Tourism Degree Research Articles

Teaching Innovation and Teaching–Learning Methods for Sustainable Tourism Development Education in the Bachelor of Tourism Degree

Sustainable development has become the aspiration of many developing countries like Ecuador. The introduction of Bachelor of Tourism studies at the Technical University of Manabí is compatible with this interest and provides a challenge for teachers in the application of integrative and innovative teaching methods, which promote the training of professionals with high scientific, technical and professional rigor in the exercise of different professions. To achieve this, the pedagogical group started from three fundamental principles, which are based on the application of teaching work methods and procedures, based on the establishment of the interaction between the various factors that directly and indirectly influence the training process of professionals in the tourism sector. The results, both in the comprehensive evaluation processes of the academic performance of the teachers and in the level of satisfaction of the students of the course, support the application of these teaching–learning methods and highlight the convenience of extending these experiences and research results to other vocational training centers for tourism activity.

Artificial Intelligence as a strengthening tool at graduation, measuring the quality of students of the degree in tourism at the Rosario Castellanos University

Artificial Intelligence as a strengthening tool at graduation, measuring the quality of students of the degree in tourism at the Rosario Castellanos University

La experiencia turística en los planes de estudios universitarios de Grado en Turismo

Tourism and the experience economy are closely linked. The aim of this study is to assess the extent, timing, and manner in which the tourist experience has been integrated into the curriculum of official undergraduate Tourism degrees in Spain, given that a relevant curriculum is the most crucial element of an educational program. For this purpose, we have employed a bibliometric analysis. Through a Content Analysis of the verification reports of Tourism degrees, using ATLAS.ti v.24, we have identified a temporal disconnect between the reality of the tourism industry and its corresponding academic training. Therefore, a greater integration of the tourist experience into the curriculum is necessary. This could be particularly achieved by introducing more mandatory courses that cover this subject matter. It is recommended that universities review their study plans to more significantly incorporate the tourist experience, in line with CEDTUR's recommendations. The significant practical implications of this research for the employability of graduates extend to the entire tourism ecosystem. It has highlighted a discrepancy between the needs of businesses and educational programs, leading to recommendations for the implementation of improvement measures in the verification reports of Tourism degrees.

Digital reading in English for Business Management and Tourism: The importance of micro-skills for the curriculum

An optimal reading performance is key in university degrees, and yet, the research focus on digital academic reading is much smaller than on writing skills (Boulton & Cobb, 2017; Pérez-Paredes, 2019; Curado-Fuentes, 2023). This paper focuses on analyzing learners’ development of digital reading skills in English at university. The study has been conducted as a mixed-methods analysis in two consecutive academic years (2021 and 2022) with first-year students in the double degree of Business Management and Tourism at the University of Extremadura. The two groups used different digital tools along 4-week reading sessions and were tested on their reading comprehension before and after the sessions. Additionally, students answered various questionnaires about the activities. Learners’ use of digital data-driven learning (DDL) techniques was combined with other types of online tools. Some face-to-face interviews with students were also conducted at the end of one course. The results from the tests indicated significant reading comprehension improvements in both years, whereas no significant difference between the two years was found. In the second academic year, the DDL tool was favored much more, in addition to online dictionaries, and students were more open to reading comprehension work. Overall, it is found that the reading of academic texts can be fostered by empowering learners with meta-cognition via specific digital reading micro-skills.

Research on the Coupled and Coordinated Development of Tourism and Transport in Chengdu City

Based on a total of 16 indicators selected from the tourism and transport industries, an evaluation index system of the coupling and coordination development level of tourism and transport is constructed. The entropy value method and the coupling coordination degree model are used to conduct an empirical study on the development level and coupling coordination level of the transport and tourism industries in Chengdu City from 2011 to 2020. The results show that, on the whole, the coupling coordination degree of transport and tourism in Chengdu is poor and has been in a state of mild to moderate dysfunction. The development level of tourism lagged behind the development of transport from 2011 to 2012, and the two were in a state of mild dysfunction. However, from 2013 onwards, the development level of tourism was prioritized over the development level of transport. This shift caused the coupling coordination degree of the two industries to decline sharply to 0.23305 in 2013. The development level of the tourism industry increased again, reaching 0.34206 in 2019, which marked an improvement. Consequently, the coordination degree of the transport and tourism industries evolved from moderate dislocation to mild dislocation. Finally, the results of the empirical research are analyzed, and corresponding suggestions are put forward to promote the sustainable growth of the transport and tourism industries in Chengdu City. These suggestions aim to improve the coupled and coordinated development level of the two industries.

