module specification

‘Tourism Industries: People, Processes and Change’ introduces the complex and interconnected system of tourism and travel industries, enabling students to make more informed decisions regarding future career prospects and employment opportunities. In the second semester, module changes focus from supply to demand – tourists. Finally, the module looks at tourism as a force that changes the world – discussing very important (and often significant), positive and negative implications tourists themselves and tourism and travel industry have on destinations, economy, societies, culture and environment.

The over-arching aim of the module is to introduce students to the key stakeholders and key sectors of tourism and travel industries and to understand impacts generated by activities and developments in the sector.

In line with guidance from Subject Benchmark Statements (2016), the module provides students with comprehensive coverage of the structure, operations and interactions within the tourism industry, career development and learning opportunities in the tourism sector, as well as the nature and characteristics of tourists and tourism in the cultures, communities and environments that it affects.

Serving as an introduction to tourism management, the module will cover three distinctive areas of: tourism supply, tourism demand and tourism impacts.
The first part of the module will introduce students to the main sectors of the tourism and travel industries, covering travel trade, visitor attractions, hospitality, tour guiding, airlines and other transport industries and its development, together with the policy aspect of tourism management via destination management organisations, public sector, regulatory bodies and the non-governmental organisatio LO1

The syllabus will be supported by a site visit to the World Travel Market, where students can observe the industry sectors in their professional business environment and verify their personal motivations for careers in the tourism and travel industries. LO2

The tourism demand section will focus on discussing tourists, their motivations and behaviour. The final section of the module will discuss in detail, the impacts that tourists and the tourism and travel industry has on a destination’s economy, society, culture and environment. LO3

A third of the module is delivered via class contact, in the form of lectures, seminars, 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 aims to create a cohort bonding, by delivering the first assignment as a group work, allowing students to collaborate and extend network of social contacts. Field visit to the annual World Tourism Market (early Nov) provides unique environment for students to observe industry ‘at work’, learn via participation in presentations, talks and industry sessions and consider employment options in a variety of businesses present. Following the WTM, support from PEU is envisaged to achieve viable career plan via coaching element.
In acknowledgement of student’s diverse background, seminars in second semester are built around student-led case studies of destinations native to students. This allows them to co-lead the session and enhances engagement.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Discuss the nature, significance and development of various sectors in tourism industry and identify range of career opportunities within those sectors;
2. Reflect on personal competencies, skills and developmental needs in order to prepare for a professional career in the tourism industry;
3. Identify, summarise and discuss impacts that tourists and tourism industry have on destinations and host communities using key academic journals and industry specific publications

The assessment for this module incorporates group and individual coursework to enable students to develop cohort identity and essential academic and transferable skills. The first task is formative and related to WTM visit. It serves as an additional investigation into group presentation topics, based on career opportunities within given industry sector. To benefit from the course and to direct personal efforts towards intended employment early, students need to realise the scale, range and potential of employment opportunities in tourism and travel industries at the very beginning of their higher education journey.
Once the range of employment options is evident, students are asked to individually prepare career plan, reflecting on personal competencies, skills, learning and developmental needs. Such plan increases motivation to study, encourages taking responsibility for own learning, but also allows for more informed choices of elective modules available in the course portfolio at levels 5 and 6.
The final assignment asks students to identify, summarise and discuss impacts of tourism as presented in academic literature. Students need to locate relevant, academic articles and summarise the arguments given. Finally, they are asked to discuss how the findings in the chosen articles can be understood in the light of concepts debated in class. The focus is on assimilating tourism specific terminology and ensuring students understand the importance of the ability to use it correctly as one of many aspects of professionalism in the field.
Assessment tariff alignment: L4 (30 credits) max. 6000 words
• Group presentation (10-mins)
• Reflective professional career plan (1500 words)
• Portfolio of academic article reviews (3000 words)
Total word count: 4500 words + 10-mins presentation

Core Text:
• Inkson, C., Minnaert, L. (2018) Tourism management: an introduction, 2nd edition, SAGE

Other Texts:
• Holloway, J. C. and Humphreys, C. (2016) The Business of Tourism, 10th edition, Pearson.
• Mason, P. (2015) Tourism impacts, planning and management, Routledge.

Journals:
• Annals of Tourism Research
• International Journal of Tourism Research
• Journal of Sustainable Tourism
• Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing
• Journal of Travel Research
• Journal of Vacation Marketing
• Tourism Management
• Travel and Tourism Analyst