Tourism and Economic Geography
Code: 103749Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Management | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Esteve Dot Jutglà
- Email :
- esteve.dot@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites.
Objectives
At the end of the course, the student should:
1. Understand the tourism phenomenon from a spatial and evolutionary point of view.
2. Know the tourism resources and the factors influencing tourist location within the territory.
3. Know the historical evolution of tourism activities and the characteristics of the main types of tourist attractions.
4. Develop some basic models applied in specific case studies to understand patterns of location of tourist activities.
5. Analyze what is the impact on tourism destinations, stimulating in students their critical and analytical capacity to identify these impacts.
6. To work on the concepts of sustainability and sustainable tourism.
7. Know the instruments of planning and management of tourist destinations.
8. Know and differentiate the main national and international tourist flows and destinations.
9. Demonstrate achieving a minimal knowledge of world, Spanish and Catalan geography.
Learning outcomes
- Develop a capacity for independent learning.
- Manage communication techniques at all levels.
- Demonstrate responsible behaviour towards the environmental, social and cultural surroundings.
- Manage and organise time.
- Work in teams.
- Plan and manage activities based on quality and sustainability.
- Plan, organise and coordinate work teams creating synergies and knowing how to put yourself in the place of others when negotiating and managing conflicts.
- Identify the basic principles of the hotel and catering industry from a geographical viewpoint.
- Identify elements of the tourism geography of the world, and also the main regional, patrimonial and cultural resources related to tourism.
Contents
1. Introduction: tourism and tourist territory
1.1. Tourism and tourism system
1.2. The factors of location of tourist activities
1.3. Resources and tourist offer
1.4. Historical development of tourism
2. Geography of destinations and tourist areas
2.1. Main regions and worldwide tourist destinations
2.2. Tourism in Spain and Catalonia
2.3. The diversity of tourist areas: coastal, urban, rural and mountain
3. Modelling the location of tourism activities in the territory
3.1. The Network Theory: connectivity and accessibility between places.
3.2. The Population Potential Model and other interaction models for the delimitation of areas of influence
3.3. The creation of tourist clusters
4. Tourism and sustainability
4.1. Impacts of tourism
4.2. Tourist destinations and sustainability
4.3. Instruments of urban planning
4.4. Tourism planning: Spatial Planning in Catalonia and other areas. Sectorial Plans
4.5. The management of tourist destinations
4.6. Environmental protected natural areas
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 45 | 1.8 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Theoretical class | 28 | 1.12 | 3, 8, 9 |
| Study and readings | 56 | 2.24 | 1, 8, 9 |
| Classroom activities | 16 | 0.64 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Tutorials | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
The course has three operating tools:
a) Methodology for the Theoretical Section
In class lectures during eleven weeks. The classes will have visual support (Power Point presentations).
b) Methodology for Practical Section
The subject has a practical part to relate it to the theoretical part.
On one band, it is proposed to carry out two obligatory practical projects. These will be held in groups and outside of class hours, except the oral presentation. The practices include the realisation of a document in paper or digital format for the evaluation.
On another hand, it is proposed to carry out 6 obligatory practical exercises. These will be done in person, individually, during class hours. The exercises include the realisation of a document in digital format for evaluation.
c) The Virtual Campus
Campus Virtual platform will be used to complement information and alternative means of communication between students and teacher. In the Virtual Campus it will be complementary material in digital format, covering theory, course syllabus, as well as the information on the assignments.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second partial exam | 25% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 |
| Practical projects | 30% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| First partial exam | 25% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 |
| Practical exercises | 20% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 |
A) CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
The evaluation of this course consists of the following system:
a) Two partial exams, covering course material, 50% of the final grade.
b) Two practical projects (it includes oral presentations) submitted within the deadline, 30% of the final grade.
c) The completion of six practical exercises projects submitted within the deadline, 20% of the final grade.
In order to have a final mark, students must obtain (in all the activities included in "a" and "b") at least 4 out of 10 points. In part "c" an average of the set of activities is calculated, and a minimum of 4 out of 10 must also be obtained.
Participation in classroom activities will be positively valued, adding half a point to the final mark.
B) SINGLE ASSESSMENT
It includes the final exam (all content).
Date and time established by the academic calendar in the Official Programming Centre (EUTDH).
The evaluation of the subject has the REASSESSMENT to recover the Continuous Assessment (those students who have not passed it) or the Single Assessment (those students who have obtained a minimum of 3.5 on the Final exam).
The grade for the subject will be NOT EVALUABLE when the student attends less than half of the assessment activities and/or does not attend the final exam.
In any case the evaluation will be in English only.
Bibliography
- AMATULLI, C. et al. (2021). The appeal of sustainability in luxury hospitality: An investigation of the role perceived integrity. Tourism Management, 83, 104228.
- BLANCO, A. et al. (2021). Diccionario de Turismo. Madrid: Ed. Cátedra.
- BLASCO, A. (2006). Tipologías turísticas. Girona: Xarxa d’Escoles de Turisme.
- DONAIRE, J. A. & POCH, M. (Eds.). (2024). Un nou turisme per a un nou escenari. Institut d'Estudis de l'Autogovern.
- GENERALITAT DE CATALUNYA (2009). Atles del turisme a Catalunya. Barcelona: Direcció General de Turisme (consultable a: www.atlesturismecatalunya.cat).
- LÓPEZ, F., VERA, J. F., TORRES, A. & IVARS, J. A. (2022). El turismo, ¿fin de época? Desafíos de España como destino turístico en un nuevo escenario. Publicacions de la Universitat de València.
- NELSON, V. (2021). An Introduction to the Geography of Tourism. Rownan & Littlefield: Lanham.
- PRIESTLEY, G.K. & LLURDÉS, J.C. (dirs.) (2007). Estrategia y gestión del turismo en el municipio. Bellaterra: Servei de Publicacions de la UAB.
- PEREIRA, V. et al. (2021). Sustainability Practices in Hospitality: Case Study of a Luxury Hotel in Arrábida Natural Park. Sustainability 13, 3164.
- RICHARDS, G. (2025). Cultural Tourism: An Integrative Review. Tourism & Management Studies, 21(4), 19-31.
- ROMAGOSA, F. (2020). The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable and proximity tourism. Tourism Geographies, 22(3), 690-694.
- ROMAGOSA, F., DOT, E., MLAKAR, A. & GORENAK, M. (2025). Sustainability in European luxury tourism companies: An analysis of practices and managerial perspectives. Tourism Review, 80(2), 497-512.
- Sharpley, R. & Telfer, D. J. (2023). Rethinking tourism and development. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- TIMOTHY, D. J. (2021). Cultural Heritage and Tourism. Channel View Publications.
- VERA, J.F. et al. (2011). Análisis territorial del turismo y planificación de destinos turísticos. València: Ed. Tirant Lo Blanch.
- WILLIAMS S. & LEW A.A. (2015). Tourism Geography: Critical Understandings of Place, Space and Experience. London & New York: Routledge.
Software
There isn't.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |