Module Details

Module Code: TOUR7016
Title: Sustainable Tourism Marketing
Long Title: Sustainable Tourism Marketing
NFQ Level: Intermediate
Valid From: Semester 1 - 2024/25 ( September 2024 )
Duration: 1 Semester
Credits: 5
Field of Study: 8120 - Tourism
Module Delivered in: no programmes
Module Description: The aim of this module is to provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, theory and practice of sustainable tourism services marketing & sustainable destination marketing and it's application within a sustainable tourism business environment.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Explain the concepts of Sustainable, Responsible and Social marketing in the context of both Tourism Services Operations and Tourist Destinations and develop critical awareness of the issues and challenges facing the marketing function in both.
LO2 Identify the importance of managing contact personnel in responsible tourist service organisations as part of the service encounter.
LO3 Examine the changing nature of consumer behaviour towards sustainability and responsible tourism and develop target markets and marketing strategies that appeal to these consumers.
LO4 Evaluate the importance of collaboration and cooperation strategies with various stakeholders, including local communities, governments, NGO’s and industry partners to engage and communicate effectively to promote responsible tourism.
LO5 Evaluate the role of responsible tourism certifications and standards as a tool in marketing tourism operations and destinations.
LO6 Explain the concept of service quality, the 'gaps model' and identify marketing solutions to minimise these gaps in sustainable tourism operations.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is strongly recommended before enrolment in this module. You may enrol in this module if you have not acquired the recommended learning but you will have considerable difficulty in passing (i.e. achieving the learning outcomes of) the module. While the prior learning is expressed as named MTU module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module. You may not earn additional credit for the same learning and therefore you may not enrol in this module if you have successfully completed any modules in the incompatible list.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.
No requirements listed
 
Indicative Content
Introduction to Sustainable Tourism Marketing, Responsible Tourism, Social Marketing Concepts and Tourism Services Marketing
Differentiate the concepts of Sustainable marketing, social marketing and responsible tourism and how these apply to the marketing of a tourism service operation and tourist destinations. The distinctive characteristics of tourism services marketing. The 10’Ps of sustainable tourism marketing. The issues and challenges facing the marketing function in both tourism services operations and tourist destinations.
The Employees Role in Sustainable Tourist Service Delivery
The critical importance of tourism service employees and managing contact personnel in sustainable tourism operations. Sources of stress for service employees and strategies for alleviating these stresses. The cycles of failure, mediocrity and success and their implications for human resource policy in sustainable tourism service organisations. Strategies for reversing the cycle of failure. Using the concepts of empowerment and enfranchisement in tourism service operations.
Responsible Tourist Consumer Behaviour
Understanding the consumer evaluation process and the various models of consumer decision making process. Challenges and opportunities for changing tourist behaviour to responsible and sustainable tourist behaviour. Building customer loyalty and devising strategies for retaining customers and gaining customer satisfaction in a sustainable tourism service operation.
Cooperation & Collaboration in Sustainable Tourism Marketing
Cooperative strategies in Tourism & Destination Marketing. Cooperating to compete. Cooperation with key stakeholders - competitors, government agencies, communities. National, Regional and local marketing. Cross-sector marketing opportunities. DMO’s role in fostering cooperation amongst stakeholders. Community initiatives.
Sustainable Tourism Marketing Communications
The role of communications in sustainable tourism marketing. Rules for communicating sustainability. Communicating with the responsible tourist - greenwashing and the seven sins of greenwashing. Green-hushing and the deliberate under-communicating of green messages. How to avoid greenwashing.
Certifications and Standards
Role of Certifications such as Fairtrade Tourism, Sustainable Travel Ireland, Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index etc in the marketing and communication of tourism operations and destinations.
Travel Responsibly
Marketing the sustainable tourism & travel product - Educating visitors, visitor dispersal programs, destination marketing & management initiatives, managing visitor capacity at destinations, visitor care programs and public relations.
Service Quality
Understanding the GAPS model in a tourism operation – Identification and minimising the gaps. Measuring service quality and the SERQUAL instrument.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework40.00%
End of Module Formal Examination60.00%