Attendance and Academic Performance in University Studies in Tourism

Academic literature has extensively studied the relationship between classroom attendance and academic performance in higher education. However, there is a lack of specific studies on higher education in tourism. To address this gap, this study investigates the correlation between class attendance and grades achieved by students in the Tourism Degree programme at the University of Zaragoza. The research incorporates variables of interest such as gender, academic year and course repetition, significantly contributing to the proposed predictive model. The subgroup analysis shows that women and students who do not repeat courses exhibit higher attendance rates and achieve better academic outcomes. Class attendance and course repetition are the most influential factors affecting students’ final grades.

A Comparative Research and Analysis of the Development of Sustainable Tourism in Georgian and other International Curricula

In recent years, sustainable development has become an important part of educational systems, beginning from primary schools to universities. Consequently, it has evolved into a societal priority. In 2019, the UNESCO adopted the ESD for 2030 framework with the overall objective of building a more just and sustainable world through the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Education for sustainable development for 2030 framework identifies 5 priority action areas: policy, education and training settings, educators, youth, and communities. Sustainable tourism development has been a commonly used term for many years and is, therefore, an important concept for consideration within tourism degree courses/programs. Based on qualitative research and case study method, this paper focuses on discussing the undergraduate and graduate programs in the context of teaching sustainable tourism in foreign countries, which are compared with the experience of the Georgian Technical University. The aim of the research was to study current educational programs related to sustainable tourism and highlight its importance. In conclusion, it can be asserted that sustainable tourism programs are experiencing a growing demand, with various types of policies being developed. However, the program at the Georgian Technical University stands out on an international scale, having no analogue and being truly unique. At the same time, the results indicate that in many cases, sustainability pedagogy/teaching methods, such as systems and holistic thinking, are not yet widely adopted and are in the process of implementation.

Study on Countermeasures for Protection of Dietary Intangible Cultural Heritage in Henan Province in the Context of Rural Revitalization

Abstract Under the rural revitalization strategy, protecting dietary intangible cultural heritage in Henan Province is particularly important. This study explores the protection countermeasures of intangible cultural heritage of cuisine (shorted as ICH)in Henan Province to promote the sustainable development of culture and tourism. The research methods include DEA model, TOPSIS method, exploratory spatial data analysis and coupling degree analysis. The results show that between 2016 and 2023, the coupling degree of ICH and rural tourism in Henan Province increased from 0.4241 to 0.6917.Especially in Nanyang City, the development of ICH cultural and tourism projects significantly promoted rural tourism, and its level of rural tourism development increased from 0.51 to 0.98.In addition, the grey correlation analysis reveals that the market demand, technological innovation, business interests and policy support are the main influencing factors. The coupling and coordination degree of NGT and rural tourism shows an upward trend. The conclusion points out that the protection of dietary intangible cultural heritage in Henan Province needs to pay attention to market demand, technological innovation and policy support to achieve the dual goals of rural revitalization and cultural protection.

Analysis of academic research data with the use of ATLAS.ti. Experiences of use in the area of Tourism and Hospitality Administration

Qualitative data analysis in academic research is a challenge. In this context, the use of tools such as ATLAS.ti has emerged as a potential solution to improve the understanding and management of data in the analysis of in-depth interviews. The main objective of the research was to analyze the perspectives of Tourism and Hospitality Management students on the use of ATLAS.ti in the analysis of interviews in qualitative research. The methodology employs a qualitative approach and a descriptive-interpretative design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups directed to 40 students of the X cycle who conducted this approach in their research to opt for the bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality Administration during the years 2022 and 2023. The findings reveal that the use of ATLAS.ti in qualitative data analysis is highly beneficial, facilitating the coding, organization, and identification of emerging patterns in in-depth interviews. The relevance of its effective use in qualitative analysis is highlighted, improving data management, and understanding of participants' perspectives. It is concluded that it is a valuable and effective tool in this context, although the need for researchers to acquire a deep understanding of the tool and receive adequate training is emphasized. It is suggested that they focus on continuous training in its use and constant practice of its advanced functionalities, especially in areas such as coding and code creation, to achieve a deeper interpretation of qualitative data

