Module ETB-3003:
Contemporary Issues in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Module Facts
Run by Bangor Business School
20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1 & 2
Organiser: Dr Clair Doloriert
Overall aims and purpose
This module aims to introduce you to and to explore contemporary issues in travel, tourism and hospitality. The module provides a general overview of key issues, trends and concerns facing travel, tourism and hospitality along with focusing more specifically on key issues and industries.
The topics under focus may change year-on-year to reflect contemporary issues currently effecting the industry, so that your learning and knowledge is current and relevant.
The module focuses on high growth areas and concerns within the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, e.g. sustainability, sports & adventure, health and wellbeing (although this list is not exhaustive, and other areas may be covered).
It will do so through drawing on academic theories and consumer & marketing trends, contemporary cases and contextualized examples.
The focus includes both theoretical and contextual dimension of contemporary issues; providing you with an appreciative understanding of the current context, typical consumers, trends, future prospects and operational challenges.
Course content
The first session of the module will provide an introduction to the teaching, learning and assessment strategy to the module and then introduce contemporary issues in travel, tourism and hospitality, systems and drivers of change.
The module will focus on a variety of different contemporary issues affecting the industry (such as but not limited to); adventure tourism, medical tourism, sports tourism, sustainable tourism. MDIST Lecturers have the flexibility to include new contemporary materials as the PESTLE & consumer behaviour landscape of Travel, Tourism and Hospitality changes.
Generic structure will be as follows An introduction to the module, learning outcomes and assessment
An overview of the module in general; what is contemporary issues in tourism, international tourism futures, tourists of the future, hospitality of the future & events of the future.
Then the module will focus on a variety of issues such as sustainability, sports tourism, health and wellbeing tourism Issues will be explored in terms of growth of industry, local and global trends and future prospects. Key consumer demographics, behaviour and major consumer trends will also be critically explored External PESTLE factors shaping concept/ issue under focus including; socio-economic, technological, political and regulatory, and environmental-sustainability issues will be identified and discussed . The challenges of managing and operating within this sector along with issues such as tourism, hospitality and events futures and the demise of tourism Conclusion summarising the important learning points regarding these three high growth areas within the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
The module will also include one presentation workshop, one presentation event (exam) and one assessment (case-study) workshop.
Assessment Criteria
excellent
-A
Excellent knowledge and understanding of the area of study as the student is typically able to go beyond what has been taught (particularly for a mid/high 1st); evidence of extensive and appropriate selection and critical evaluation/ synthesis/analysis of reading/research beyond the prescribed range, to advance work/direct arguments; excellent demonstration of relevant skills; excellent communication; performance deemed beyond expectation of the level.
good
-B
Very good knowledge and understanding of the area of study as the student is typically able to relate facts/concepts together with some ability to apply to known/taught contexts; evidence of appropriate selection and critical evaluation of reading/research, some beyond the prescribed range, may rely on set sources to advance work/direct arguments; demonstrates autonomy in approach to learning; very good demonstration of relevant skills; strong communication skills
threshold
-D
Knowledge and understanding is sufficient to deal with terminology, basic facts and concepts but fails to make meaningful synthesis; some ability to select and evaluate reading/research however work may be more generally descriptive; general reliance on set sources to advance work; arguments may be weak or poorly constructed; adequate demonstration of relevant skills over a limited range; communication/presentation is generally competent but with some weaknesses.
C- to C+
Good knowledge and understanding of the area of study balanced towards the descriptive rather than critical or analytical; evidence of appropriate selection and evaluation of reading/research, some may be beyond the prescribed range, but generally reliant on set sources to advance work/direct arguments; good demonstration of relevant skills, though may be limited in range; communication shows clarity but structure may not always be coherent
Learning outcomes
-
- Understand key contemporary issues in terms of changing consumer demand, behaviour & demographics and how this is affecting and shaping the growth (or shrinking) of specific sectors within travel, tourism, events and hospitality.
