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education
Course syllabi in the UK - a review paradigms. Again, the point to note is
that there has been no real attempt
internationally at a systematic inves-
tigation of content and syllabi based
Airey and Middleton provide a review of the syllabi and content of tourism on a number of current courses.
courses currently offered in the UK based on research undertaken by them for One main UK publication which
the UK Tourism Society during 198 1. The article comments on the main themes falls outside this simple classification is
in the development of tourism education and provides a bibliography of recent the Nightingale study. The focus of
contributions on the subject. Also the background and findings of a survey of this work was not on education and
tourism course provision are discussed and some tentative conclusions are training as such, but on the occupa-
drawn. tions, careers and knowledge require-
ments of those working in tourism at a
professional level, many of whom
would have taken some form of tour-
The development of tourism educa- A number of attempts have been ism course. In commenting on know-
tion and training in the UK is marked made in the recent past to examine, to ledge requirements however, the
by three distinctive features. First, document and to comment on the Nightingale report has great relevance
tourism as a subject for study is a development and provision of tourism for tourism course content and curri-
relative newcomer. Courses in tourism education and training. (A bibliogra- cula in that it provides a perspective
were not established until the mid phy of some of the major sources is indicating the areas of knowledge
1960s and many emerged after the mid provided at the end of this paper.) As which tourism courses should be
1970s. Second, the provision is both far as they relate to the UK, these covering, from a consumers stand-
widespread and varied. There are contributions can be classified into point. Indeed, the study represents
currently about 100 colleges offering three main groups. The first give basic the first systematic attempt at estab-
some form of tourism education or details about the colleges and their lishing agreement based on evidence
training. These range from postgradu- respective courses including informa- of what constitutes the body of know-
ate courses to courses for school leav- t:on about types, levels and qualifica- ledge about tourism in the early 1980s.
ers; from courses linked with hotel tions to be achieved. The second set The components of the body of know-
and catering studies to those associ- out the development and current ledge are summarized in Table 1.
ated with business studies and the structure of course provision, and the
travel trade; and from full-time third examine the relevance and
appropriateness of current course pro-
Body of knowledge
courses to those which mix on and off
the job training. The third feature is vision from various standpoints. In The issues of relevance to tourism
the relatively ad hoc way in which the addition, a number of studies have education in the Nightingale study
provision of courses has developed. attempted to place the experience in were summarized by Airey and
the UK into a broader international Nightingale. These are that the body
context. With the exception of some of knowledge defined by the Tourism
Variety and consistency
outlines in the latter, none of these Society and given in Table 1, has a
This is reflected in the variety of sources has attempted to provide any broad general relevance regardless of
courses provided as well as in the detailed analysis on course syllabi and an employees function, level or sector
variety in their content and syllabi. To content. of employment; that certain aspects,
some extent, nationwide consistency In considering sources relating to including knowledge of the compo-
has been achieved through the work of other countries, a number of contribu- nent sectors of tourism, of marketing,
the national validating bodies. Some tions have been published relating to of determinants and motivations and
consistency also comes naturally the North American and European of the meaning of tourism, have a
through the content of basic text experience. These can be classified in special importance for all careers; and
books which provide a starting point a similar way to those relating to the that the most useful tourism courses,
for developing course curricula. Typi- UK. Some of these sources have also at least in terms of eventual careers
cally, however, tourism education and set out to document details of course and career development, are the more
training courses have been characte- provision in terms of content and broadly based courses.
rized by separate developments re- syllabi, but they are either based on The Nightingale study is of particu-
flecting the perceived interests of the the experience of one college or prog- lar interest here not only for its
academic bodies concerned. ramme or on theoretically derived findings but also because it represents
What is tourism? Concepts of leisure, recreation, tourism: types of tourism according to purpose: concepts
of tourist destinations, services, industry
Historical development of tourism Past to Worid War II; recent and current - 1945 to 1980: future from 1980 onwards
Determinants and motivations in Factors stimulating growth of tourism (determinants): why people wish to travel
tourism (motivations): influences of supply
Statistical measurement and Types of tourism statistics and their limitations; domestic tourism-sources, methods.
