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2021/2022

Fundamentals of Tourism

Code: 101193 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500894 Tourism OB 1 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Inmaculada Díaz Soria
Email:
Inmaculada.Diaz@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

Teachers

Arena Yáñez Gago

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites

Objectives and Contextualisation

This course introduces students to the world of tourism, making an overview of economic tourism activities so that they acquire the basics of the industry and its components: basic and complementary products and services, customers, institutions, companies’ activities, social factors, business environment and infrastructures

Competences

  • Analyse quantitative and qualitative information on the economic dimension of the tourism sector and its companies: characteristics of the companies, evolving weight of the sector, market research, etc.
  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Critically interpret the context in which the tourism sector operates, from different perspectives deriving from theory, ideology and good practice.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of tourism in all its dimensions and areas.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Evaluate the economic dimension of tourism at different scales and analyse the interrelationship between them.
  • Identify and evaluate the elements of a tourism system and how they interact with and impact the environment.
  • Negotiate with different bodies on tourism development projects for particular areas and regions.
  • Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  • Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  • Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse the economic dimension of tourism by studying its sub-sectors: travel agencies, hotels, catering, leisure, consultancies, etc.
  2. Analyse the functioning of destinations, tourism structures and business sub-sectors.
  3. Argue how best to develop the tourism sector, based on theory and personal insights.
  4. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  5. Critically evaluate tourism development projects for particular areas and regions.
  6. Describe the dynamic, evolving nature of tourism and the new leisure society.
  7. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  8. Identify and relate the activities that pertain to the tourism sector in all its areas: travel agencies, hotels, catering, leisure, consultancies, etc.
  9. Identify quantitative and qualitative analysis mechanisms for the impact and evolution of the different sub-sectors of the tourism sector.
  10. Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  11. Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  12. Recognise the complexity of the tourism sector and its sub-sectors, and how these interrelate with each other and with other sectors.
  13. Relate the activities that make up all areas of the tourism sector (travel agencies, hotels, catering, leisure, consultancies, etc.), Single outing their differential features.
  14. Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  15. Single out and describe tourism development projects for the different sub-sectors of the tourism sector.
  16. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  17. Work in a team.

Content

Unit 1: Origin and evolution of the tourist activity. 

Unit 2: Basic concepts and impacts of tourism. 

Unit 3: Tourism demand.

Unit 4: Tourism supply. 

Unit 5: Basic tourism companies.  

Unit 6: Complementary tourism companies. 

Unit 7: Quality of tourist services.

Unit 8: Tourism policy and future tourism expectations.

Methodology

The teaching method used is a combination of lectures, combined with a series of tutorials in small groups to work on different exercises and assignments that will be given to the students throughout the course

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classroom 40 1.6 2, 5, 4, 7, 15, 8, 10, 11
Type: Supervised      
Guided and Tutoring 18 0.72 7, 12, 11, 13
Type: Autonomous      
Students Work 46 1.84 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16, 10, 11, 17
Study 35 1.4 3, 6

Assessment

This subject will be assessed as follows:

A) CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT:

- There will be two partial exams, which represent 60% of the grade (30% each).  In order to be able to calculate the average for the final grade, it is necessary to obtain at least 5 out of 10 in every exam. 

- The final project represents another 20% of the grade. This project must be delivered and presented in class within the agreed date. The project that has not obtained a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 will have to be repeated (according to the teacher's notes/comments) and delivered again on the day of the final exam. Important note: partial or total plagiarism will mean the non-accreditation of the entire subject. 

- Individual assignments represent 10% of the grade.

- Attendance and participation represent 10% of the grade.

To pass the course students must get at least a grade of 5 out of 10 in the final grade.

 

B) SINGLE ASSESSMENT:

Instead of continuous assessment, students have the option to choose single assessment as long as they can prove they are not able to attend classes because they are attending other classes or they are repeat students. Those must partake in the single assessment will have to inform the teacher by e-mail before March the 1st and attach the appropriate document/s to justify the change.

Single assessment students will deliver and present the final project within the deadline and will take the final exam on the date and time scheduled according to the academic calendar posted in the official academic program of the school. The grade of the final project will be 50% and final exam will be the remaining 50%. A minimum of 5 points will be required to pass both the exam and the project.

To pass the course students must get at least a grade of 5 out of 10 in the final grade.

 

RETAKE EXAM:

Students with a grade between 3.5 and 4.9 in the final exam will have the chance to retake the exam according to the academic activities calendar, which is reported in the students' guide or on the school's website. If these students pass the retake exam, their final grade will be 5. 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and participation 10% 0 0 4, 7, 16
Final project and oral presentation 20% 5 0.2 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 10, 11, 13, 17
Individual assignments 10% 2 0.08 5, 15, 12, 16, 13, 14
Partial exam 1 30% 2 0.08 2, 5, 15, 8, 16, 14
Partial exam 2 30% 2 0.08 2, 8, 12, 16, 13, 14

Bibliography

Albasud. Investigación y comunicación para el desarrollo (albasud.org)

Bull, A. (1994): La economía del sector turístico. Alianza Economía.

Cooper, C. (2016): Essentials of tourism. Editorial Pearson.

Cooper, C., Fletcher, J., Fyall, A., Gilbert, D. & Wanhill, S. (2013). Tourism: Principles and Practice. Pearson.
 
Lew, A. (21 gener 2017). Modeling the Resilience Adaptive Cycle. Collaborative for Sustainable Tourism and Resilient Communities Blog. http://www.tourismcommunities.com/blog/modeling-the-resilience-adaptive-cycle

Montaner, J. (1996). Estructura del mercado turístico. Síntesis. 2ª ed.

Pacheco, A. & Jatzire, G. (2020). Modelos turísticos y desarrollo sustentable: Análisis teórico. En: Factores críticos y estratégicos en la interacción territorial. Desafíos actuales y escenarios futuros. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Asociación Mexicana de Ciencias para el Desarrollo Regional A.C, Coeditores. http://ru.iiec.unam.mx/5123/

Pedreño, A. & Monfort, V.M. (dir) (1996). Introducción a la economía del turismo en España. Editorial Civitas.
 
Priestley, G. & Llurdés, J.C. (dir) (2007). Estrategia y gestión del turismo en el municipio. UAB.
 
Tinsley, R. & Lynch, P. (2001). Small tourism business network and destination development. International Journal of HospitalityManagement, 20(4), 367–378. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-4319(01)00024-X
 
Valls, J.F. (1996). Las claves del mercado turístico. Deusto Turismo.
 
Vogeler, C. & Hernández, E. (2000). El Mercado Turístico. Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces.
 
 
Institutional websites:
  • Barcelona Turisme: www.barcelonaturisme.com  
  • Departament d'Empresa i Coneixement (2002) Llei 13/2002 de 21 de juny.
  • Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET): www.iet.tourspain.es  
  • Ministerio de Indústria, Comercio y Turismo (2008) Plan de Turismo Español Horizonte 2020. Madrid. Secretaría de Estado de Comercio.
  • Ministerio de Indústria, Comercio y Turismo (2012) Plan Nacional e Integral de Turismo, PNIT. Madrid. Secretaría de Estado de Comercio.
  • OMT (2017) El Código Ético Mundial. Ginebra. UNWTO.
  • Organización Mundial del Turismo. (OMT): www.unwto.org 
  • Turisme de Catalunya: www.turismedecatalunya.com i www.catalunya.com
  • Turisme de Barcelona: www.barcelonaturisme.com

Software

Moodle will be used for the correct monitoring and assessment of the subject. The student will need to use Word processors and programs to prepare presentations (such as PowerPoint).