Assessments

Coursework
Assessment Type Short Answer Questions % of Total Mark 20
Timing Week 6 Learning Outcomes 1,2,3
Assessment Description
Short Answer questions on theory studied in class.
Assessment Type Written Report % of Total Mark 20
Timing Week 11 Learning Outcomes 1,3,4,5
Assessment Description
An individual comparative report on the communication messages between any two tourism operations or two tourist destinations with one business/destination showing evidence of greenwashing and the other following responsible communication practices. Word count –1, 500 - 2,000.
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Formal Exam % of Total Mark 60
Timing End-of-Semester Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6
Assessment Description
End of Semester Exam
Reassessment Requirement
Repeat examination
Reassessment of this module will consist of a repeat examination. It is possible that there will also be a requirement to be reassessed in a coursework element.

The University reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact In class lectures Every Week 4.00 4
Independent Learning Non Contact Self directed learning Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact In class lectures Every Week 4.00 4
Independent Learning Non Contact Self directed Learning Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • Xavier Font,Scott McCabe. (2021), Marketing for Sustainable Tourism, 1st. Routledge, p.198, [ISBN: 9780367529796].
  • Manning et al. (2020), Selling Today: Partnering to create value, 14th. Pearson Education, [ISBN: 9780136879084].
  • Harold Goodwin. (2016), Responsible Tourism - Using Tourism for Sustainable Development, 2nd. Goodfellow Publishers Limited, Oxford, UK, p.302, [ISBN: 978191015884].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • Alaistair M. Morrisson. (2022), Tourism Marketing: In the age of the Consumer, First Edition. Routledge, UK, p.784, [ISBN: 9780415726368].
  • Marko Koščak,Tony O'Rourke. (2023), Ethical and Responsible Tourism - Managing Sustainability in Local Tourism Destinations, 2nd. Routledge, UK, [ISBN: 9781003358688].
  • Jishnu Bhattacharyya et al. (2021), Social and Sustainability Marketing: A Casebook for Reaching your Socially Responsible Consumers through Marketing Science, First Edition. Routledge, Routledge, p.900, [ISBN: 9780367553630].
  • Susan L. Slocum, Abena Aidoo, & Kelly Mc Mahon. (2020), The Business of Sustainable Tourism, Ist. Routledge, London & New York.
  • Marko Koscak and Tony O' Rourke. (2022), Ethical and Responsible Tourism: Managing Sustainability in Local Tourism Destinations, First Edition. Routledge, UK, [ISBN: 9780367191467].
  • Steven Pike. (2021), Destination Marketing Essentials, 3rd. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, UK, p.324, [ISBN: 9780367469542].
  • David L. Edgell. (2020), Managing Sustainable Tourism, 3rd. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, UK, p.290, [ISBN: 9780367331382].
  • David A. Fennell and Chris Cooper. (2020), Sustainable Tourism - Principles, Contexts and Practices, 1st Ed. Channel View Publications, Bristol, UK, [ISBN: 13978-1-8454].
  • Bert Smit,Frans Melissen. (2018), Sustainable Customer Experience Design Co- Creating Experiences in Events, Tourism and Hosipitality., Routledge, London & New York, [ISBN: 978113865855-4].
Supplementary Article/Paper Resources
  • Roger Wehrli, Julianna Priskin, Sascha Demarmels, Sonja Kolberg, Dorothea Schaff ner, Jürg Schwarz, Fred Truniger, Jürg Stettler. (2013), How to Communicate Sustainable Tourism Products Effectively to Consumers, World Tourism Forum in Lucerne.
  • Outreach. (2019), The #Talking Climate Handbook. How to have conversations about Climate Change in your daily life.
  • Intrepid Travel. (2020), 10 step guide to Decarbonising your business.
  • UNESCO World Heritage. Sustainable Tourism Online Toolkit – Guide 5 – communicating with Visitors and Guide 8 – Managing Visitor behaviour,
    https://whc.unesco.org/en/tourismtoolkit
  • UNWTO-UNEP. (2005), Making Tourism More Sustainable – A Guide for Policy Makers, [ISSN: 928072507].
  • Science Direct, Elsevier. Annals of Tourism Research.
  • Routledge. Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
  • Science Direct, Elsevier. Tourism Management.
Other Resources