The main focus of the module is on developing an understanding of leading and emerging issues in tourism management research. It will encourage critical debate from a range of contemporary perspectives and is designed to allow students to consider new tourism concepts and contexts from a regional, national and international perspective.

Specific issues will be drawn from the following:-
- The changing nature of tourism demand and forecast of future developments
- An investigation into the development of destinations, destination management and the sustainable nature of both organisations and destinations
- An analysis of emerging themes in tourism such as the ethical challenges of risk-tourism, e.g. adventure, dark and sex tourism.
-Tourism mobilities and tourist's background, exploring the impact of demographic variables such as age and disability and how the tourist's background, e.g. social class, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, shapes the tourism experience.

The learning strategy for the module requires students to commit 150 learning hours (including assessment). Of this, there will be 30 hours of class support and 120 hours of independent and self directed study. Support will also be given by access to Scheduled Tutor Office Hours to support the module.

The lecture/tutorial pattern may vary with some activities taking place in medium size group workshops.
12 hours of formal lectures
6 hours of formal lectures/large group activity
12 hours of tutorials

The strategy will be based around a series of topics that are presented in blocks of appropriate length. Core material will take the form of lectures and referral to other sources such as websites and official documents as appropriate. This material will be further developed through tutorial exercises, student centred group working both in and outside tutorials, and directed and independent private study. Some topics also involve the gathering of and use of case study material.

The Library
Module Website
Internet
MINTEL Reports

Boniface, P. (2001) Dynamic Tourism: Journeying with Change. Clevedon, Avon: Channel View Publications.
Hall, D.R. & Brown, F. (2006) Tourism and Welfare: Ethics, responsibility and sustained well-being. Wallingford: CABI.
Meethan, K. (2001) Tourism in Global Society: Place, culture, consumption. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mowforth, M. & Munt, I. (2009) Tourism and Sustainability: development, globalisation and new tourism in the Third World, 3rd Edition. London: Routledge.
Novelli, M. (2005) Niche Tourism: Contemporary issues, trends and cases. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
Robinson, P., Heitmann, S. & Dieke, P.U.C.(Eds) (2011) Research Themes for Tourism. Wallingford: CABI.
Sharpley, R. (2008) Tourism, Tourists and Society. 4th Edition. Huntingdon: Elm Publications.
Shaw, G. & Williams, A.M. (2002) Critical Issues in Tourism: A Geographical Perspective, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Blackwell.

A GROUP DEBATE weighted at 60% (25 minutes including time for questioning).
An INDIVIDUAL DEBATE PAPER weighted at 40% (2,000 words).

Details: Each student will be required to participate as a member of a group in a debate. In each debate session, one group will make a short presentation in favour of a proposition and the second group will make a presentation against that proposition. This will then be followed by a structured debate of the main issues raised by the proposition and presentations and will be concluded with closing statements from each team. The individual debate paper will present a comprehensive outline of the proposition and provide a full justification for the arguments presented in the debate.
Both assessment tasks will assess all Learning Outcomes.