-
- Understand key implications for international business/ management leadership within travel, tourism and hospitality industries
-
- Develop a critical understanding of key and current contemporary issues facing industries and organisations within travel, tourism and hospitality
-
- Develop a critical and considered understanding of Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Events futures
-
- Explain key contemporary issues in terms of supply; including PESTLE factors, affected markets; key global and local markets and industry trends pertaining to issues explored within the module
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Individual Case Study | 60.00 | ||
Individual Presentation of Case Study | 40.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Lecture | Formal taught element - traditional lecture teaching which can include group break-out style discussions, case-study activities and other appropriate lecture activities. |
36 |
Private study | 156 hours of private study this includes (but is not limited to): • Preparing for lectures (reading PowerPoint’s in advance of lectures, textbook chapters etc) • Reflection post-lectures (further reading, summarising notes etc) • Further reading around the subject (websites, newspapers, journal articles etc) • Planning & preparing for assignments and exams including revising, researching and writing-up. • Any group work/ team meetings for any summative group work activity |
156 |
Workshop | Assessment Workshops e.g. Assignment preparation workshop semester 1 & exam (or 2nd assignment/ presentation etc) preparation workshop semester 2) |
4 |
One-to-one supervision | This includes formal/ informal email communications, office hour engagements, feedback provided on assignments etc . Meetings can be 1-2-1 or small group discussions/ email/ web-based chat communications etc |
4 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
- Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- Problem solving and critical analysis: analysing facts and circumstances to determine the cause of a problem and identifying and selecting appropriate solutions.
- Commercial acumen: based on an awareness of the key drivers for business success, causes of failure and the importance of providing customer satisfaction and building customer loyalty.
- Networking: an awareness of the interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation and their use in generating business contacts.
- Ability to work collaboratively both internally and with external customers and an awareness of mutual interdependence.
- Ability to work with people from a range of cultures.
- Articulating and effectively explaining information.
- Building and maintaining relationships.
- Communication and listening including the ability to produce clear, structured business communications in a variety of media.
- Emotional intelligence and empathy.
- Conceptual and critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
- Self-management: a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, self-starting and appropriately assertive, to plan, organise and manage time.
Resources
Resource implications for students
Library; Module textbooks & relevant journals in Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Internet Access PC access Microsoft Office Blackboard
Talis Reading list
http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/etb-3003.htmlReading list
MODULE TEXTBOOKS
ITF: Lade, C., Strickland, P., Frew, E., Willward, P., Nagpal, S., Osoria, S.C., and Vitartas P (2020) “International Tourism Futures: The Drivers and Impacts of Change”, Goodfellow Publishers: Oxford
Supplementary Textbooks
Chapters from the following textbooks may be used by module leaders and some sessions have drawn on chapters from these books (see teaching schedule and textbook abbreviations in red and black). Students are not expected to obtain individual copies of these textbooks
General Contemporary Issues
CT: Cooper, C & Hall, M Contemporary Tourism: An international approach, Goodfellows Publishers Ltd, Oxford
Sustainable Tourism ST: Coghlan, A (2019) “An introduction to Sustainable Tourism”, Goodfellow Publishers: Oxford
**Sports & Adventure Tourism**
STD: Hinch,T and Highham,J. (2018) Sport tourism development, 3rd ed. Buffalo: Channel View Publications
Jenkins I (2019) Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Activities Management: A 21st Century Toolkit CABI Publishing
**Medical Tourism**
Bookman M.Z. and Bookman K.R (2007) Medical Tourism in Developing Countries, Pallgrave Macmillan
DeMicco, F.J. (2017) Medical Tourism and Wellness: Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H), Apple Academic Press, Francis Taylor Group: New York
Courses including this module
Compulsory in courses:
- N82M: BSc International Bus in Tourism & Hospitality (Franchised) year 3 (BSC/PIBTH)