Advanced Topics in Regional Studies and Planning
Code: 44471 ECTS Credits: 9| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Territorial Studies and Planning | OB | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Maria Asuncion Blanco Romero
- Email:
- asuncion.blanco@uab.cat
Teachers
- Gemma Canoves Valiente
- Inmaculada Diaz Soria
- Eduardo Ariza Sole
- Francesc Romagosa Casals
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
None.
This subject will be taught mainly in Spanish.
Objectives and Contextualisation
In this subject, the key contents of the most advanced contemporary research in tourism analysis and, more specifically, the planning and management of tourism as an activity that generates challenges and opportunities will be discussed. The course will provide students with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary for the analysis and planning of tourist activity in diverse environments, providing a vision from the complementarity and development of multifunctional territories.
The subject has an applied nature and is guided by the challenge learning methodology: it involves facing real and complex problems identified by the different actors in the territory to carry out an adequate diagnosis and point out possible solutions to the problems detected. Challenge-based learning is today a widely recognized methodology that allows not only dealing with real case studies, but also inserting the student into environments in which they can develop their professional career in the future. It is also a good opportunity to integrate and experiment with the knowledge and methods acquired in other subjects of the Master. For this reason, the central axis is the realization of a project that we call Troncal and that is done in coordination with two more subjects: Territorial and Urban Planning and City and Metropolitan Spaces.
We understand core as carrying out a practical exercise, consisting of the recognition and identification of the urban, social and environmental characteristics of a territory in order to implement projects and proposals that resolve the identified challenges.
For the 2025-26 academic year, we are continuing with the "Tourism and Socio-Territorial Challenges" series, this time under the title "The Management of Tourism Activity in a Mountain Region: La Cerdanya (Catalunya)". The work will focus on the Cerdanya region as a paradigm of an inland territory with elements of mass tourism, its consequences on housing, mobility management, and its impact on the territory, the landscape, and the natural and cultural heritage.
The challenge posed will be, to collaboratively select, define, and develop possible alternatives, based on the identification of specific problems expressed by local stakeholders, in order to concretely develop proposals and projects. The work will be done in small groups, each of which will delve into a specific topic. The results will be presented to local officials and other stakeholders in the community.
Learning Outcomes
- CA24 (Competence) Evaluate the access to public space according to citizens' social and economic status.
- CA25 (Competence) Describe the transformation of public space by planning to rebalance the territory.
- KA22 (Knowledge) Identify the reference paradigms of current lines of research on territorial and urban matters.
- KA23 (Knowledge) Identify the relationship between the political-legal system and territorial dynamics.
- KA24 (Knowledge) Outline territorial and urban transformation processes using methodologies and instruments linked to reference theories, which are capable of measuring the mechanisms of action and their results.
- KA25 (Knowledge) Recognise conceptual frameworks used to analyse and interpret territorial and urban conflicts.
- KA39 (Knowledge) Select analysis and synthesis strategies for assessing the impact that urban planning has on citizens.
- SA21 (Skill) Evaluate the relevance of academic research in territorial intervention and management for the purposes of planning.
- SA22 (Skill) Offer integrated plans for the tourism sector that take the gender perspective into account.
Content
In this subject the following topics will be covered:
1. Planning and management of tourism in the current context of polycrisis
2. Potentials and challenges of tourism as an activity for territorial development
3. Appropriate tourist destinations and modalities in diverse territories
4. Alternatives for analyzing tourism to create a 21st century sector
6. Recognition of the study area
7. Tools for the preparation of a planning document for the implementation of tourism policies
At the beginning of the course the detailed program of the subject will be provided
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Classes and debates | 27 | 1.08 | |
| Lectures | 12 | 0.48 | |
| Workshop | 25.5 | 1.02 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Field work | 26 | 1.04 | |
| Group Tutorials | 8 | 0.32 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Sutudy and preparation of the course project | 123.5 | 4.94 |
The training activities are divided into those leading by the teaching staff (both in the classroom and outside of it), the supervised ones followed by the teaching staff outside the classroom, and the autonomous ones that the students must develop.
There are three types of leading activities:
- 1) Classes in the classroom that will combine master sessions with debates.
- 2) The cycle of conferences (six in total) and debates in the study area.
- 3) The workshops, of a practical nature.
Within the supervised activities, two types are considered:
- 1) Fieldwork, which will be carried out the week of October 6 to 10;
- 2) The group project tutorials that each tutor will conduct.
At the beginning of the subject, the teachers will explain the protocol of measurements and good practices for field trips.
