27649 Ecotourism Planning and Management

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject addresses the range of management and planning issues appropriate to the operation of ecotourism in Australian society. It provides students with an understanding of key aspects of ecotourism projects and operations and explores principles and practices for commercial and public agencies that are available and include the underlying principles and ethics of ecotourism. It examines the skills needed to establish a successful ecotourism project or operation and considers issues such as ethical marketing and community relationships. It also explores the context of ecotourism in a variety of natural and organisational settings.

Subject objectives/outcomes

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

1. demonstrate the interrelated nature of the sociocultural, political, economic and natural environments in which ecotourism operates
2. evaluate the implications ecotourism projects and operations have for ecosystems, cultural biodiversity and communities
3. critically assess and evaluate from a planning and management perspective ecotourism projects, operators and practices
4. identify the management skills relevant to the management of staff, tourists and organisations in an ecotourism enterprise.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject is an elective within the undergraduate program of the School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism. The area of ecotourism has grown significantly and is an important source of potential employment for students in these courses.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies include case studies, workshops and field trips as well as lectures and tutorials. Content for this subject will be supported by UTSOnline.

Content

• Principles and Practices — understand ecotourism and the environmental ethics and principles that may align themselves to the practice of ecotourism
• Planning and Management for Ecotourism — examine the principles of ecotourism focusing on ecotourism projects and operations and their long term planning and management
• Management Skills — management and planning for the operationalisation of ecotourism: management roles and practices, negotiation and conflict resolution, managing groups, group needs and group decision making, organisational structure and information systems, management and social responsibility, managerial ethics, legal aspects, ethical marketing, managing money and ethical funding sources will be examined
• Ecotourism Case Studies — a number case studies covering a range of issues in ecotourism planning and management.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Essay (Individual)

Assessment item 2: Presentation of problem based Issue (Individual/Group)

Required text(s)

Wearing SL and Neil, J, (1999) Ecotourism: impacts, potential and possibilities, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.