ECONOMIC POLICY OF TOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Course Description
The course addresses governance policies for tourism development and sustainability. It introduces the fundamental instruments of economic policy, with particular attention to the objectives and actors involved. The course analyses the decision-making processes of economic policy authorities and their capacity to influence the choices of stakeholders operating in the tourism sector and in related economic activities.

A. Knowledge and Understanding
Students will acquire advanced technical and managerial knowledge related to the design of complex tourism systems, in compliance with institutional purposes and in accordance with the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of the relevant organizations.

B. Applying Knowledge and Understanding
Students will develop advanced technical and operational skills, critical thinking, as well as problem-setting and problem-solving abilities in the design and management of tourism systems, including highly complex ones.

C. Making Judgments
Students will be able to:

• critically assess and qualify acquired information;

• formulate flexible judgments and decisions under conditions of uncertainty and limited information;

• elaborate and present predictive models concerning the outcomes of adopted decisions.

These outcomes will be achieved and assessed through:

• intermediate and final examinations;

• the drafting and defense of the final dissertation;

• reports provided by supervisors in tourism organizations and enterprises where the student has undertaken internships;

• research method simulations and case-study analyses within the course.

D. Communication Skills
Students will be able to:

• effectively communicate decisions orally, clarifying the relationships among objectives, constraints, and stakeholders involved in implementation, while interacting with professionals from related or different fields;

• promote local resources and identities in an international context;

• develop negotiation, cooperation, and mediation processes with public and private stakeholders.

These outcomes will be achieved and assessed through:

• group project presentations and case-study discussions in class;

• internship and traineeship reports submitted by supervisors in tourism organizations and enterprises;

• intermediate and final examinations, which will assess the student’s presentation skills and ability to clearly communicate acquired competencies.

E. Learning Skills
Students will develop learning abilities that enable them to continue their studies predominantly in a self-directed and autonomous manner.

• Definition and examples of Externalities

• Definition and examples of Public Goods

• Concept and application of Sustainability

• Listing and defining policies and management choices