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Introduction to the Tourist and Hotel Sector

Code: 103747 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2502904 Hotel Management OB 1

Contact

Name:
Beatriz Santolalla Garcia
Email:
beatriz.santolalla@uab.cat

Teachers

Carmen Ruiz Aguado

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The subject pretends to situate the students of first year of the Degree in Hospitality management in the tourism sector, specifically introducing the activity of the different tourist companies existing in the sector. 

The student will study the operation of the tourist services suppliers (tourist transport companies, insurance companies, tourist guides, etc,.) As well as the operation of the intermediation companies and the departamental organisation and Human Resources of hotel companies, analysing deeply their organisational system, the generic operation and the workforce of the different departments that form the Rooms division area of a hotel (front desk, concierge, Housekeeping and maintenance) as well as the interdepartamental relationship between them. 

Therefore, this subject is divided into two differenciated and complementary parts:

  • Tourist companies suppliers of different services and the intermediation of tourist services by means of the travel agencies and the new intermediation channels.  
  • The hotel like a first order accommodation establishment of Hospitality and tourism. 

At the end of the subject the student will have to be able of:

  1. Identify and relate the activities that conform the tourist sector in all its fields (travel agencies, hotels, restoration and leisure, consulting... )
  2. Relate the activities that conform the tourist sector in all its fields, (travel agencies, hotesl, restoration and leisure, consulting,...), distinguishing their differential elements.
  3. Argue through the vision of the sector and the theoretical prospect, how the tourist sector has to be developed.
  4. Analyse the economic dimension of tourism from the study of its subsectors (travel agencies, hotels, restoration and leisure, consulting,..).
  5. Distinguish and describe projects for the tourist development of the different subsectors of the tourist sector.
  6. Work as a team / demonstrate orientation and culture service based on respect for diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.

Competences

  • Adapt to changes in technology as they occur.
  • Analyse, diagnose and support and take decisions on the organisational structure in the hotel and catering sector.
  • Demonstrate an orientation and culture of customer service.
  • Demonstrate broad knowledge of the organisation and management of company operations, with emphasis on applied management models and the application of quantitative and qualitative techniques.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of accommodation and catering in all their dimensions, departments, activities and areas in the context of the tourist sector.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Manage and organise time.
  • Manage communication techniques at all levels.
  • Plan and manage activities based on quality and sustainability.
  • Plan, organise and coordinate work teams creating synergies and knowing how to put yourself in the place of others when negotiating and managing conflicts.
  • Work in teams.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Adapt to changes in technology as they occur.
  2. Demonstrate a capacity to interpret economic data in the hotel and catering sector and their implications on a global scale.
  3. Demonstrate an orientation and culture of customer service.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of relations between hotel and catering companies and other companies.
  5. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  6. Identify and evaluate the elements governing activity in the hotel and catering sector and their impact and interaction with the surrounding area.
  7. Identify methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis in the different catering sectors and well as their impact and evolution.
  8. Identify the different accommodation and catering companies and their basic structure.
  9. Manage and organise time.
  10. Manage communication techniques at all levels.
  11. Plan and manage activities based on quality and sustainability.
  12. Plan, organise and coordinate work teams creating synergies and knowing how to put yourself in the place of others when negotiating and managing conflicts.
  13. Understand the basic corresponding regulations.
  14. Work in teams.

Content

I PART: Tourist products and services suppliers (24 hours)

Unit 1.- The nature of the tourist market.

Unit 2.- The tourist companies and the independent professionals.

Unit 3.- Intermediation companies and theri rol in the distribution of tourist products and services. 

Unit 4.- Information sources and travel documents. The travel catalogues. 

II PART: Hotels (32 hours)

Unit 1.- Introduction to hotel industry: generalities and regulation

Unit 2.- Type of tourist accommodations

Unit 3.- The Organisational chart of a hotel company

Unit 4.- The front desk department: organisation and functions. Staff, documentation and divisions.

Unit 5.- The consierge department: organisation and functions. Staff, documentation. Relations with the tourist informers, transfers and entertainers.

Unit 6.- The Housekeeping department: organisation and functions. The Housekeeper and the room attendants. Laundry and lingerie.

