Course planning

According to the objectives of the Masters in Tourism Destination Management programme, interaction between theory and practice is crucial in this master course. The curriculum is subdivided into 3 phases, in which the phase in Breda is considered to be the preparation for the second phase that will take place on three different types of tourism destinations. The first phase will be a mixture of theory and practice. During the second phase students will work in international student resewinarch teams. This second phase has a focus on the tourism practice under different circumstances. In the final phase the Dissertation is written in which practice and theory should be brought together and in which is strived towards new insights, theories or generalisations.

Phase 1: Breda

During the first phase the students work on gaining theoretical knowledge, insight and skills. This enables them to analyze effectively and efficiently current situations and assess the available potential for future tourism developments within international tourism destinations. The main units in this phase are clustered in the following order:

1. Destination specific tourism subjects focusing on theoretical knowledge and tourism practice:

· Destination Stakeholder Analysis
· Destination Cultural Analysis
· Destination Development Strategies
· Tourism Destination Finance

· Tourism Destination Marketing

2. General context related subjects with a focus on knowledge and actual issues

· International Tourism Context

· International Project Management

· International Tourism Research

(Information on the contentc of each subject can be found here.)

Programme Schedule

PHASE 1: TAUGHT COURSES: 16 WEEKS, 24 ECTS

Phase 2: Fieldwork

Background

Students will carry out assignments at three different locations in the Asia Pacific. These assignments are written by the staff in co-operation with stakeholders involved in developments of and at tourist destinations in the Asia Pacific.

The Asia Pacific has been selected because of the great familiarity of the staff with the area as well as the many contacts with businesses, governmental institutions and academies, the familiarity with developments, dynamics and the different phases of developments of markets and economies, the many variations in culture and the ever changing combinations of western and eastern influences.

Aims

Goal of PHASE 2 is to put the knowledge learned and skills of PHASE 1 into the research, consultancy and management practice.

• To learn to observe and analyze from different points of view and perspectives of different actors at different destinations.
• To learn to reflect on facts and opinions based on a variety of often incomplete sets of information.
• To learn to report considering the findings and conclusions.
• To learn to advice considering future changes that might influence destinations.

Contents

In phase 2 of the programme students will visit 3 kinds of tourist destinations where they will carry out assignments and will do research from the perspectives of three different kinds of stakeholders.

Kinds of research destinations / locations

1. Areas with a partly typical tourist character (Tourism Areas)

2. Larger cities or urban areas with a certain tourism development (City Areas)

3. Rural areas with limited but existing tourism developments (Rural ‘Developing’ Areas)

These three kinds of areas can be found in many different phases of development in the Asia Pacific area.

Three different kinds of stakeholders

In the specific tourism setting we will work with a subdivision of stakeholders based on larger and smaller parties involved and the not directly involved parties.

1. Large Tourism Companies (LTC)

2. Small and Medium Sized Enterprises In Tourism (SME)

3. Other Tourism Organisations (OTO), like governments at different levels, population, representing bodies, heritage sites and nature.

Category 1 represents a highly professional sector usually with considerable investments and many kinds of national and international investors and numerous management situations. Often these are larger companies considering turnover, pax, beds and investments. They also represent a considerable share in the total labour force in tourism.

Category 2 represents the direct and indirect sectors and businesses that forms, supports and supplies the total scope of the tourism sector.

Category 3 represents the setting of tourism: people who work and live in destinations, the governments on different levels that are confronted with and react -or not- to developments or impacts, and also the segments of the economy where tourism makes use of.

In the three categories of the master in tourism management mentioned above, the following generally used social sectors, to a greater or lesser extent, play a role:

• Public sector (local and national level)
• Semi-Governmental institutions
• Private stakeholders: Multinationals and small & medium size enterprises
• Multilateral institutions
• Non-governmental institutions
• Local population

Students will depart to three different destinations with distinct characteristics, to be selected from the list above: a Tourism Area, a City Area, and a Rural Area. All students will go to a destination simultaneously.

Phase 3: Dissertation

The dissertation is an independent and individual process. While producing a dissertation you demonstrate your ability to do research and understand a topic of your choice in the field of your preceding education in and outside NHTV. This challenge, when undertaken thoroughly, can be a difficult but a very rewarding one as well. Careful thought should go into the selection of a topic to ensure that it is both appropriate and feasible.

The collection of data, research and analysis of information, the interpretation and presentation of your work are all involved in the process of writing a dissertation. It is required to demonstrate critical analysis and evaluation. The dissertation has to use concepts and insights as well as practical abilities to develop a better understanding of the subject.

In principle the dissertation subject should be a topic or an issue in an international tourism context. The dissertation should be written in English, unless another language is really more appropriate.

Guest lectures

The following list is an overview of the guest lectures that compliment the course curriculum during phase 1 in Breda.

Brian Wheeller

Brian Wheeller is Visiting Professor of Tourism at NHTV, Breda and currently holds honorary tourism research posts at four UK universities. He has degrees in Economics, in Applied Economics, in the Economic Impacts of Tourism, and in American Literature. His doctorate is in Critiquing Eco/Ego/Sustainable Tourism, a subject he has published extensively on over the years.

Topic of lectures: Eco-ego tourism and elvis- destination development

Bert van Walbeek

He is director of TWE Winning Edge in Bangkok (Thailand). Bert “Bow-Thai” van Walbeek has been an Hotelier for 40 years and Marketer of Tourism for 30 years, a Motivator and a Master of Disaster since 20 years and a lecturer for 15 years. After completing the Hotelschool in The Hague, the first part of his career was accomplished in Europe working in operational and later sales and then marketing positions in Hilton, Inter-Continental, Canadian Pacific and Sheraton Hotels around Europe.

Topic of the lecture: Crisis management and response in Asia

David Airey

Professor Airey began his academic career at the University of Surrey in 1975-1985. After 8 years with Government Ministry responsible for tourism education, and 3 years with European Commission, he returned to Surrey in 1997 as Professor of Tourism Management. Professor Airey served as Head of School from 2000-2002 and was appointed University Pro- Vice Chancellor in 2001. In 2004 he was awarded the EuroChrie President’s award for outstanding achievement and in 2006 was recipient of the Ulysses award from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation for his work in tourism education. General Research Interests: Tourism education; tourism policy and organisation; economic aspects of tourism.

Topic of the lecture: Tourism Stakeholders cooperation in destinations

Douwe Cramer

Lecturer at NHTV’s Academy for Hotel and Facility management. Former hotel director with more than 35 years of experience in marketing, operational leadership and economic management in various hotels like: Royal Windsor Hotel, Brussels, Belgium, J.W.Marriott Hotel, Dubai, London Marriott Hotel, Atlanta Marriott Hotel, Amsterdam Hilton Hotel, Royal Swazihotel and Casino, Swaziland, South Africa. Specialised in opening and take-over’s of hotels.

Topic of the lecture: Management Issues of International Hotel Chains

Elke Ennen

Besides her position as Associate Professor and lecturer at NHTV Breda, she is working as senior advisor hereditary land planning at ADC Heritage. Until 2006 she was lecturer urban and rural planning at the University of Utrecht.
Author of the book: Commitment, experiences and temptations. Movements in research within the domain of Visitor Management. NHTV Academic Studies No. 3, Breda.

Herman Mensink

Lector Business Travel Management at NHTV. After finishing his NIMA-study, Herman Mensink (1952) became in 1977 marketing manager for the Businessgroup Lighting of Philips Electronics. In 1993 he became the director of Philips Travel Agency and director of worldwide corporate travel. Mensink was for years member of the Board of Directors of ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) and became in 1999 Director of Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) for this organisation.

Topic of the lecture: Airline and Airport Industry: A comparison between Europe and Asia

Irena Ateljevic

PhD of Department of Geography, The University of Auckland, New Zealand Thesis: Circuits of Tourism: (Re)Producing Place of Rotorua, New Zealand

MSc in Economics Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb, Croatia Special Fields: Marketing; Promotional Activities in Tourism Thesis: The role of tourism promotion in directing and increasing tourist consumption: Case study of Opatija, Yugoslavia. BSc in Economics Faculty of Hotel Management in Opatija, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
Special Field: Hospitality Industry and Hotel Management

Topic of the lecture: Global-Local Nexus and tourism destination development in Asia

Marilyn McDonald

Marilyn McDonald, Ed.D., CHE, is director of public information for the HRM and the AHRRC. Her focus is on marketing and relationship-nurturing. McDonald works with many HRM stakeholders, including students, HRM alumni, faculty, recruiters, clients, and the media. She “tells the stories” of HRM through news releases, articles, publication design, and presentations, and at tradeshows.

Topic of the lecture: Issues Surrounding Native American Tourism and Casinos

Olaf Hermans

Holding a Master of Science Degree in Business Economics from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) Olaf previously served as marketing manager in the Walibi group of amusement parks (Brussels) and presided the executive committee of Dema Hotels International (Antwerp). He is lecturer in Customer Relationship Management and Strategic Management at the Academy of Hotel Management of NHTV and at the International Institute of Concierge Service in Paris (France).
Because of his insights and his innovative, energetic and provocative style he has contributed to many publications and often speaks on professional hospitality forums.

Topic of the lecture: Customer Equity Performance

Paul Peeters

Ing. Paul Peeters is Associate Professor at the Academy for Tourism of NHTV Breda and coordinator of the NHTV Centre for Sustainable Tourism and Transport. His work is focussed on the impact of tourism transport on climate change.
Editor of the book: Tourism and Climate Change Mitigation. Methods, greenhouse gas reductions and policies.

Topic of the lecture: Tourism, Climate change, globalisation and sustainable development

Richard Butler

Professor Richard Butler has published manyfold in tourism journals, and produced several books on tourism and many chapters in other books. Best known is his model of the Tourism Area Life Cycle.
His main fields of interest are the development process of tourist destinations and the subsequent impacts of tourism, issues of carrying capacity and sustainability, and tourism in remote areas and islands.

Topic of the lecture: Tourism Area Life Cycle

Robert Govers

Robert Govers is a lecturer of Marketing and Strategy at the University of Leuven, Belgium. He specializes in the field of tourism, hospitality and quality management, e-commerce in tourism and tourism research and marketing. Dr. Govers is also a project manager and is involved in many consultancy projects for organisations such as IATA, EU & Dutch/Belgium governmental departments. Recently he served as Research Coordinator at the Flemish Center for Tourism Policy Studies. Prior to this, Dr. Govers worked as a senior lecturer in tourism and marketing in Dubai. He worked on a research project titled Virtual Tourism Destination Image: Global identities constructed, perceived and experienced.

Topic of lecture: Perceived and actual consumer image of a destination, the case of Dubai

Robert Schroder

Senior policy advisor European affairs at VEWIN-UvW, Brussels Area, Belgium. Former policy staff member at the European Parliament on the International Affairs industry. Robert Schroder is a former student the International Tourism Management & Consultancy course of NHTV’s Academy for Tourism (graduated in 1998).

Topic of the lecture: Role of lobbyists in EU policy and decision making processes

Sietske Gras

Mrs Sietske Gras-Dijkstra has been part of the Strategic Center of Internationalisation since 1 March 2006, as NHTV’s representative of UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics. Mrs Sietske Gras-Dijkstra is a member of the WCTE, representing the educational institutions.

Topic of the lecture: UN WTO Global code of tourism ethics: theory and practice

Ton van Egmond

Lector sustainable tourism management at NHTV.
Ton van Egmond got his PhD, based upon the thesis Understanding the Tourist Phenomenon. An Analysis of ‘West’ – ‘South’ Tourism. Towards Sustainable Tourism Development Strategies for Third World Tourism Destinations. He did a lot of tourism training and consultancy in Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia), Latin America (Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador) and Africa (Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, including Zanzibar). In 1999 and 2000 he founded a Macao-Europe Centre for Advanced Tourism Studies (Me-cats) with the Institute of Tourism Education in Macao, China, and the Hotelschool The Hague.

Topic of the lecture: Recent Consumer trends in Asian tourism markets