module specification

‘London’s Visitor Economy’ aims to showcase students the extent of visitor economy in London and encourage them to examine its potential with regards to their studies, professional development and employability. The module will explore different dimensions of global city’s visitor economy, both in class and in the field. Tourist experience is shaped by a variety of supply elements such as accessibility, quality and availability of services, range and value of attractions, experiences and events. International and socio-culturally diverse cohort of students allows the opportunity to employ and interrogate personal perspectives and engage in discussion on the meaning of satisfactory tourist experience.

The syllabus introduces London as global tourism destination using latest data from London & Partners – city’s destination management organisation, to later start discussion on the provision and quality of internal, external and digital accessibility, hospitality, London’s icons, tourist image and city’s movie appeal. The review of London’s heritage attractions, museums, stories and trails, events and festivals, shopping, entertainment and nightlife economy follows. City’s leisure appeal will be discussed through analysis of its sport venues, open spaces, villages and neighbourhoods. Finally, London’s business tourism offer will be reflected upon using City of London’s ‘Finance at your feet’ business walk as field work. LO1

Each element of the syllabus will provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their professional aspirations and seek ways to engage with visitor economy as visitors, but also as future service providers. LO2

A third of the module is delivered via class contact, in the form of lectures, seminars, field and site visits assignment tutorials and formative feedback sessions. Lecture slides 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 engage diversity of student cohort in discussion and via personalised, creative assignment. This helps to enhance student’s engagement, increase expression and provides opportunity for reflection. Second assignment is fully reflective hence students can use it as the first step in professional development and an opportunity for revision of planned (and initially unplanned) career opportunities.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Discuss different elements of London’s visitor economy and select tourism products, events and other experiences suitable to provide satisfactory tourist experience in a chosen market
2. Demonstrate effective reflection on both, the potential and challenges that London’s visitor economy offers in terms of employability for students of the creative industries

Assignment strategy is based on two complementary pieces of work.
For the first assignment, students will set up an individual, online (Weblearn) wiki with the aim of writing a guide to London, focused on chosen socio-cultural or national group of visitors, inspired by their origin or socio-cultural background. Ideas and tasks for the wiki will be provided weekly via videos, slides, readings in daily newspapers, seminar discussions and field visits. Students will be required to work on the wiki throughout the whole semester.

Reflective essay asks students to consider how their professional aspirations can benefit from engagement with London’s visitor economy, and what challenges they envisage in the process of moving from being user (visitor) to provider (supplier) in the city’s visitor economy.

Assessment tariff alignment: L4 (15 credits) max. 4000 words
• Wiki London guide (2500 words)
• Reflective essay (1500 words)
Total word count: 4000 words

Core Texts:
• A Tourism Vision for London (2017) London and Partners.
• The Impact of Event Tourism on London’s Economy (2016) London and Partners.
• Understanding the London+ Visitor (2015) London and Partners.

Websites:
• London and Partners corporate (http://www.londonandpartners.com) and public (https://www.visitlondon.com) websites

Social Media Sources:
• London and Partners YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/londonandpartners

Other
• Daily newspapers: Evening Standard, Metro, Time Out London