dimenstons dimensions; international tourism - sources, methods. dimensions
Significance of tourism Contribution of tourism to the economy; social significance and impact of tourism: physical
significance - land use, environment
Component sectors Tourist industry and component sectors: economic and operating characteristics Of
sectors: current trends and developments in main sectors
Marketing Role Of marketing in tourist planning and research; markets and products, product
formulation: promotion and sales
Physical planning and development Planning concepts and planning machinery; infrastructure planning and development:
superstructure project planning and development
Organization Structure and roles of government and tourist boards; trade associations and unions,
professional bodies: related public bodies
Finance Operating financial accounts of tourism firms; requirements, sources, methods - tourist
board finance; requirements, sources, methods-development finance
Note: In its attempts to establish the knowledge r~uirements of individuals working al a professional level in tourism. the Education and Training
Committee of the Tourism Society identified the body of knowledge about tourism as consisting of the above major components. Based on Originaf Work by
i.2. Burkart and S. Medik. .
@TheTourism Society, London
a significant step in a continuing pro- vide the first UK documentation of cient basis from which to develop
cess of investigation by the Tourism syllabi and contents of tourism courses course content and curricula. As
Society into tourism education and and the authors see this as a starting labels or headings, the Table 1 in-
careers. Following its formation in point for further developments in the formation did not reveal the actual
1977, the Tourism Society identified at 1980% content of courses being taught.
an early stage the need to undertake a Accordingly, under the auspices of the
systematic investigation of tourism Education and Training Committee of
careers and education, if only as a
UK tourism courses the Tourism Society, the authors
basis on which to pursue its own Based partly on an appreciation of the agreed to carry out a survey of tourism
development as a professional body. Nightingale study, two particular gaps courses and content in the UK. The
The main strands in this investigation in information about tourism courses study was undertaken in conjunction
have been on the one hand a series of were identified for further investiga- with the Association of Teachers of
conferences and meetings aimed at tion. The first was the lack of up to Tourism and the Association of Brit-
expressing the views of employers and date information about the types, ish Travel Agents and was com-
educators. On the other hand the levels, content and qualifications of menced in 1980 based on courses
Society has also been involved in courses in tourism offered in the UK. running in 1980/81.
studies in this area and has produced a It was known only that the numbers
number of related publications. The were developing rapidly and that Research buckgfo~nd
Nightingale study is one of these. structural changes were taking place For the purposes of the study, tourism
Other published studies have included and that overall course provision was courses were defined as any course
guides to tourism courses and course the cumulative resuh of dozens of which involved a minimum of 20 hours
provision, a tourism employment more or less arbitrary decisions taken in any aspect of tourism studies. The
guide and the study, which is the main by educational establishments in pur- meaning of tourism studies was de-
subject of this article, into course suit of their perceived self-interests. A fined as that area of knowledge deline-
syllabi and content. previous desk research study of ated by the Tourism Societys body of
In summary, the developments in courses had been published by the knowledge (Table 1). It was under-
tourism education and training to date Tourism Society- but no field work stood that a tourism course might be
have been characterized by their re- was involved at that time. solely concerned with tourism studies,
latively ad hoc and uncharted The second gap was the lack of or it might be a compulsory or option-
approach. Increasingly, however, and precision in the statement of the body al component of a broader course
particularly through the work of the of knowledge which had been put leading to a qualification in hotel
Tourism Society, the developments forward in the Nightingale study management, business studies or re-
are being more closely analysed. The (Table 1). The headings were useful creation management. etc. For gui-
remainder of this paper seeks to pro- and valid, but they were not a suffi- dance, the authors provided a pro-
lishment outside the school sector. In not to be offering courses in 1980/81. Courses for tourist guide9 (guiding qualification)
total about 200 establishments were All the larger colleges known to be Short courses
identified. The majority were colleges offering tourism courses in the UK did Other
in further and higher education. respond. For the details of course 7ourism courses are normally options within the
Second, a ten page questionnaire was content, where information on only topic areas shown.
