LT6158 - Contemporary Issues in Tourism (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27, but may be subject to modification | ||||||||||
| Module title | Contemporary Issues in Tourism | ||||||||||
| Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
‘Contemporary Issues in Tourism’ is centred around the most up-to-date issues and challenges emerging in the tourism and travel industries. The curriculum is flexible and student-interest driven, with a variety of topics emerging from research, media, and discussions. The module uses ethics, responsibility, and sustainability frameworks to understand and challenge the nature of contemporary tourism in all its forms, incl. questions of technology and media, risk and crisis, consumerism, human encounters, climate change and education. The module uses the most recent research and business/media insights to improve students' cognitive literacy and open pathways towards MA degrees in related topics.
In line with guidance from Subject Benchmark Statements (2019), the module provides students with ability to research issues surrounding sustainability, ethics and well-being in tourism, security, safety, risk, resilience and crisis management on regional, national and international scales, the role of technology, media and data in tourism production and consumption, etc.
Aim of the module:
You will recognise the range of challenges facing tourists, tourism businesses, and tourism destinations in the contemporary world
You will demonstrate awareness of various perspectives and approaches to challenging issues
You will analyse how the tourism and travel industry responds to change
Prior learning requirements
No prerequisites. Available for Study Abroad? YES
Module aims
Syllabus
The module is student-driven and welcomes students’ input to shape the content of the syllabus. Most up-to-date research and media will provide a source of topics (LO1), while ethics and sustainability frameworks will shape the perspectives applied in analysis (LO2). The module uses contemporary media formats as channels of expression (incl. podcasts) in order to prepare students to engage with critical issues and trends in their future careers, including creating innovative solutions and products for the travel industry (LO3).
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. Seminars act as arenas of discussion and research, investigating different perspectives. Use of case studies from around the world allows students to engage, contribute, and reflect on topics in the context of their own experiences.
Students are expected to prepare for on-site teaching sessions by researching media for stories related to the given weekly topic.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an awareness of the dynamic nature of tourism in contemporary societies
2. Explain, assess, and challenge theories of sustainability and ethics in the production and consumption of tourism
3. Demonstrate an understanding of technology and media and how these influence and change tourism products, operations, processes, and behaviours