Course overview
This course will encourage critical reflection on the complexity of tourism and its impact on host societies, and to enable students to learn and apply the knowledge of diverse policy and planning approaches that foster sustainable tourism. Critical understandings of terms: policy, planning, sustainable development and sustainable tourism; the impact of tourism on tourism destination and 'overtourism'; the evolution and rationale for tourism policy and planning; systems approach to tourism; integrated planning and strategic tourism planning; layers of tourism policy and planning governance from the global to the local; ethics and notions of the public good; effective planning of destinations; sustainable site design through an ecological approach; the problematics of implementation of sustainability.
Course learning outcomes
- Undertake a critical analysis of tourism impacts.
- Understand the purpose of policy development and planning for sustainable tourism.
- Explain the various approaches to planning and their impact on sustainability.
- Critically examine the dynamics of tourism policy and planning at various levels and scales and their impact on tourism destinations.
- Propose evidence-based strategies needed for the achievement of sustainable tourism development.
- Demonstrate Business Enterprise Skills in the context of the Tourism and Event Management discipline: i) Problem Solving (intermediate level); ii) Ethical Awareness (intermediate level); and iii) International Perspective (intermediate and advanced levels).