The course aims to develop the students’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills in managing tourism destinations. The course analyses a range of theories and industry practices related to destination management, including destination lifecycle, stakeholder theory, sustainability, networking and collaboration. Particular attention is provided in discussing the role of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in managing creating and managing destinations, their tourism offering and their competitiveness.

Upon completion of the course, the students should be able to:

• identify and recognise the concept, the constitutes/resources and the stakeholders of tourism destinations;
• apply major management theories, such as stakeholder management, sustainability management, experience and product life cycle for managing the tourism destination, tourism offering and stakeholders;
• understand the role, functions and services of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) for managing and marketing destinations and their stakeholders, and enhance their skills for managing the organizational structures and activities of DMOs;
• identify the factors influencing the competitiveness of destinations within a highly dynamic international context and develop appropriate destination strategies to manage the former.

The successful completion of the course contributes to the achievement of the following program outcomes:

• Critical thinking
• Development of free, creative and inductive thinking
• Project planning and management

MODES OF DELIVERY: Face to face, On-line synchronous lectures, Case study analysis and discussion, Student self-learning of teaching material

USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: Power point presentations, Google meetings for on-line delivery, Youtube.com for watching and discussing educational videos on destination management case studies

COURSE DESIGN: Lectures, Case studies discussion

STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT METHODS:

1. Students have to submit an individual project requiring them to select a destination of their choice and develop a strategic plan for the development of its tourism offering. To achieve that, the assignment guides and requires students to conduct:

• an internal destination analysis (resources, stakeholders);
• an external analysis: competitors, partners, demand;
• design of a tourism offering for a specific market segment;
• development of stakeholder collaboration strategies for implementing the destination plan.

The students’ assignments are assessed based on their ability to identify and critically use appropriate theory (SWOT analysis, market segmentation, tourism offering design, stakeholder collaboration) for completing the above mentioned tasks.

OR

2.  A final exam will be sent by email with two questions. The students will have to answer to the two questions, providing evidences for their arguments (introduction, 2 or 3 paragraphs, conclusion). They will have to send back the final exam by 48 hours.

Part 1:

• Fairley, J. (2018). A stakeholder approach for destination management organisations. The Branding of Tourist Destinations: Theoretical and Empirical Insights, 43.
• Fyall, A., & Garrod, B. (2020). Destination management: a perspective article. Tourism Review, 75(1), 165-169.
• Hartman, S., Wielenga, B., & Heslinga, J.H. (2020). The future of tourism destination management: building productive coalitions of actor networks for complex destination development. Journal of Tourism Futures.
• Kozak, N., & Kozak, M. (Eds.). (2019). Tourist destination management: Instruments, products, and case studies. Springer.
• Line, N.D., & Wang, Y. (2017). A multi-stakeholder market oriented approach to destination marketing. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 6(1), 84-93.
• Reinhold, S., Beritelli, P., & Grünig, R. (2019). A business model typology for destination management organizations. Tourism Review.
• Sigala, M., & Robinson, R.N. (2019). Wine Tourism Destination Management and Marketing. Springer International Publishing.

Part 2:

• Brouder, P., Anton Clavé, S., Gill, A., Ioannides, D. (Eds.) (2017). Tourism Destination Evolution, Routledge, 211 p.
• Caldwell, N.G. (2000). The Emergence of Museum Brands, International Journal of Arts Management, 2(3), 28-34.
• Saarinen, J. (2004). Destinations in change. The transformation process of tourist destinations, Tourist Studies, 4(2), 161-179.
• Sanz-Ibáñez, C., Anton Clavé, S. (2016). Strategic coupling evolution and destination upgrading, Annals of Tourism Research, 56, 1-15.
• Vivant, E. (2011). Who brands whom? The role of local authorities in the branching of art museums, The Town Planning Review, 82(1), European Cities and Capitals of Culture, 99-115.