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

Subject level: Postgraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Handbook description

This subject examines the conceptual and methodological approaches to the study of tourist behaviour. It is based on contributions from social psychology and environmental psychology with input from the other social sciences. It relates the tourist to the environments in which he or she operates. Application of the knowledge to the management of tourism is central to the subject.

Subject objectives/outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the issues and practical problems involved in conceptualising 'the tourist' as a discrete subset of the broader set of 'travellers';
2. Understand the distinctive features which characterise the tourist as a particular type of leisure participant;
3. Recognise the disciplinary approaches necessary for comprehensive analysis and understanding of tourist behaviour;
4. Understand the social construction of the tourist experience and appreciate the diversity of the tourist experience (in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality dis/ability etc);
5. Deploy a range of techniques for researching aspects of tourist behaviour;
6. Understand the relevance and importance of knowledge of tourist behaviour for management and policy making in tourism;

Contribution to graduate profile

The subject focuses on the tourist experience as an essential element of tourism. Knowledge and understanding of the tourist is necessary for the successful management of tourism. The subject is relevant to all sectors of the tourism industry.

Teaching and learning strategies

Activities will include lectures, audio-visual presentations, on-line forum and fieldwork. Guest lecturers will contribute to the subject material. UTS Online will be used as a discussion forum.

Content

• Conceptual approaches to the study of tourist behaviour.
• Methodological approaches to the study of tourist behaviour
• Tourist motivation, needs and satisfaction.
• Destination images.
• Tourist decision-making.
• Tourist types and diversity.
• Tourist behaviours – photography and shopping.
• Tourists' interaction with tourists and hosts
• Tourists' interaction with the host culture
• Tourists' interaction with the physical environment
• Tourist satisfaction
• The management of tourist behaviour

Assessment

Essay (Individual)	40%
This addresses objective 3.
In-class examination (Individual)	30%
This addresses objectives 1-3 and 5.
Case study (Group)	30%
This addresses objectives 3-5.

The individual essay will be secure through a combination of continual revising of topics across semesters and multiple topic choice within each semester. Individuals are required to submit reference lists for their own work for each assessment task, which reduces the possibility for plagiarism. The examination will be conducted under University examination conditions, and hence thoroughly address 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. The case study will be secure through a combination of continually revising assessment tasks across semesters, peer verification of individual contributions and will contain a statement of combined work on the cover sheet.

Indicative references

Book of Readings

Callan, V J, Gallois, C, Noller, P and Kashima, Y. (1991), Social Psychology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Sydney.

Dann, G. (1996), The Language of Tourism: A Sociolinguistic Perspective, CAB International, Wallingford.

Dann, G. (ed.) (2002), The Tourist as a Metaphor of the Social World, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.

MacCannell, D. (1999), The Tourist: A New Theory of the Leisure Class, Schocken Books, New York.

Pearce, P., Morrison, A. and Rutledge, J. (1998), Tourism: Bridges Across Continents, McGraw Hill, Australia.

Selwyn, T. (ed.), (1996), The Tourist Image: Myths and Myth Making in Tourism, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.

Swain, M and Momsen, J. (eds.), (2002), Gender/Tourism/Fun?, Cognizant Communication Corporation, New York

Urry, J, (2002), The Tourist Gaze, Sage, London.