters: principles and practice, 2nd ed., Bristol: Intellect
• Smith, A. (2012) Events and urban regeneration. The strategic use of events to revitalise cities, Abingdon: Routledge
• Smith, A. (2016) Events in the City: Using Public Spaces as Event Venues London: Routledge
• Smith, M.K. (ed) (2007) Tourism, Culture and Regeneration, CABI
• Smith, M., Macleod, N., Robertson, M.H. (2010) Key concepts in tourist studies, London: Sage
• Tallon, A. (2013) Urban regeneration in the UK, 2nd ed., London: Routledge
• Timothy, D.J., Boyd, S.W. (2014) Tourism and trails – cultural, ecological and management issues, Channel View Publications
• Urry, J., Larson, J. (2012) The tourist gaze 3.0, London: Sage

Journals:
• Annals of Tourism Research
• Ecumene/Cultural Geographies
• Environment and Planning D: Society and Space
• Event Management
• International Journal of Urban and Regional Research
• International Journal of Heritage Studies
• Journal of Cultural Heritage
• Leisure Studies
• The Journal of Tourism Studies
• Tourism Management
• Urban Studies

Websites:
• Greater London Authority; www.london.gove.uk
• London and Partners; www.londonandpartners.com
• UNESCO; https://en.unesco.org/
• Visit Britain; www.visitbritain.org

Electronic Databases:
• Business Source Ultimate
• Emerald Management E-Journals
• Ingenta Connect
• Leisure Tourism Database
• Mintel Reports
• Passport
• Science Direct