The course introduces students to fundamental concepts and themes in tourism and hospitality, illustrating them as integral components of the global economy and exemplars of the experience economy paradigm. Particular focus is placed on environmental sustainability, particularly examining tourism's interplay with climate change and biodiversity loss.
Throughout the course, students gain familiarity with the geographical distribution of international tourism, the characteristics of tourism and hospitality enterprises, and the complex tourism cluster composed of various organizations and stakeholders. The foundational principles of the global tourism industry, including its structure, evolution, and economic significance, are juxtaposed with an exploration of its environmental impacts, encompassing both positive and negative, direct and indirect effects.
Content areas covered include the global tourism business landscape, the emergence of the experience/meaning economy, patterns of international tourism distribution, the organizational structure of the tourism and hospitality sector, sustainability initiatives and considerations within tourism, efforts for climate change mitigation, and the intersection of tourism with biodiversity conservation efforts.
- Teacher
Juulia Räikkönen