Sustainable Tourism Management
| Module title | Sustainable Tourism Management |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM375 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Joanne Connell (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
Tourism relies on the quality of the environment so the careful management of businesses, people and places is a critical issue for the sector. This module offers critical insights into the evolution of sustainable tourism; the impact on tourism on a variety of environments; and the emergence of more sustainable forms of tourism. Although the module starts from first principles, it offers you an opportunity to develop a detailed and critical awareness of the theoretical and practical issues that influence how the principles of sustainable development are applied in tourism. The aims of the module are:
- to investigate the multiple connections between tourism, tourists and place, including the impacts of tourism on different environments and the role of tourism as an economic force within the climate emergency era
- to critically evaluate traditional approaches to tourism planning, development and management and more innovative forms that promote sustainable development and stewardship of environmental resources;;
- to develop an understanding of a range of strategies used to develop and monitor sustainable tourism in global, national and local contexts, and different business settings.
Additional Information:
Internationalisation
Tourism, in itself, is a globally significant subject and it is taught using a number of international case studies, covering examples from every continent in the world.
Sustainability
The entire module is dedicated to embedding sustainable principles into tourism management. Thus, sustainability is a fundamental aspect of the curriculum and the aim of the module is to encourage future tourism practitioners and managers to develop a sustainable perspective.
All of the resources for this module are available on the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment).
External Engagement
Guest speakers have previously come from Dartmoor National Park, the Eden Project, and tourism and environmental consultancies.
Employability
Students develop their understanding of how to apply sustainability principles in practice through a strategy plan assignment. Through guest lectures, engagement with external organisations allows students to gain insights from and connections with sustainable tourism practitioners.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module offers critical insights into the evolution of sustainable tourism; the impact on tourism on a variety environments; and the emergence of more sustainable forms of tourism. Although the module starts from first principles, it offers students an opportunity to develop a detailed and critical awareness of the theoretical and practical issues that influence how the principles of sustainable development are applied in tourism. The aims of the module are: to
- Investigate the multiple connections between tourism, tourists and place, including the impacts of tourism on different environments and the role of tourism as an economic force within the climate emergency era
- Critically evaluate traditional approaches to tourism planning, development and management and more innovative forms that promote sustainable development and stewardship of environmental resources;;
- Develop an understanding of a range of strategies used to develop and monitor sustainable tourism in global, national and local contexts, and different business settings.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. critically assess the complex relationship between tourism, the environment and global sustainability challenges and agendas
- 2. evaluate different approaches to mitigate the negative and maximise the positive impacts of tourism;
- 3. apply knowledge of the processes surrounding the implementation, planning and evaluation of sustainable tourism to a specific case study.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate a clear understanding of the dilemmas likely to arise between consumer, business, political, practitioner and community interests;
- 5. communicate ideas, theories and principles effectively in written work;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. demonstrate a high level of independent learning through the use of digital support materials.
Syllabus plan
The following topics will be covered in the module:
- Sustainability concepts and relevance to tourism, including the centrality of the climate emergency to tourism operation
- The impacts of tourism at different scales and in different environments; the recognition of over-tourism as a new concept
- Theoretical approaches to sustainable tourism and associated critiques
- The principles and applications of sustainable tourism
- Understanding travel, climate change and aviation: behavioural aspects and management responses
- The development of sustainable tourism policy, strategy and action plans: macro and micro perspectives
- Sustainable tourism destinations: planning and management issues; green accreditation and development of industry standards
- Sustainable practices in a range of tourism business settings and operational contexts, such as food, hotels and transport sectors.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 126 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 14 | Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 6 | Study visit (in situ or virtual) |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 2 | Assessment |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 2 | Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 3 | Seminars |
| Guided independent study | 126 | Reading, reflection, research and preparation for lectures, tutorials and assessment |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group seminar on one aspect of the field trip | 15-minute student-led group seminar | 3-5 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White paper | 30 | 1,200 words | 1, 2, | Written |
| Strategy Plan based on field trip | 70 | 3,300 words | 3-5 | Written |
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Paper | White paper (1200 words, 30%) | 1,2 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Strategy Plan | Strategy Plan (3,300 words - 70%) | 3-5 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
If you are unable to engage with the field trip assessment for certificated reasons as accepted by the Mitigation Committee, you will be re-assessed for field work skills via the following assessment, to be submitted for the summer deferral period.
A 3,300-word strategy based on desk-research on a selected destination.
The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Coghlan, A. (2019) Introduction to Sustainable Tourism, Oxford: Goodfellow.
Holden, A. (2016) Environment and Tourism, 3rd edition, London: Routledge.
Mowforth, M. and Munt, I. (2016) Tourism and Sustainability: Development, Globalisation and New Tourism in the Third World, 4th edition, London: Routledge.
Edgell, D. (2016) Managing Sustainable Tourism: A Legacy for the Future, 2nd edition, London: Routledge
Page, S.J. and Connell, J. (2014) Tourism: A Modern Synthesis, 4th edition, Andover: Cengage, Chapters 17-24..
Wall, G. and Mathieson, A. (2006) Tourism: Change, Impacts and Opportunities, Harlow: Pearson.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 03/09/2007 |
| Last revision date | 15/04/2024 |
