27184 Dimensions of Tourism

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject introduces students to phenomenon of tourism and the field of tourism studies. It traces the development of tourism over the past two centuries and examines the relationships tourism has with sociocultural, economic and natural environments. It also introduces the human element in tourism through a review of key theories of tourism motivation and tourist behaviour. Finally, the different types of tourism are introduced and key national and international organisations are studied for their functions in managing tourism activity.

Subject objectives/outcomes

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

1. recognise the purposes, issues and approaches involved in the various conceptualisations and definitions of the tourism phenomenon, of tourists and the tourism industry
2. describe the development of contemporary forms of tourism and its current scope, size and economic value
3. demonstrate a basic awareness of the relevance and importance of the environmental interactions of the tourism phenomenon as a basis for effective solution of managerial or public policy problems involving tourism
4. demonstrate knowledge and conceptual understanding of factors influencing the causation of leisure-based tourism and various related forms of travel
5. identify the functions of key national and international organisations that regulate and/or manage tourism activity and growth.

Contribution to graduate profile

Dimensions of Tourism 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, which will use tourism geography (specific regions and/or countries) as examples for understanding key concepts and various functional aspects of tourism.

Content

• A history of the development of tourism up to the present day
• Disciplinary and conceptual approaches to studying tourism
• Environmental influences on tourism and tourism's effects on the environments
• Tourists and other travellers and their motivations and experiential aspects
• Key elements of Touristic Trip Generating Regions
• Size and scope of tourism and key national and international organisations

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Written Tutorial Work (Individual)

Assessment item 2: Theoretical Essay (Group)

Assessment item 3: Final Examination (Individual)

Required text(s)

Weaver, D and Lawton, L, 2006, Tourism Management, 3rd edition, Wiley, Milton, Qld

Recommended text(s)

Faculty of Business, 2006, Guide to Writing Assignments, Faculty of Business, UTS, Sydney (www.business.uts.edu.au/resources/guide.html)

Indicative references

Boniface B, Cooper C., 2005, Worldwide Destinations; the Geography of Travel and Tourism, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Amsterdam

Burkart, A. & Medlik, S. 1981 Tourism: Past, Present and Future, Heinemann, London

Cooper, C., Fletcher, J., Fyall, A., Gilbert, D., & Wanhill, S. 2005, Tourism: Principles and Practice (3rd edn), Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England

Fyall A, Garrod B, Leask A. (eds.), 2008, Managing Visitor Attractions, (2nd edn) Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK

Goeldner, C. and Brent Ritchie, J.R., 2009, Tourism: Principles, Practices and Philosophies,(11th edn) Wiley, Hoboken, NJ

Hall, C.M., 2003, Introduction to Tourism; Dimensions and Issues, 4th edn, Hospitality Press, Frenchs Forest, NSW

Hall, C. Michael, 2007, Introduction to Tourism in Australia, (5th edn), Longman, Melbourne

Holloway, J, 2006, The Business of Tourism, (7th edn), Financial Times / Pearson Education, Harlow, England

Leiper, N, 2004, Tourism Management (3rd edn) Pearson Education Australia, Sydney

Medlik, S, 1999, Understanding Tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK

Medlik, S, 2000, Tourism and Hospitality in the 21st Century, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK

Medlik, S, 2002, Dictionary of Travel and Tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK

Page S, Dowling R, 2002, Ecotourism, Pearson Education, Harlow, Essex, UK

Pearce, D. 1989, Tourist Development, (2nd edn) Longman, London

Pearce P, Morrison A, Rutledge, J, 1998, Tourism: Bridges Across Continents, Irwin-McGraw-Hill, Sydney, Australia

Theobald, WF (edn) 2005 Global Tourism (3rd edn), Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann, Boston

Urry, J, 1990, The Tourist Gaze: Leisure and Travel in Contemporary Societies, Sage Publications, London

Academic journals

Annals of Tourism Research; Current Issues in Tourism; Tourism Management; Journal of Travel Research; Cornell Quarterly Journal of Hotel Administration

Websites

Tourism Australia www.tourism.australia.com

Tourism Research Australia www.tra.australia.com

Australian Bureau of Statistics www.abs.gov.au

United Nations World Tourism Organisation www.unwto.org/index.php