Tourism, Transnationalism and Mobility module (GE32019)

You will explore tourism at a local, national, and international level. You will do this while examining the concept of mobility and how this has changed over time.

You will learn about many concepts related to tourism and travel. These include transnationalism, mass tourism, small-scale eco-tourism, and cultural heritage. You will also look at international case studies of tourism.

We will also explore tourism in Scotland, its impact, and how it has changed.

In this module, you will develop essential skills for pursuing future studies or employment in areas such as:

• tourism
• community leadership
• environmental conservation
• cultural geography

The module starts by examining tourism, travel, and the impact of Covid-19. It then delves into the history of tourism. This will be followed by an analysis of mass tourism and its effects on different places and cultures.

Further topics include the geographical implications of different modes of transport. You will also cover how tourist destinations are marketed through media. The course ends with a critical look at the sustainability of tourism and potential future research directions.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• examine and evaluate the different methods used in research. You will look at how they are used with tourists, tourism managers, policy makers, and media practitioners
• develop critical analysis of policy statements, media images, and academic texts
• undertake field-based analysis of the tourist geographies of heritage landscapes. This will be done through the use of a field notebook and analytical report writing

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• explain the role of space and place in tourism practices. You will also be able to explain the social and cultural construction of tourism. You will be able to apply this to practical case studies
• show the diversity of tourism practices and destinations, internationally, nationally, and locally
• apply concepts of tourism analysis to contemporary examples

Assignments / assessment

The module assessments will be:

• a field report (30%)
• an essay (40%)
• a final degree exam (30%)

Teaching methods / timetable

A variety of teaching methods will be used:

• lectures
• local fieldtrips
• film screenings
• class discussions

The module also includes a one day field trip to New Lanark UNESCO Heritage Site.