Course Code:BRL370
Level: Bachelor
Prerequisites: None
Lecturer: Truls Engstrøm, Principal coordinator
Asa Grahn, Course teacher
Duration: One semester
Term: Autumn 2008
ECTS credits: 10
Language: English
Educational methods: Lectures, discussions, case studies and projects + a mandatory field trip.
Objectives:
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
* define and discuss the nature and scope of special interest tourism and how it relates to global tourism trends
* analyse the styles of the products being developed to accommodate the requirements of the demand for tourism experiences which satisfy particular needs
* understand the management styles the special interest tourism sector requires
Contents:
This unit examines the complexities of the special interest tourism sector. As travel markets become more sophisticated, travellers seek more authentic experiences for their leisure, pleasure and recreation. The unit examines some of the ways in which the growing demand is being met, the nature of activities designed to satisfy these expectations and the variety of locations in which this is happening. The course begins with an overview of changing market expectations. Six specific niche areas are examined in detail. Adventure Tourism, Seniors'tourism, indigenous tourism, health tourism, cruise tourism and Sports tourism are the focus areas of the unit although other specialist areas are discussed in class.
Assessment:
Midterm exam, 2 hours, 20%
Paper, 50%
Final exam, 2 hours, 30%
Literature:
Novelli, M. (2005) Niche tourism - contemporary issues, trends and cases Elsevier, Oxford ISBN 0-750-6613-3-X, 264pp
Trauer, B. (2006) Conceptualizing special interest tourism-frameworks for analysis Tourism Management, Volume 27, Issue 2, Pages 183-200
Buckley,R. (2007) Adventure tourism products: Price, duration, size, skill, remoteness. Tourism Management, Volume 28, Issue 6, Pages 1428-1433
Walle, A. H. (2007) Pursuing risk or insight : Marketing Adventures
Annals of Tourism Research, Volume 24, Issue 2, Pages 265-282
Bentley, T. A. & Page, S. J. (2001) Scoping the extent of adventure tourism accidents Annals of Tourism Research, Volume 28, Issue 3, 2001, Pages 705-726
Strange, C. & Kempa, M. (2003) Shades of dark tourism: Alcatraz and Robben Island Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 30, Iss.2, P 386-405
Recommended Reading
Douglas,. N., Douglas, N. and Derrett R. (2001). Special Interest Tourism: context and cases, John Wiley, Brisbane. Selected chapters
Special interest tourism : Edited by Betty Weiler and Colin Michael Hall. Belhaven Press: London ISBN 1 85293 072 1, 1992, 214 pages Selected chapters
