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Tourist Transport and Distribution

Code: 104959 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Tourism OT 4

Contact

Name:
Arena Yáñez Gago
Email:
arena.yanez@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.


Objectives and Contextualisation

1. Identify and analyse the elements and activities that form the activity of transport, logistics and distribution of the tourism sector at the local, national and international levels.

2. Relate the elements that make up the commercialization of transport elements and their relationship with other tourist services and products.

3. Argue, through the vision of the transport activity and the theoretical perspective, how this activity has evolved and the current trends.

4. Analyse the distribution of tourist services.

5. Understand the basic aspects of the world of tourism and transport from a gender perspective.


Competences

  • Apply the concepts related to tourism products and businesses (economy and finance, human resources, commercial policy, markets, operations and strategy) in the different parts of the sector.
  • Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Define and apply objectives, strategies and commercial policies in tourism businesses and entities.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Display a customer service orientation.
  • Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  • Manage human resources in tourism organisations.
  • Propose creative alternative solutions to problems arising in the field of tourism management, planning, businesses and products.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply the business concepts company related to tourism products and organisations in the different parts and activities of the sector.
  2. Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  3. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  4. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  5. Display a customer service orientation.
  6. Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  7. Identify and apply quality certification systems as a business strategy.
  8. Identify objectives and strategies of the different components of the tourism sector: travel agencies, tourist offices, organisation of conferences and other events, theme parks, etc.
  9. Manage human resources in tourism organisations.
  10. Propose creative alternative solutions to planning and management problems in departments, activities or services in new areas of the tourism sector and in special tourism entities and products.
  11. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  12. Work in a team.

Content

SECTION 1: AIR TRANSPORT

1.1. Air services and airlines

Introduction to air transport and current situation of the sector

Basic types of air services

Air carriers

Air alliances

Codeshare flights

Low cost companies

Air carriers banned in the European Union

The Schengen Agreement

1. 2. The airport and its facilities

AENA and ENAIRE

Landside area

Airside area

Hub airports

1.3. Air transport organizations, airport/airline codes and ICAO Phonetic Alphabet

Air transport organizations: ICAO, IATA, ALA, DGAC, EU

IATA and ICAO encodings: airports, airlines

Aeronautical/NATO phonetic alphabet

1.4. Main airplane manufacturers, commercial aircrafts and aeronautical vocabulary. The challenges for the air aviation industry

Main aircraft manufacturers

Aircraft models/types of aircraft most used in commercial aviation

Aeronautical vocabulary

1.5. Check-in and boarding process

Types of passengers and airline special services

Check-in data before starting the check-in process

Types of check-in counters

Check-in process: passenger identification, seat allocation and luggage check-in (excess baggage, special baggage, etc.)

Check-in material

Check-in closing

Boarding process: boarding preparation, boarding announcements, passenger acceptance, types of boarding and end of the boarding process

1.6. Ground Handling

Ground handling: passenger handling, ramp handling and operational handling

The aircraft turnaround

Ramp equipment: chocks, cones, GPU, air bridges, stairs, ...

Communications between the aircraft and the handling agents: the flightdispatcher and the Operations Department

Luggage loading and unloading: types of aircraft holds

Disembarking and boarding of passengers: types of boarding / disembarkation depending on the type of aircraft parking/stand. Buses and airbridges

Passenger assistance equipment: services to PRM

Aircraft cleaning service

Supplying fuel to aircraft

Aircraft catering services

Other airport services.

Assistance for the aircraft start-up

Different jobs at the airport

1.7. Flight Irregularities and Lost and Found

Passenger rights

Delayed flights

Overbooked flights

Flight cancellation

Lost and Found: lost luggage

SECTION 2: MARITIME AND RIVER TRANSPORT

2.1. Maritime and river transport. Offer

Introduction to maritime and river transport

Water transportation types

The scheduled liner services: most important lines & companies. Ferry tickets. Port procedures

Water charter transport: yacht charter and tourist cruises

Types of tourist cruises: river and ocean

Cruise industry analysis

The success of cruises. Factors

Cruise passenger profile: passenger profile

Main cruise shipping companies

Cruise routes and destinations

Cruise ships: types. Parts of a ship

Services aboard cruise ships

Advantages and disadvantages of the cruise industry

Bookings, boarding procedures and concepts related to the passenger

CLIA: Cruise Lines International Association

2.2. Maritime and river transport. Ports

Ports analysis and their infrastructure: parts of the port infrastructure. Main passenger ports

The different jobs in a port

SECTION 3: RAILWAY TRANSPORT

3.1. Rail transport and tourism

Rail transport: introduction

Railway companies and typesof services

Rail transport system: advantages and disadvantages

Tourist trains

High-speed trains: history, chronology, current situation, the AVE network

Other types of train travel: Interrail, Eurorail Pass, etc.