Study on the Coupled and Coordinated Development of Rural Tourism and Rural Revitalization Strategy

Abstract Rural tourism development is an important part of the rural revitalization strategy. This paper explores the coupling mechanism between rural revitalization and rural tourism and proposes a combined evaluation index system for rural tourism and rural revitalization. The entropy value method and comprehensive index evaluation method are used to construct a model for measuring the comprehensive development level of rural tourism, and the level of rural revitalization is measured by using the comprehensive scoring method and combining the subjective empowerment method and objective empowerment method. The data are standardized, and the weights of the indicators are assigned to construct the rural revitalization-rural tourism coupling model; the coupling coordination function model is established to explore the level of coordinated development between rural revitalization and rural tourism. The degree of coordination between rural tourism and rural revitalization is analyzed in Anhui Province, China. The coupling curve of rural revitalization and rural tourism in Anhui province rises steadily, soaring from 0.4566 in 2016 to 0.85 in 2023, while the coupling coordination degree grows from 0.2824 to 0.8366 from 2016 to 2023. The coupling coordination degree of rural revitalization and rural tourism in each city of the province is in the range of 0.3 to 0.9, with the mean value reaching 0.591.

Spatio-temporal divergence and influencing factors of agritourism integration development in Xinjiang, China

Exploring the coupling and coordination relationship between agriculture and tourism industry plays an important role in formulating differentiated integration development policies and promoting regional economic development. We adopt 14 prefectures and cities in Xinjiang, China as examples, and use a coupling coordination model and generalized method of moments estimation to explore the spatial differentiation characteristics and influencing factors between agriculture and tourism industries in various prefectures and cities in Xinjiang from 2009 to 2018. The results indicate: (1) The combined development levels of agriculture and tourism in Xinjiang exhibited a similar development trend over the period, and despite fluctuations in individual years, the overall trend is still increasing. (2) The coupling degree and coordination of agriculture and tourism in various regions presented significant spatial differentiation characteristics. (3) Human capital, residents’ consumption level, and coupling coordination degree are positively correlated, while service capacity, government support, industrial foundation, and market supply and coupling coordination degree are significantly negatively correlated. Finally, based on our results, we present corresponding suggestions on how to improve the level of integrated development of agriculture and tourism in Xinjiang.

The coupling coordination between rural public services and rural tourism and its causative factors: The case study of southwestern China.

Rural public services and rural tourism are interdependent, and their coordinated development is crucial for promoting rural revitalization and overall growth in China. So far, the existing studies mainly focus on the mutual influence, mutual promotion, and coordination paths of rural public services and rural tourism but fail to conduct an empirical analysis on the coupling coordination of rural public services and rural tourism or summarize the spatial and temporal differences of the coupling coordination. Therefore, we adopt an evaluation index system for rural public services and rural tourism. To measure the development level and the coupling coordination degree of rural public services and rural tourism in southwestern China from 2012 to 2019, we used a comprehensive evaluation model and a coupling coordination degree model. Additionally, geographic detectors were utilised to detect the causative factors of their coupling coordination development. Based on the analysis of research results, we made the following observations. In southwestern China, the comprehensive development of rural public services and rural tourism indicated an upward trend. An additional interactive coupling relationship between the two systems is observed, and its coupling coordination degree increases, with the increment varying from slow to rapid. The type of coupling coordination changes from rural tourism lagging type to rural public service lagging type, and there are spatial differences in the degree of coupling coordination between the two. The coupling coordination development of the two systems is affected by multiple causative forces, such as economic, industrial, resource attraction, and service guarantee forces, and some differences distinguish the driving strengths of both single and interaction factors. The main contribution of this article is to reveal the coupling and coordination relationship between rural public services and rural tourism, to explore the driving factors affecting the degree of coupling and coordination between them, and to make relevant policy recommendations.

