Host - Guest Encounters (BRL303)

Content

Tourism is concerned with people traveling and with human relations, covering the many activities and expectations of tourists. This course takes a closer look at the significance of roles and relations in tourism, about understanding visitors, hosts, and employees in tourism enterprises and at destinations.

The role as guest or tourist is a complex phenomenon that can be understood in different ways, such as in mass tourism and individually based travel. At the same time, roles can be misunderstood in ways that lead to stereotypes and prejudice among both tourists and hosts. In a similar manner, the roles of hosts and service workers can be implemented in different ways, where there also is a risk of misunderstanding and a breach of integrity. Here empowerment is a keyword for managing role solutions. This calls for responsible leadership and entails that the tourism industry must take the needs of individuals seriously.

Tourists, host populations, and tourism practitioners engage in social contexts that need to be examined. This concerns such issues as cultural and social understanding, experience offers, and the adaptation of experiences to visitors. The participation of people in tourism contexts will be examined along with their relationships and treatment. This includes issues such as responsible hosting, sustainability and innovation in the implementation of visitor services. The course will make a holistic and reflective contribution to the understanding of host-guest relations in tourism.

Learning outcome

Upon completion of the course, the candidate shall have the following knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

•  The candidate will have a broad knowledge of central topics, theory, research tools, and methods relating to host-guest encounters in tourism
•  The candidate will know about research into forms and variations of host-guest encounters
•  The candidate will have updated knowledge of the performance of host-guest encounters
•  The candidate will have knowledge of responsible and sustainable host-guest relations in tourism
• The candidate will have knowledge of the scholarly history of host-guest encounters and their significance for tourism management

Skills:

•  The candidate will be able to employ knowledge of host-guest encounters in tourism management
•  The candidate will be able to reflect on host-guest encounters and service relations
•  The candidate will be able to find, evaluate and refer to scholarly information relating to host-guest encounters
•  The candidate will master relevant scholarly tools, techniques, and expressions relating to host-guest encounters
•  The candidate will be inspired to work with people in tourism settings

Competence:

•  The candidate will have insight into relevant scholarly and professional ethical issues relating to host-guest encounters
•  The candidate will be able to plan and implement varied tasks and projects over time, individually and in groups, on matters dealing with host-guest encounters, according to ethical guidelines
• The candidate can exchange views and experiences with other practitioners in the field relating to host-guest encounters
• The candidate will have knowledge of innovations and developments in the field, and have an up-to-date and interactive view of human relations in tourism

Required prerequisite knowledge

Recommended prerequisites

Exam

Method of work

Practice

Open for

Elective course for bachelor in Tourism Management, and Bachelor in Hotel Management.

Open for incoming exchange students.

Course assessment

Literature