Module Information

Module Identifier
RS31010
Module Title
VISITOR ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT
Academic Year
2011/2012
Co-ordinator
Dr Brian Garrod
Semester
Semester 2

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 1 x 2 hour lecture per week
Practical 2 x 3 hour practicals during semester
Other 1 x 3 hour visit during semester
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Exam 3 Hours   WRITTEN EXAMINATION  100%
Supplementary Exam 3 Hours   WRITTEN EXAMINATION  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature and purpose of visitor attractions

2. Analyse the processes and challenges of developing a visitor attraction

3. Critically evaluate the rationale, scope and tools for visitor attraction management

4. Analyse critical challenges in the marketing of visitor attractions

5. Evaluate a range of contemporary case studies in visitor attraction management

6. Discuss the future of visitor attractions

Brief description

Visitor attractions have a critical role to play in the development of tourist destinations. At the most basic level, visitor attractions work to attract visitors to an area. They also operate on a much broader level as agents of change, as foci for social and cultural exchange, as political vehicles and as generators of income and employment. The purpose of this module is to examine the nature and purpose of visitor attractions, to investigate the main considerations in developing the visitor attraction product and the facilities required, to review major issues in the management and marketing of visitor attractions using a variety of real-world case studies, and to examine the challenges that will need to be addressed by the visitor attractions sector if it is to have a future in the ever-changing tourism world

Content

  • The nature and purpose of visitor attractions
  • Development of visitor attractions, including components of the visitor attraction product and criteria for
    • success; the process of visitor attraction development; economic aspects of developing theme parks; problems of developing visitor attractions in peripheral areas; the social and political significance of visitor attractions in expressing national and cultural identities; visitor attractions and issues of authenticity
  • Management of visitor attractions: impacts at visitor attractions and their management; managing the problem of
    • seasonality for visitor attractions; challenges for religion-based visitor attractions; visitor attractions and human resource management issues
  • Marketing of visitor attractions: marketing challenges and opportunities for heritage-based visitor attractions;
    • branding issues for visitor attractions; competitive pricing strategies by theme parks; collaborative marketing strategies among visitor attractions
  • The future of visitor attractions

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number At least one of the workshop exercises will involve students analysing data provided.
Communication Students will be expected to communicate orally whilst working in teams, and in writing in the examination.
Problem solving Two classroom-based workshops will involve students working in groups to solve problems set by the tutor, e.g. working on data provided to undertake a market segmentation exercise.
Research skills The examination will be based on a pre-released case study, which candidates will be given prior to the examination taking place. Candidates will be expected to collect, digest and process both this case study information and other information acquired through personal research during the time allotted.
Team work Both of the workshop exercises will involve students working in small teams on specific problem-solving exercises

Reading List

Should Be Purchased
Fyall A, Garrod B, Leask A and Wanhill S (editors) (2008) Managing Visitor Attractions In preparation 2nd Butterworth-Heinemann Primo search Recommended Text
Leask A and Yeoman I (editors) (1999) Heritage Visitor Attractions: An Operations Management Perspective Cassell Primo search Swarbrooke J (2002) The Development and Management of Visitor Attractions Butterworth-Heinemann Primo search Yale P (2004) From Tourist Attractions to Heritage Tourism 3rd edition Elm Publications Primo search Yeoman I and Drummond S (2000) Quality Issues in Visitor Attractions Butterworth-Heinemann Primo search Recommended Consultation
Annals of Tourism Research Primo search Current Issues in Tourism Primo search International Journal of Tourism Research Special edition on visitor attractions 8 (2) Primo search Journal of Heritage Tourism Primo search Tourism Economics Primo search Tourism Management Primo search

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6