Tourism and Development

Objectives

The main objectives of this unit are:

1. Lead students to acquire knowledge related to a macroeconomic approach of the tourism sector divided into three major groups, namely: the first group focusing on the aspects of economic growth and development of tourism destinations, the second group related to tourism destination planning and the third block covering some topics about the economics of tourism destinations.

2. Provide students with knowledge, skills and a strategic thinking, which are essential competences to play leadership roles in the professions related to the strategic planning of tourism destinations in the Azores, in Portugal and elsewhere in the world.

Program

1. Definitions of tourism destinations; the macroeconomic aspects of tourism; the performance of tourism destinations according to key tourism indicators; tourism as a development tool introducing, the necessary knowledge in the field of economic growth theories; the opportunity cost in terms of economic growth of a productive specialization in tourism; the sustainability of a specialization in tourism; the factors that are related to the competitiveness of tourism destinations and the models that are used to study that same competitiveness.

2. Tourism strategic planning and planning techniques based on the value-added concept.

3. Economic performance of tourism destinations, such as: tourism taxes and tourism destinations’ competitiveness; tourism destinations’ attractiveness; the issue of tourism in islands’ destinations: the diffusion of technological innovations.

Teaching Methodologies

The teaching methodologies comprise:

1. Oral expositions about theoretical contents establishing a link with the previous and with the following class.

2. Presentation and discussion of a current scientific article about the topics covered on the program stimulating research useful for Master’s dissertations.

3. Presentation and discussion of a case study to apply the subjects covered in the program.

Bibliography

A bibliografia para esta disciplina integra os textos selecionados pelo docente e distribuídos nas aulas e os artigos publicados em revistas científicas da especialidade. Tourism Economics, Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Leisure Studies, Journal of Tourism and Sustainability entre outras.