Faculty of Business: Leisure, Sport and Tourism
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Handbook description

By introducing the systematic analysis of the essential elements of highly industrialised tourism systems in terms of their functional, structural, operational and interrelational attributes, and by examining the nature of the interrelationships between tourism system elements and the environments with which they interact, this subject provides knowledge and understanding of the specific contexts within which tourism industry management, and the overall management of tourism systems, are practised.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Discuss the purposes, issues, and approaches involved in the various conceptualisations and definitions of 'tourism' and of a 'tourism industry'.
2. Apply basic general systems theory principles to analyse tourism phenomena, and interpret and use appropriate macro- and micro- models for further investigation and application.
3. Demonstrate a basic awareness of the relevance and importance of a systematic understanding of tourism, its industries, and their environmental interactions in their broadest aspects as a basis for effective solution of managerial or public policy problems involving tourism.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and conceptual understanding of some of the major elements and interrelationships involved in the causation (generation) of industrialised leisure-based tourism and various related forms of travel.
5. Demonstrate a systematic and analytical ability to investigate tourism's various touristic trip generating region-based, and touristic travel route-based industrial, and non-industrial elements in terms of their functions, structures, operations, and interrelationships insofar as they cause (generate) touristic trips.

Contribution to graduate profile

Tourism and the Industry 1 is the first of two subjects that form a core foundation for the Bachelor of Management in Tourism and Bachelor of Management in Tourism and Hospitality. Students are introduced to the various disciplinary approaches, methods, ideologies, and perspectives that are applied to the study of tourism. Then, by adopting a managerially-focussed, general systems theory-based approach, the subject proceeds with the systematic analysis and description of the essential elements and interrelationships involved in the causation of industrialised tourism in terms of their functional, structural, operational, and interrelational attributes. By also introducing the concepts and phenomena associated with the interrelationships between tourism and the significant environments with which it interacts, students gain foundation knowledge, competencies and values for a career in tourism management and related professions.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies include formal lectures and interactive tutorials.

Content

• Approaches to studying tourism and introduction to general systems theory and its application in tourism studies
• Introduction to tourism industries
• Conceptualising tourism and industrialised tourism systems
• Tourism systems' environments
• Tourists and other travellers as a system element
• Touristic Trip Generating Regions (TTGRs) as a system element
• Tourism industries in TTGRs
• Touristic Travel Routes (TTRs) as a system element and tourism industries in TTRs.

Assessment

Tutorial Work (Individual)	30%
Written preparation for a minimum of 10 tutorials
This addresses objectives 4 and 5.
Theoretical Essay (Group)	20%
This addresses objective 1.
Final Examination (Individual)	50%
This addresses objectives 1-5.

For the tutorial and empirical work, topics or questions are changed each semester. For the theoretical essay, questions are changed each semester and individual logs of contributions are assessed. The final exam is conducted under University examination conditions, and hence thoroughly addresses concerns regarding secure assessment. The examination involves randomised selection from a large item bank each semester, and the re-ordering of responses for questions that are re-used.

Recommended text(s)

Leiper, N. (2004). Tourism Management, 3rd edition. Sydney: Pearson Education Australia.

Stear, L. (2004). Definitions I Have Developed for Studying Highly Industrialised Tourism Systems. School of Leisure, Sport, and Tourism, University of Technology, Sydney.

Indicative references

Stear, L. (2004). Studying Highly Industrialised Tourism Systems (Vol. 1). Sydney: Humble Publications.

Stear, L. (2002). A Model of a Highly Industrialised (International Travel) Tourism System. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.

Weaver, D. and Lawton, L. (2002). Tourism Management, 2nd edition. Queensland: John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd.