GEOGRAFIA DELLE DESTINAZIONI TURISTICHE

Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: DONATELLA STEFANIA PRIVITERA

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to make students acquire basic knowledge of economic geography, with insights into the tourism sector. The training is aimed at transmitting the basic structures (logical and methodological) as well as offering a knowledge of the main territorial, demographic, economic and social aspects in which the territory is articulated; to be able to use a mainly explanatory-applicative-scientific level of study; to transmit the concepts of theoretical, spatial, organizational and managerial interpretations of national and international tourist destinations.

Course Structure

The course include lectures, working groups, in-depth seminars held by professional and academic figures, mid-term reviews and field application investigations such as visits to local area locations, and meetings with practitioners. If, due to contiguous problems, the teaching is given in a blended or distance mode, necessary variations from what is stated may be introduced.

Required Prerequisites

A basic knowledge of physical geography is required with advisable attendance of the zero course "The World and Its Countries" (lectures available at the beginning of the first didactic semester), and in-depth knowledge of elements of economics. Also required is an ability to make interdisciplinary connections particularly with acquired knowledge of economics and sociology disciplines, with adequate technical linguistic expression regarding knowledge.

Attendance of Lessons

Optional

Detailed Course Content

The course includes a theoretical-methodological manual part and a monographic part referring to the specific themes of geography applied to tourism. In particular, the course mainly develops topics related to economic geography, deepening the relationship between economic development and geographical space, in a global perspective of study of the territory deepening the study of activities within the destinations. In particular analysis of key concepts related to the analysis of geo-economic space, sustainability (environmental, social, economic and institutional), environment, territorial areas, regions and networks; environmental resources and ecosystems. The distribution of the population; the culture and mobility of individuals. Geoeconomic space and location. The local systems of production and innovation. Economic development policies and transnational networks. Cities, agglomerations and urban systems. The relationship between tourism and territorial development; globalization; the guidelines of tourism; the geographical factors of tourist location; diversity, types and policy of tourist spaces. Tourism, the tourist in and his preferences vs destinations; main types and geographies of spaces and tourist destinations. Case studies of types of tourism (e.g. selfie tourism, food and wine tourism, sex tourism, etc.). Seminars with case analysis of tourist destinations, use and visualization of educational videos; working groups for the application study of the territory and visits to tourism operators.

Textbook Information

For Erasmus students and foreigners it is' possible to agree an alternative program in English. Really foreign students can choose a written test in English.
English text: Stephen Williams, Alan A. Lew, Tourism Geography: Critical Understandings of Place, Space and Experience (3rd Edition), Routledge, New York, 2014, ISBN-13: 978-0415854443

Articles and chapters Useful available on stadium e.g.

-Privitera D. (2025) Climate change and food tourism: insight from the Sicilian context, in Fusté-Forné F., Wolf E. (eds), Food and Beverage Tourism on Islands, Edward Elgar Publishing.

Author	Title	Publisher	Year
Bagnoli Lorenzo	Manuale di geografia del turismo.Dal grand Tour al COVID	Utet Torino	2022
Dell'Agnese Elena	Bon Voyage. Per una geografia critica del turismo	UTET	2018
Articoli e materiale aggiuntivo di aggiornamento disponibile su studium

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

During the didactic semester of face-to-face lectures (first semester) there will be written midterm tests, working groups with oral presentations of applied real cases, and a final written test (multiple-choice test). During the exam session appeals will be oral. The student's evaluation is assigned according to mastery of topics, expository skills, knowledge of disciplinary vocabulary, critical and interdisciplinary insights and related applied understanding. Also from the ability to interact in working groups. Participation in seminars, external visits to institutions and workshops organized during the teaching semester will be of added value. Verification of learning may also be conducted electronically, should conditions require it.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

Numerous and frequent application examples of questions/exercises for each topic covered will be addressed during the lectures. Tutorials are scheduled before individual written midterm exams. The oral examination tends to test the skills acquired and the ability to elaborate, critically investigate and feedback according to the reference texts and additional material in the application of theoretical knowledge excluding purely mnemonic knowledge.

Examples type of questions: explain the concept of economic sustainability by highlighting at least one application example in reality; megacities with examples in the world; cross-border companies and the importance of external economies; the characteristics of selfie tourism with real examples of destinations; creation of an example of itinerary according to different types and tourist destinations (e.g. cycling tourism).

Degree Course in

Tourism Science