Finally, the autonomous activity will consist of the elaboration of all phases of the core project.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active participation in the course | 10% | 0 | 0 | KA23, KA24, KA39 |
| Essay | 25% | 0 | 0 | CA24, CA25, KA25 |
| Main Project | 40% | 0 | 0 | CA24, CA25, KA22, KA23, KA24, KA25, KA39, SA21, SA22 |
| Oral defense of core work | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | CA24, CA25, KA22, KA23, KA24, KA25, KA39 |
| Poster project | 15% | 0 | 0 | KA22, KA24, KA25, KA39, SA21, SA22 |
This course's assessment is based on Challenge-Based Learning, as it uses an active methodology where students address real-world and significant problems from the area of analysis to develop skills and knowledge.
The student is the protagonist of the assessment process, which encourages collaborative group work, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
The final mark of the subject will consist of:
Subject-specific activities: 35%
- Essay: 25%
- Classroom participation: 10%
Core project: 65%
- Core project memory: 40%
- Poster core project: 15%
- Oral defense of the project: 10%
To pass the subject it will be necessary to obtain a mark equal to or greater than 5 in both the essay and the overall grade of the core project.
If you do not get 5, it will be possible to recover two pieces of evaluative evidence:
- Recover the essay mark: by completing an additional exercise to be specified
- Recover the core project grade: by taking an oral exam of the contents worked on in the core group.
To be entitled to recovery, all evidence related to the trunk project must have been presented.
This subject does NOT provide for the single evaluation system
Those students who have not presented all the evidence of the core project will NOT BE EVALUABLE
At the time of carrying out each evaluation activity, the teacher will inform the students (Moodle) of the procedure and date for reviewing the marks.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Total or partial plagiarism of any of the exercises will automatically be considered a FAIL (0) for the plagiarized exercise. If students commit any irregularity that could lead to a significant change in the grade for an assessment, this assessment will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary process that may be initiated. If multiple irregularities occur in the assessments for the same subject, the final grade for that subject will be 0.
PLAGIARISM is copying a text from unidentified sources, whether a single sentence or more, which is passed off as one's own work (THIS INCLUDES COPYING PHRASES OR EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERNET AND ADDING THEM WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS TO THE TEXT PRESENTED AS ONE'S OWN). It is a serious offense. It is necessary to learn to respect the intellectual property of others and always identify the sources that may be used, and it is essential to take responsibility for the originality and authenticity of one's own text.
Assessment activities graded with a 0 due to irregularities committed by the student cannot be recovered.
For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. Students must clearly identify which sections were generated with this technology (as if it were a bibliographic reference), specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how they influenced the process and the final result of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a breach of academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty in the activity grade, or greater sanctions in serious cases.
Bibliography
The lecturers will give the specific bibliographic references for each session.
Recommended bibliography:
- AYMERICH, Ramon (2021). La fàbrica de turistes. El país que va canviar la indústria pel turisme. Edit. Pòrtic
- BLANCO, Francisco Javier (2020). Antes de pulsar el botón de reinicio. Retos de la reconstrucción del turismo global tras la covid-19. Editorial Conciencia.
- BLANCO-ROMERO, Asunción; BLÁZQUEZ-SALOM, Macià; DE LA CALLE, Manuel; FERÁNDEZ TABALES Alfonso; GARCÍA HERNÁNDEZ, María; LOIS GONZÁLEZ, Rubén.C.; MÍNGUEZ GARCÍA, M.Carmen.; NAVALÓN GARCÍA, Rosario; NAVARRO JURADO, Enrique, & TROITIÑO TORRALBA, Libertad. (2021). Diccionario de Turismo. Cátedra, Madrid.
- CAÑADA, Ernest. & MURRAY, Ivan. (2019). Turistificación global. Perspectivas críticas en turismo. Editorial Icaria.
- CAÑADA, Ernest, MURRAY, Ivan, Dit Chirot, Clement (2023). El malestar enla turistificación. Editorial Icaria.
- IVARS, Josep. (2003). Planificación turística de los espacios regionales en España. Síntesis. Madrid.
- LÓPEZ PALOMEQUE, Francisco; VERA REBOLLO, J. Fernando; TORRES DELGADO, Anna & IVARS BAIDAL, Josep A. (2022). El turismo, ¿fin de época?. Desafíos de españa como destino turístico en un nuevo escenario. Edit. PUV. Universitat de València.
- FERNÁNDEZ TABALES, Alfonso. (dir) (2003). Manual de Gestión Local del Turismo. Sevilla, Turismo de la Provincia de Sevilla.
- SIMANCAS, Moises. (coord.) (2016). Planificación y gestión territorial del turismo. Editorial Síntesis, Madrid.
- VERA REBOLLO, J. Fernando (coor); López Palomeque, Francisco; Marchena, Manuel; Antón, Salvador (2011). Análisis territorial del turismo y planificación de destinos turísticos. Valencia. Tirant lo Blanch.
Software
Office and GIS (ArcGis and Qgis).
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | afternoon |