LT4063 - Tourism Impacts (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27, but may be subject to modification | ||||||||
| Module title | Tourism Impacts | ||||||||
| Module level | Certificate (04) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Assessment components |
|
||||||||
| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
‘Tourism Impacts’ looks at tourism as a force that changes the world, discussing the significant topic of positive and negative implications that tourists themselves and the tourism and travel industry have on visited destinations, their economy, societies, culture, and built and natural environment. Once you learn about the scale and severity of impacts attributed to tourism, you will explore the role of public and private organisations in managing those impacts, alongside the portfolio of tools used to maximise the benefits and minimise the challenges posed by tourism.
In line with guidance from Subject Benchmark Statements (2019), the module provides students with comprehensive coverage of economic impacts and contributions to society (global to local); tourism in the cultures, communities and environments that it affects, and understanding of the role of destination management, development, policy, governance and strategy.
Aim of the module:
You will recognise the range of positive and negative tourism and travel industries bring to destinations and host communities
You will understand the need to effectively manage tourism impacts to maximise benefits, and prevent and minimise negative aspects of tourism
You will be familiarised with the role various tourism bodies play in tourism management, and the range of tools they use
Prior learning requirements
No prerequisites. Available for Study Abroad? YES
Syllabus
The module will introduce students to the impacts that tourists and the tourism and travel industry have on a destination’s economy, society, culture, and environment (LO1), discussing both positive and negative impacts on a range of case study examples (LO2). The role of tourism managers, governance, policy, and destination management in preventing and minimising the severity of negative impacts will be established (LO3) alongside a set of tools and management practices used in impact management (LO4).
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
The module is delivered via on-site lectures (streamed online) and seminars. Lecture materials, which use a wide range of communication means, incl. videos, graphics, maps, hyperlinks, and social media, are available online (Weblearn) in written (slides) and audio-video (session recording) form. Seminar exercises are available as a link (e.g. quizzes, videos, tests) or to download from Weblearn. The use of case studies from around the world allows students to recognise environments familiar to them and reflect on topics in the context of their own experiences.
Students are expected to prepare for on-site teaching sessions by reading core materials indicated in the module Reading List, as indicated for each week.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Identify and discuss the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental impacts that tourists and the tourism industry have on destinations and host communities
2. Recognise the existence and severity of positive and negative impacts in developed tourism destinations
3. Understand the role of governance, policy, and destination management in tourism impacts management
4. Identify a range of management practices used to manage tourism impacts