Combination of rail transport and other tourism services: the intermodal transportation

SECTION 4: ROAD TRANSPORT

4.1. Road transport

Introduction to road transportation

Road transport: advantages and disadvantages

Road networks

The vehicles: types and capacity of the coaches

Regular and occasional services

Road transport companies

Security regulation

Passengers rights

SECTION 5: DISTRIBUTION AND TOURISM

5.1. Tourist distribution

The tourist distribution and the e-commerce

The tourist distribution: definition and evolution

Main distribution channels/intermediaries.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theoretical classes 45 1.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 7, 8, 11, 10, 5, 6, 12
Type: Supervised      
Supervised activities and tutoring 20 0.8 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 10, 6, 12
Type: Autonomous      
Assignments preparation 46 1.84 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 10, 6, 12
Study 35 1.4 12

Teaching language: English.

The teaching method used is a combination of lectures and magistral classes, combined with a visit to Barcelona airport and a series of tutorials in small groups to work on different projects and articles/assignments the students will deliver throughout the course and present in class with a final gamification/stimulation.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Class attendance and participation 10% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 10, 12
Final exam 40% 3 0.12 1, 4, 8, 11, 10
Final project 40% 1 0.04 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 10, 5, 6, 12
Portfolio about transport articles 10% 0 0 1, 2, 4, 9, 7, 8, 11, 10, 6

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT:

Continuous assessment consists of:

a) The final exam, which will be 40% of the final grade and which will include the theoretical subject covered in the lectures and published in the Virtual Campus. The validation exam that has not obtained a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 will have to be repeated on the day of the final exam of the subject.

b) The submission of a final project proposed throughout the course and delivered within the deadline will be 40% of the final grade. This project must be deliverde and presented in class within the agreed date. The project that has not obtained a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 will have to be repeated (according to the teacher's notes/comments) and delivered again on the day of the final exam. Important note: partial or total plagiarism will mean the non-accreditation of the entire subject. 

c) The delivery of a portfolio that includes a weekly article about the type of transport being studied at that time (air, sea, rail, etc ..), as well as a brief summary of the article, using the student's own words. The portfolio must be delivered via Virtual Campus on the last day of class (validation exam date). This portfolio will be worth 10% of the final grade.

d) Class attendance and participation, together with transport supplier visits attendance, with the delivery of a brief report about them (10% of the final grade).

To pass the course students must get at least a grade of 5 out of 10 in the final grade.

SINGLE ASSESSMENT:

Instead of continuous assessment, students have the option to choose single assessment. This request must be made formally via the Academic Service Department within the established deadlines.

Single assessment consists of:

a) The final exam, which will be 50% of the final grade and which will include the theoretical subject covered in the lectures and published in the Virtual Campus. 

b) The submission of a final project proposed throughout the course and delivered within the deadline, which will be 50% of the final grade. This project must be delivered and presented in class within the agreed date (the same day as the final exam, once the final exam is finished). The project that has not obtained a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 will have to be repeated (according to the teacher's notes/comments) and delivered again on the retake exam date, provided that a minimum grade of 3.5 has been obtained in the final exam. Important note: partial or total plagiarism will mean the non-accreditation of the entire subject. 

A minimum of 5 points will be required in each items (final project and exam) to pass the subject.

RETAKE EXAM:

Students with a grade between 3.5 and 4.9 in the final exam (both continuous and single assessment students) will have the chance to retake the exam according to the academic activities calendar, which is reported in the students’ guide or on the school's website. 

 


Bibliography

The basic bibliography that is used for the study of this subject will be the following:

Suggested reading: 

