| CODE | TTC5103 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Tourism, the Hospitality Industry and the Environment | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Tourism Management | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will commence with an analysis of the impact that tourism and the hospitality industry leave on the natural environment with use of international case studies. This section will include an examination of the tourism and the hospitality industry and its impact on land, water, waste generation (including food waste) and air pollution. The ensuing change in climate resulting from these impacts will also be examined. The presentation of these impacts will take a two-sided approach 鈥� how tourism is affecting the environment and how the current environmental situation affects tourism. The unit will then focus on environmental economics, externalities and market failure. Kuznets curves, the rebound effect of positive environmental actions and the development of closed loop systems will also be examined. The next phase will concentrate on how the measurement of environmental impacts is carried out. Methods like carbon footprint and cost-benefit analysis will be reviewed. The concept of carrying capacity will also feature as part of this phase. In its final stage, the unit will focus on the use of eco-labelling, eco-certification and green branding and how these can be utilised to promote tourist destinations and related hospitality facilities. This will include a discussion as to how particular products offered in the hospitality industry can be greened. Pitfalls like green washing will also be studied. Study-Unit Aims: The aims of the study-unit are as follows: 鈥� assist students in developing an appreciation of the importance of environmental wellbeing and the importance of its proper care for the survival and growth of the tourism and the hospitality industry; 鈥� provide students with an opportunity to evaluate the tools utilised and how these can be used to measure and improve the current product/service provided whilst at the same time improving their environmental performance. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� Define the impacts of tourism and the hospitality industry on the environment and the different terminology utilised in environmental studies; 鈥� Define and explain the relationship between market failure and consumption of natural resources; 鈥� Review the use of indicators, cost-benefit analysis, carrying capacity and carbon footprint with regard to the tourism and hospitality industry; 鈥� Review the use of green branding, eco-labelling and eco-certification and how these can be used to promote facilities in the tourist and hospitality industry. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� Develop the ability to analyse market failure from the tourism and hospitality industry鈥檚 perspective and how this in turn affects the product or service currently on offer; 鈥� Evaluate the use of specific tools applied to measure the value of the environment when no monetary rate is present; 鈥� Analyse particular services and products supplied by the tourism and hospitality industry with the aim of individualising their environmental impact and through this develop holistic environmental programmes for these facilities; 鈥� Build group working, reporting and presentation skills through the preparation of a group assignment focusing on a specific tourism or hospitality industry related product or service and its relation to the environment. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: 鈥� Croall, J., 1995. Preserve or destroy: tourism and the environment. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 鈥� Hall, C.M. & Page, S.J., 2006. The geography of tourism and recreation : environment, place and space 3rd ed., Routledge. 鈥� Briguglio, L., 1992. Tourism impact on the environment of small islands with special reference to Malta., Armidale, NSW, Australia: Faculty of Economic Studies, University of New England. 鈥� OECD/ UNEP. (2011) OECD Studies on Tourism. Climate change and tourism policy in OECD countries. [available online http://www.oecd.org/cfe/tourism/48681944.pdf] 鈥� Scott, D., Hall, C.M. & G枚ssling, S., 2016. A report on the Paris Climate Change Agreement and its implications for tourism: why we will always have Paris. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24(7), pp.933鈥�948. Supplementary Readings: 鈥� Journal of Sustainable Tourism. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Seminar & Independent Study | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Karl Agius John Ebejer Julian Zarb |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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