1. Critically analyse leadership theories and approaches within the context of the visitor economy, reflecting on their relevance and application to practice

Knowledge & understanding; Critical Reasoning

2. Evaluate drivers of change affecting organisations and destinations within the visitor economy.

Research skills

3. Develop strategic responses to organisational or sector challenges using leadership and change management principles.

Application & problem-solving; Personal development & entrepreneurship

4. Communicate and justify leadership strategies for change to a range of stakeholders.

Communication, Reflection

Assessment 1:Leadership and Change Poster

Format: Individual academic poster

You will produce an individual poster analysing leadership and change within the visitor economy. The poster should critically examine a real example of organisational or destination change within tourism, hospitality, cultural organisations or visitor attractions. In doing so, you will consider how leadership responses to change influence outcomes, and reflect on the implications of these approaches for effective leadership practice within the visitor economy, drawing on appropriate reflective approaches where relevant.

The poster should:

Identify a leadership challenge or change within the visitor economy

Analyse leadership approaches used to manage or respond to the change

Evaluate the drivers of change affecting the organisation or destination

Apply relevant leadership or change management theories

Present key insights clearly using concise written content and visual elements

The poster should demonstrate critical analysis and synthesis of theory and practice, presenting information clearly and effectively in a visual format.

Formative Opportunities

You will have opportunities to:

Discuss potential case studies in seminar activities

Participate in poster design workshops

Present draft poster concepts for feedback from peers and tutors.

Assessment 2:Strategic Leadership Proposal

Format: Individual strategic report

You will develop a strategic leadership proposal addressing a contemporary challenge within the visitor economy. This challenge may relate to areas such as sustainability transitions, digital transformation, organisational restructuring, destination development, crisis recovery or visitor experience innovation.

Strategic Proposal

The written report should:

Analyse the organisational or sector challenge

Apply leadership and change management frameworks

Propose a leadership strategy to address the challenge

Consider stakeholder engagement and organisational culture

Reflect on risks, barriers and implementation considerations

Formative Opportunities

You will have opportunities to:

Participate in leadership scenario workshops

Present early ideas for your leadership strategy during class sessions to your peers

Indicative topics may include:

Leadership theories and leadership styles within tourism, hospitality and visitor economy organisations

Drivers of change in the visitor economy, including sustainability, digital transformation and changing visitor expectations

Change management approaches and leadership strategies in organisations and destinations

Organisational culture, innovation and transformation within visitor economy businesses

Stakeholder leadership and collaborative working across destinations and sectors

Crisis leadership and organisational resilience in the visitor economy

Strategic leadership and decision-making in complex tourism environments

Ethical and responsible leadership in tourism and visitor experiences

In this module you will explore how leadership shapes change and innovation within the visitor economy. You will examine the challenges facing organisations and destinations, including sustainability, technological change, evolving visitor expectations and organisational transformation.

You will critically analyse leadership approaches used within tourism, hospitality and cultural organisations, and consider how leaders influence organisational culture, strategic direction and stakeholder collaboration.

Through case studies and applied activities, you will evaluate real examples of leadership in practice and develop strategic responses to contemporary challenges in the visitor economy. By the end of the module, you will present a leadership strategy designed to support organisational or sector change.

The module will draw upon a mixture of activities including lectures, web-based activities, case study analysis, relevant videos and in-class discussions, individual and group problem solving and self-directed learning.

In addition to formal teaching, the module emphasises collaborative learning through group discussions and workshops.

Self-directed learning plays a crucial role in the module, with students encouraged to explore extensive online resources, digital libraries, and the module’s Blackboard system. This independent study component fosters digital literacy and research proficiency, allowing students to consolidate their learning at their own pace while preparing for assessments.

Northouse, P.G. (2022) Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th edn. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Kotter, J.P. (2012) Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Bolden, R., Hawkins, B., Gosling, J. and Taylor, S. (2023) Exploring Leadership. 3rd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Dredge, D. and Jamal, T. (2015) Tourism Policy and Planning. London: Routledge.

Hall, C.M. (2019) Constructing Sustainable Tourism Development. London: Routledge.

The following resources support learning, research and assessment on this module and provide access to key academic, digital and professional tools used in business and management contexts.

Blackboard virtual learning environment for access to module materials, assessment submission and feedback.

Staffordshire University Library Search for access to core textbooks and eBooks.

Business intelligence and market research databases including Statista, IBISWorld and Mintel.

Microsoft 365 (Teams, Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive) for collaboration, research and assessment preparation