Module: BMA5106-20 Destination Management

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Li Li

Module Tutor Contact Details: l.li2@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

The aim of this core pathway module is to develop an understanding of the key principles of tourism and the management of destinations. Students learn about different approaches to tourism planning, explore the interplay between various stakeholders in the tourism planning process and consider the importance of effective tourism planning to destination development. The module assumes no previous engagement with tourism studies and thus takes tourism principles, themes and concepts ab initio. The module examines the restructuring of established tourist regions and resorts, the challenges inherent in tourism planning, decision-making and the role of sustainability.

Module content and activities build on important key skills introduced in Level 4 e.g. individual and team work, use of ICT, data handling, and written and oral communication. Fieldwork is an essential element and takes place in the local area in order to explore issues at first hand and an emphasis is placed on current planning and management issues.

In this module, you will be developing the following Graduate Attributes:

• Ethically aware, prepared for citizenship in a local, national and global context.

• Creative, able to solve problems by working across disciplines as professional or artistic practitioners.

• Able to understand and manage complexity, diversity and change.

2.Outline syllabus

The syllabus is based on three key themes: Tourism principles; tourism impacts; tourism destination management / planning. The syllabus includes: Contemporary tourism landscapes, tourists and tourist motivation, tourism marketing, the role of events in destination development, tourism impacts (economic, social, political, environmental), destination development theory and concepts, Planning for tourism, information needs in the tourism planning and decision-making process, stakeholder analysis, research activities in a tourist destination, tourism management issues, analysis and interpretation.

3.Teaching and learning activities

Students are introduced to key destination management concepts, themes and approaches along with a variety of tourism planning methods. Content is delivered via a 2 hour lecture introducing key learning themes and concepts. A 2 hours seminar will develop themes and further engage in individual student tasks, group working activities and sessions from guest / industry speakers. Fieldwork will also be an important element of destination evaluation and analysis whereby visits will be structured around key tasks, problem solving and identification of solutions in practice. Where appropriate sessions will use a variety of ICT such as web based research, analysis of social media material and destination planning tools.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Individual essay (2,500 words)

• % Weighting: 50%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Group poster presentation

• % Weighting: 50%