developed under four heads:
Definition of tourism courses (20 Table 3. Elaborated body of knowledge about tourism*
hours teaching in any aspect of
Determinants and motivations of tourism demand
tourism; of short courses: not less
General factors influencing the volume and nature of demand: economic social and cultural (macro
than two days and not more than considerations)
four weeks). Factors influencing why individuals wish to participate in tourism (personal motivations)
Basic administrative details about
Tourism supply factors influencing demand: size and nature of destinations, technology of component
colleges, including addresses, name sactors and marketing
of department, etc. Propensities to participate in tourism (based on above factors)
Detail about courses offered; 14
Measurement of tourism flows
separate information items were
requested for each course. Principal users of statistics of tourism (classification of needs)
Detail of syllabus taught; respon- Kinds of data common to most users - statistics of volume, expenditure and tourist characteristics
dents were asked to provide details Statistics of the supply and usage of tourist facilities
about the content of their main Principal methods used for collecting the statistics of tourism
tourism course which was defined Main sources of tourism statistics
as that involving the largest num-
Significance of tourism
ber of teaching hours in the col-
The nature, magnitude and significance of tourism at all levels (national, regional and local)
lege.
Reference to current assessment techniques where relevant
For this purpose, the body of know- Specifically significance covers:
ledge topics (Table 1) were consider- - economic significance (balance of payments, employment incomes and output
ably elaborated by a working party of - social significance (tourists and residents at destinations)
the Societys Education and Training - physical significance (land use, conservation issues)
- other aspects (cultural. political, etc)
committee. An example of this ela-
boration is shown in Table 3. For each Table shows the elaboration of three of the topics
Topic No of
Heading responding 6 6 4 9 7 2
courses
Meaning and nature of tourism 6 6 4 9 7 2
Historical development of tourism 6 6 4 9 7 2
Determinants and motivation of tourism demand 6 6 4 8 7 2
Measurement of tourism flows 6 6 4 6 7 2
Significance of tourism 6 6 4 8 7 2
Component sectors of tourism 6 6 4 6 7 2
Marketing in tourism 6 6 4 4 7 2
Physical planning and development 6 6 3 4 7 1
Investment in tourism 6 4 4 2 7 1
Organization of tourism 6 5 4 7 7 1
Practical element 3 3 3 5 2 1
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Report
days) in the Mediterranean region,
SpainandMediterraneanpackage offered by the tour operators of the
Northern European originating coun-
tries.
ho~daycompetition~l983 This study is based on the research
commissioned by the former Secretary
Competition between tour operators and the Mediterranean host countries for of State for Tourism, and undertaken
the Northern European holiday market is intense. This report, compiled by the by the private consultants of the Cen-
lnstituto Espsnol de Turismo, published in Spanish in Estudios Turisticos,
tro de Estudios Ttcnicos Turisticos
Autumn 1983, is based on research undertaken by the institute into Spains (Centre for Technical Tourism Stu-
position in this package arena. ~ofidays offered by No~hern European tour dies) and the Gabinete de Investiga-
operators in f4 receiving countries are ana~ysed and the competifive roie of cidn Turistica (Office of Investigation
Spain discussed. in Tourism), both in Barcelona, for
the 1978 and 1980 seasons. The IET
reformulated the methodologies used
in these earlier studies and, using
Tourism policy, like the business poli- receiving areas. Realizing the need to informational support from the data
ties of any industry, must be sup- possess such info~ation, the Institute processing centre of the Secretary-
ported by in-depth studies of the Espafiol de Turismo (IET), in its 1983 GeneraI of Tourism, updated the in-
market which will pinpoint the charac- research programme, included a plan, formation to include data for 1982 and
teristic features of the holiday pro- which was intended to be permanent, 1983.
ducts being offered, their quality and dealing with the evaluation of tour An analysis of brochures published
the level of provision of the tourist- prices for packages (package holi- by the tour operators in the originat-