  • Allroggen, F.; Wittman, M.; Malina, R. (2015). How air transport connects the world - A new metric of air connectivity and its evolution between 1990 and 2012. Transportation research. Part E, Logistics and transportation review. https://www-sciencedirect-com.are.uab.cat/science/article/pii/S1366554515001234
  • Blasco, A. (2015): Turismo y Transporte. Madrid: Ed. Síntesis.
  • Brida, J.G.; Chiappa, G.; Meleddu, M.; Pulina, M. (2014). A Comparison of Residents' Perceptions in Two Cruise Ports in the Mediterranean Sea: Cruise Tourism Development in Mediterranean Ports of Call. The international journal of tourism research. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.are.uab.cat/doi/full/10.1002/jtr.1915
  • Castrosín, N., Álava, María J. (2002): Descubrir las profesiones en la aeronáutica. Madrid. Ed. Centro de documentación y publicaciones de AENA.
  • Diaconu, L. (2012). The development of the low-cost carriers’ business models. Southwest airlines case study. Analele ştiinţifice ale Universităţii Al. I. Cuza din Iaşi. Secţiunea IIIc, Ştiinţe economice.
  • Dileep, M.R. (2019): Tourism, Transport and Travel Management. London: Ed. Routledge.
  • Dileep, M.R.; Kurien, A. (2021). Air Transport and Tourism Interrelationship, Operations and Strategies. Ed. Routledge.
  • Domingo, M. (2012): El handling aeroportuario, Madrid. Ed. Centro de documentación y publicaciones de AENA.
  • Inga Margrete Ydersbond, Niels Buus Kristensen, Harald Thune-Larsen, Trond Arild Ydersbond. How can aviation be decarbonized faster? An assessment of relevant short- and medium-term policy measures in a Nordic context, Journal of Air Transport Management, Volume 127, 2025, 102812, ISSN 0969-6997, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2025.102812. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969699725000754
  • Isidoro, A. (2004): Servicios aeroportuarios, Madrid. Ed. Fundación Aena.
  • Fletcher, J., Fyall, A. (2013): Tourism, principles and practice. Ed. Pearson.
  • Fletcher, R., Murray, I., Blanco, A. (2020): Tourism and Degrowth: Towards a Truly Sustainable Tourism. London: Ed. Routledge.
  • García Cebrián, R. y Olmos Juárez, L. (2016): Estructura del mercado turístico. Ed. Paraninfo.
  • Graham, A., Papatheodorou, A., Forsyth, P. (2008): Aviation and Tourism: Implications for Leisure Travel. London: Ed. Routledge.
  • Kholod, M.; Lyandau, Y.; Golubtsov, P.; Okunkova, E.; Mrochkovskiy, N. (2019). Traditional Versus Budget Airlines—Comparison of Tickets Costs and Demands on the European Air Transportation Market. Smart Transportation Systems. https://link-springer-com.are.uab.cat/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-8683-1_22
  • León, A., Romero, R. (2003): Logística del transporte marítimo: Manual de procesos para la gestión logística en el transporte marítimo y elentorno portuario. Barcelona. Ed. Marge Books.
  • López, R. (2004): Logística comercial. Madrid. Ed.Thomson-Paraninfo
  • Lumsdon, L.M., Page, S.J. (2003): Tourism and Transport. London: Ed. Routledge.
  • Lumsdon, L.M., Page, S.J. (2011): Tourism and transport: issues and agenda for the new millennium. London: Ed. Routledge.
  • Muñoz, A. (2005): Logística y Turismo. Madrid. Ediciones Díaz de Santos.
  • Panasiuk I.; Tertychna A. (2017). The Role of Budget Airlines in the Air Transport Market. Bìznes ìnform (Multilingual ed.). https://bibcercador.uab.cat/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_ff0b0b007d1d47f3adbcb275671f12dd&context=PC&vid=34CSUC_UAB:VU1&lang=ca&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Primo%20Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,budget%20airlines&offset=0
  • Pellejero Martínez, Carmelo; García Gómez, José Joaquín (2022). Historia económica del turismo en España (1820-2020): de los viajeros románticos al pasaporte COVID. Pirámide.
  • Ruiz, J.A., Gaitan, J., Morato, J.L., (2005): Logística comercial. Madrid. Ed. McGrawn Hill.
  • Ruiz, J.M.,(2006): Transporte por carretera. Barcelona. Ed. Marge Books.
  • Sebastian Wandelt, Henk Blom, Marius Magnus Krömer, Daochun Li, Mihaela Mitici, Tim Ryley, Eike Stumpf, Kun Wang, Bin Yang, Massimiliano Zanin, Xiaoqian Sun. DESIGN and be SMART: Eleven engineering challenges to achieve sustainable air transportation under safety assurance in the year 2050, Journal of the Air Transport Research Society, Volume 4, 2025, 100045, ISSN 2941-198X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jatrs.2024.100045 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2941198X24000563
  • Sebastian Wandelt, Yahua Zhang, Xiaoqian Sun. Sustainable aviation fuels: A meta-review of surveys and key challenges. Journal of the Air Transport Research Society, Volume 4, 2025, 100056, ISSN 2941-198X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jatrs.2024.100056. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2941198X24000678
  • Timón, A., Jesús, A. (2009): Infraestructuras ferroviarias. Valencia. Ed. Padilla
  • Vayá, E; García, J.R.; Murillo, J.; Romaní, J.; Suriñach, J. (2016). Economic impact of cruise activity: the port of Barcelona. Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP). https://ddd.uab.cat/record/201405.
  • Vidal, O. (2008): Las Alas de España: Iberia, Líneas Aéreas (1940-2005). Ed. Publicacions De La Universitat De València.
  • Vila, C. (2004): Logística de la carga aérea. Barcelona. Ed. Marge Books.
  • VV.AA. (2007): Gestión de unidades de información y distribución turística. Vigo. Ed. Ideaspropias.

Magazines/newsletters to subscribe in order to be up to date with the sector news: 


Software

Moodle/Virtual Campus will be used for the correct monitoring and assessment of the subject. The student will need to use Word processors and programs to prepare presentations (such as PowerPoint/Canva/Genially).


Groups and Languages

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 English annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 English annual morning-mixed