APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

BST 2013 Tourism Management

Responsible for the course
Sølvi Lyngnes

Department
Department of Innovation and Economic Organisation

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
15

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
This course together with BTH Tourism Management will constitute a 30 ECTS study major and will be included in the certificate. This applies for students in the Bachelor of Marketing programme. Other students may choose this course as an elective in their 3^rd year.

The tourism industry is in a constant development. Tourism is the world’s fastest growing industry. Competing enterprises are being established while existing enterprises are positioning themselves to remain attractive. Travel habits and trends are changing, the financial crisis limits the tourist’s budget and new technology affects all aspects from distribution, communication to the behaviour of the tourist. Norway is a high-cost country which must deliver quality products with experience values that are adapted to the target group’s needs, motives and skills. The course is about developing and organising tourism enterprises so that they become attractive and innovative experience firms with the best service quality. Such insight will provide increased competitiveness and added value for the enterprise, the customer and the destination.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge
Students shall aquire basic knowledge of tourism as a phenomenon and industry. The students shall also aquire understanding and insight into the characteristic aspects of tourism products and the consequences of the consumers’ seeking out the product and not the opposite. Students shall understand how entrepreneurs, companies and destinations within tourism can work strategically with experience products and service quality. After having completed the course, the students shall be familiar with and be able to explain theories, tools and methods for experience production and effective quality management in various types of tourism enterprises.

Acquired skills
The students shall be able to analyse, implement and adapt strategies for entrepreneurs, enterprises and destination development with experience production. The students shall also be able to implement quality management tools in tourism enterprises Relevant administrative tools are to be applied both in new and existing enterprises.

Reflection
The students shall acquire a basis for ethical reflection and critical thinking on the challenges involved in developing experience tourism based on culture, nature and society. Ethical dimensions such as sustainable development and corporate responsibility are emphasized.

Prerequisites
The course is based on two years of the bachelor programme in business administration, marketing or equivalent.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Mossberg, Lena M. 2007. Å skape opplevelser. Fra OK til WOW. Fagbokforlaget. (200 sider)
Reve, Torger og Amir Sasson. 2012. Et kunnskapsbasert Norge. Universitetsforlaget. Kapittel 1, 2 og 14
Weaver, David B., Laura Lawton. 2010. Tourism management. 4th ed. Wiley. 420 sider

Collection of articles:
Lyngnes, S.og Iversen, N. M. 2013. Artikkelsamling: Tourism management - opplevelsebasert verdiskaping. 1. utg. Handelhøsykolen BI. 350 sider

Other:
NDH. 2012. Destinasjon Norge, regjeringens reiselivsstrategi. www.regjeringen.no. 90 sider


Recommended reading

Course outline
Introduction to tourism as discipline, phenomenon and industry
· The tourism system
· Destinations and destination development
· The tourism product
Economic impacts of tourism
· Sociocultural and evironmental impacts of tourism

Service quality in tourism: concepts and dimensions
· Service quality and market orientation
· Service quality and customer satisfaction
· Service quality as competitive advantage
· Service quality and technology
· The role of the service staff and service quality

Experience economy: concepts, phenomena and practice
· Perspectives and theories in experience production
· Attractions and activities, transport, accommodation and catering as experience producers
· Design and adaptation for experiences
· Innovation in experience enterprises and destinations
· Branding
· Added value, how and for whom

Computer-based tools
No particular computer-based tools are used in the course.

Learning process and workload
The course consists of lectures, speeches, excursions, student presentations, discussions and various forms of supervision and feedback. Students are expected to prepare properly for class and to take an active part in the detailed plan the course which is published at the beginning of the semester.

The students shall write a term paper during the course, to be written individually or in groups of up to three students. Feedback and supervision will be given based on submitted material and presentations.

Recommended workload for students