The Construction of a Coordinated Integration System of Rural Tourism and Habitat Environment in China Based on Coupled Coordination Degree Model

Abstract The tourism industry provides the impetus for the development of the habitat environment, while the development of the habitat environment lays the foundation for the development of the tourism industry, and the two develop in a coordinated manner. In rural habitat improvement, rural tourism development should be integrated with rural habitat improvement, and a coordinated integration system of rural tourism and habitat environment should be built to extend the coverage of rural habitat improvement and improve the level of rural tourism development. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation system and evaluation indexes for the development level of the rural tourism industry, and the analysis of the coupling coordination degree results shows that Fi(x, t) > F2(y, t) from 2017 to 2020, and Fi(x, t) < F2(y, t) from 2014 to 2016 and 2021 to 2022. From the integration coordination degree (D), from 2014 to 2018, the integration coordination degree (D) of rural tourism and habitat environment shows a fluctuation trend, the integration degree shows an upward trend, the coordination area of rural tourism income level shows a spatial polarization gesture, and the integration of cultural industry and tourism industry reaches the initial coordination by 2021. The integration of rural tourism and habitat environment in China is currently in a dysfunctional state, which is very unfavorable to the long-term development of China’s rural tourism industry and threatens the original habitat environment and should adhere to the people-oriented principle, gradually build up a coordinated integration system of rural tourism and habitat environment in China, and realize a win-win situation for the development of rural tourism and habitat environment.

Feasibility and relevance study for the opening educational programs at the bachelor's level of the Technological Institute of La Paz

It’s important to mention that the study was carried out under two aspects: Field and documentary research. It contains three fundamental items that make up the evaluation criteria and help to elaborate a diagnosis and evaluation of the environment of the Technological Institute of La Paz. These three items, as central core, for the feasibility and belonging of the opening of a new educational program are: Socioeconomic Factors, Institutional Factors and Development Perspectives. The methodology consisted of a quantitative research of a descriptive type, whose objective was to detect the demand of High School students, ITLP Graduates and the Productive Sector of the State of Baja California Sur. Of the options of Educational Programs in which the three interest groups coincided - gastronomy, Management Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nanotechnology Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Tourism Degree-, any of them would contribute to the 6 strategic areas of the TecNM in which the lines of research are concentrated.

Cooperative learning and social cohesion: Study in the 4th year classes of tourism degree of Cuba and Mexico

The comprehensive training of future professionals is a fundamental objective of Higher Education. In this sense, cooperative learning, while contributing to learning, also favors the development of social competences that promote the social cohesion of the group or class. The objective of this research is to compare two class groups of Bachelor’s degree courses in Tourism from universities in Cuba and Mexico, taking into account the social cohesion achieved from the cooperative learning experience. The Social Network Analysis method is used to obtain those indicators that show the social cohesion achieved by these class groups subject to cooperative learning practices. The results show that the Cuban class group exhibits better results with respect to Mexico. On the other hand, some elements that should continue to be worked on from this experience for the development of social competencies and to achieve greater social cohesion are evidenced.
 Received: 8 April 2022Accepted: 16 April 2023

Exploring the Coordinated Evolution Mechanism of Regional Sustainable Development and Tourism in China’s “Beautiful China” Initiative

As the world’s largest developing country, China first proposed the construction of a Beautiful China initiative in 2012, with the aim of exploring Chinese solutions for sustainable regional development. The construction of a beautiful China is based on the guiding ideology of the Five-sphere Integrated Plan in China, that is, the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, including economic construction, political construction, cultural construction, social construction and ecological civilization construction. This paper aims to understand the coupling relationship, as well as the spatial and temporal changes, between China’s sustainable development under the Beautiful China initiative and tourism. Using data from the China Statistical Yearbook database, we constructed an evaluation index system to measure both the construction of beautiful China and tourism development using a literature review, statistical analysis, the entropy method and GIS-based spatial analysis methods. Furthermore, using the 31 Chinese provinces as the research subject, we further analyzed the state of Beautiful China construction and tourism development, as well as their coupling relationships of the two systems. Our results show that firstly, the economic “hard power” plays the most prominent role in the process of building a beautiful China under the sustainable development regime, while the status of cultural “soft power” has also been well reflected. Secondly, the weight ranking of tourism evaluation indicators and the spatial distribution of tourism development levels both reflect the central and fundamental role of tourism market demand in tourism development. Third, the weight ranking of tourism evaluation indicators ranks the highest in the mean value of the coupling coordination degree of society, ecology and tourism in the Beautiful China subsystem, which reflects the harmony between society and ecology and the significant livelihood function of tourism as a happiness industry in the new era. Fourth, the spatial and temporal relationship between the coupled and coordinated development of the Beautiful China and tourism systems varies, indicating that there is a regional imbalance in China’s sustainable development. This further indicates the need to adapt to local conditions, and to build on strengths and avoid weaknesses to achieve regional sustainable development. The study highlights China’s contribution to global sustainable development. It also provides theoretical and practical guidance for the promotion of the coordinated development of both Beautiful China and tourism.

