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2023/2024

Fundamentals of Tourism

Code: 101193 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500894 Tourism OB 1 1

Contact

Name:
Maria Abril Sellarés
Email:
maria.abril@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

To check the language/s of instruction, you must click on "Methodolody" section of the course guide.

Teachers

Arena Yáñez Gago

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites


Objectives and Contextualisation

  • Place the student in the world of tourism
  • Make a general description of the importance of tourism in the economy and in society.
  • Acquire the basic foundations of conceiving itself as an industry and its components: basic and complementary products and services, clients - recipients, companies, institutions, activities, infrastructures and social, environmental and surrounding factors.
  • Understand the basic aspects of the world of tourism from a gender perspective.

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, and  future tourism expectations.

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


Methodology

Language of the course: Spanish (Tourism Degree) and English (Tourism Degree in English).

 

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 45 1.8 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 40% of the grade (20% each). 

- 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. In order to partake in the single assessment, it's compulsory to inform the Academic Service Department by the established deadlines, and attach the appropriate document/s to justify the request.

Single assessment students will deliver and present a 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 30% 6 0.24 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 10, 11, 13, 17
Individual assignments 20% 2 0.08 5, 15, 12, 16, 13, 14
Partial exam 1 20% 2 0.08 2, 5, 15, 8, 16, 14
Partial exam 2 20% 2 0.08 2, 8, 12, 16, 13, 14

Bibliography

 

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/Canva/Genially).