Unit 7.- The technical services department: organisation, functions and staff.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 45 1.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13
Problems solving 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type: Supervised      
Tutoring 20 0.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Paper creation 12 0.48 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14
Study 43 1.72 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Teaching Language: Spanish

The subject works in base to two educational methodologies: 

a) Lectures: Exhibition of the theoretical content of the program in a clear, systematic and organised way by the teachers (the students will have at the Virtual Campus the basic slides of the syllabus).  Students class participation will be always encourage and their reflections, contributions and doubts will be appreciated.

b) Practical sessions: For this sessions the professors will propose different practical activities along the course to apply the theoretical content taught during the lectures. The students will have to read the bibliography proposed by the professors and will have to do some practices associated to the reading (Text comment and understanding).  The students also will resolve several problems related with the operative of the tourist companies.c

  

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.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Hotels part examen 36% of final mark 1 0.04 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13
Hotels part paper 24% of final mark 9 0.36 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Tourist suppliers paper 16% of final mark 4 0.16 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Tourist suppliers part exam 24% of final mark 1 0.04 1, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12

THREE ASSESSMENT OPTIONS

 A) CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

The continuous assessment will be as follows:

For the "Tourist products and services suppliers part":

a) Realisation of a test of final evaluation, that will count a 24% of the final mark and that will include the exposed theoretical content during lectures.

b) Realisation of a paper that will be presented in class  that will count a 16% of the final mark. A correct formal presentation and an accurate preparation will be valued. 

For the "Hotels part":

a) Realisation of a test of final evaluation, that will count a 36% of the final mark and that will include the exposed theoretical syllabus during the lectures.

b)  Realisation of a paper with monitoring tutoring, that will count a 24% of the final mark. A correct formal presentation and an accurate preparation will be valued.

The paper assessment system organises weekly presentation for the autonomous and practical activities and evaluates the understanding of individual work, group and individual work as well as a final evaluation of interrelation and understanding the topics and concepts worked. 

The students that do not surpass the subject ass, by means of the continuous assessment, will be assessed just with the final exam option, not taking into account any of the marks obtained during the paper creation. 

B) SINGLE ASSESSMENT: final Examination (all the subject content)

Day and time established in the academic calendar, as per the Official Center's Schedule (EUTDH).There will be an only type of final examination, not differentiating between the students that failed the continuous assessment and those that didn't follow up the continuous assessment.

C) REASSESSMENT: 

Day and time established in the academic calendar, as per the Center Official exams schedule (EUTDH).

Only for students that in the final evaluation have obtained a mark over 3,5 and below 5. The maximum qualification to be obtained in this exam is 5 over 10. 

The exam modality will be defined by professors. 

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SINE QUA NON CONDITIONTO TO PASS THE SUBJECT: As the subject has two parts ”Hotels” (60%  of the global of the subject) and “Tourist products and services suppliers and intermediation companies"(40%  of the global of the subject), it is necessary to obtain a minimum qualification of a 4 over 10 to average both parts.

The grade for the subject will be NOT EVALUABLE when the student attends less than half of the assessment activities and/or does not attend the final exam.

 


Bibliography

Bayón Mariné, F. i Martín Rojo, I. (2004): Operaciones y Procesos de producción en el sector turístico, Madrid: Editorial Síntesis. (Temes 13 i 14).

Cerra, Javier ; Dorado, José A. ; Estepa, Diego ; Garcia, Pedro E. (1.997): “Gestión de Producción de Alojamientos Turísticos”– Col·lecció "Gestión Turística" ; Ed. Síntesis; 552 pàgines.

Dorado, José Antonio (1.996):  “Organización y Control de Empresas en Hostelería y Turismo”; – Col·lecció "Ciclos Formativos FP Grado Superior Hostelería" ; Ed. Síntesis; 252 pàgines.

Dorado, José Antonio ;  Cerra, Javier (1.996):  “Manual de Recepción y Atención al Cliente”– Col·lecció "Ciclos Formativos FP Grado Superior Hostelería" ; Ed. Síntesis; 316 pàgines.

Jiménez Garay, Mª Isabel (2.000): “Regiduría de Pisos"; Ed. Paraninfo; 131 pàgines.

López García, Socorro (2.003):  “Recepción y Atención al Cliente"; Ed. Paraninfo; 183 pàgines.

López Collado, Asunción (1.998):“La Gobernanta"; Ed. Paraninfo; 374 pàgines.

Milio Balanzá, Isabel (2.000): “Organización y Control del Alojamiento”; Ed. Paraninfo; 178 pàgines.

Olmos Juárez, L. i García Cebrián, R. (2016): Estructura del mercado turístico, Madrid: Ediciones Paraninfo.

Other digital supporting material and links to web sites will be offered at Virtual campus as a complement. 


Software

There is no specific software.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 3 Spanish first semester morning-mixed