Impactos de las políticas gubernamentales e institucionales - de garantía de derechos - en las trayectorias formativas de los estudiantes de Turismo de la FHyCS – UnaM Impactos das políticas governamentais e institucionais - garantia de direitos - sobre as trajectórias educacionais dos estudantes de Turismo na FHyCS - UNaM

In the analysis of the multicausalities that have an impact on the high levels of university drop-out rates in the Tourism courses at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, it is considered important to address the impact of national and institutional programmes and grant projects that seek to mitigate this situation. In this way, the set of scholarships provided by the institution has been analysed, based on a quantitative study of data collection by means of surveys to admissions of the cohorts 2017 and 2018, which determined which have been the most demanded scholarships. Finally, we have described a programme - PATFEs - its scope and limitations, as a policy designed to address the complex process of transition between secondary and higher education, which has not been formally recognised by the teaching staff of Tourism degree courses.

The Coupling Coordination Degree between Tourism and Urbanization in Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of the Wuling Mountain Area

Regional coordinated development should be promoted for high-quality economic development. An effective way for regional economic development is to enhance the coupling coordination degree development of tourism and urbanization. This paper reviews the literature on the coupling coordination degree between tourism and urbanization. Moreover, it collates and analyzes the literature on tourism development and urbanization in the Wuling Mountain Area. It explores the evaluation index system and development mechanism of the coupling coordination degree of tourism and urbanization in the area. It proposes countermeasures for improving the coupling coordination degree of tourism and urbanization. Thus, China's regional economy and society can develop faster and more harmoniously.

Is an axiological turn viable for tourism studies? Reinvestigating the Platforms model

ABSTRACT Tourism academics are institutionalised to enhance values determined to be of benefit to some greater good, and to play their assigned roles in both conscious and unconscious ways. Many find themselves in different faculties, colleges, and schools, doing their jobs based on values determined by their institutional belonging, but also based on their personal beliefs, and educational backgrounds. This interplay of academic roles is important because it creates worlds, real and imagined, that students, colleagues, and community members build theirs from. Worlds are made and evaluated quite naturally, they form and are formed by the academics’ values in interplay with the values of their contexts. Each tourism academic should therefore ask themselves: Why is tourism taught? This question might highlight vulnerabilities and viabilities of tourism studies. This article presents an investigation of tourism degrees offered at universities in the five Nordic countries. The data exposes what values dominate tourism education, but the significance of the argument in this paper arises from the theoretical framework, which is an axiological development of Jafar Jafari’s original Platforms model and its later adaptions. The conclusion drawn is that current tourism studies ought to be enriched axiologically, rather than ontologically or epistemologically.

How to teach sustainable tourism development: The ICT4STD project

Sustainable tourism development and digital transformations are among the key issues that should be taken into account when preparing contemporary tourism degree programmes. In order to offer an innovative curriculum, systems thinking and knowledge from the intersection of many areas including tourism, geography, information and communication technology, management, teaching methodology and psychology are required. The adaptation of curricula should also take into account the experience of universities outside Poland which have often successfully implemented programmes covering sustainable development issues for many years and have feedback on the satisfaction of both graduates and employers. This article presents the results of the work of an international consortium of universities from Germany, Poland, Serbia and Switzerland which developed a course programme on ‘ICT as a tool for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism’ that can be adapted by a wide range of organisations such as universities, NGOs and tourism training companies.