Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality Management

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality Management

1. Course Outline

This course is designed to introduce students to tourism and hospitality as a human and commercial activity and planning and development issue which has important economic, environmental, socio-cultural and political implications. A large and powerful industry is shown to be at work to meet the needs of the leisure and corporate markets, operating globally and characterized by multiple sectors. Subjects to be covered include the structure and organization of the tourism and hospitality industry and critical challenges for managers. Attention is also given to the scale of tourist movements, tourism’s impacts and need for sustainable development. Emphasis is placed in topical events and issues, revealing the fast-changing nature of the tourism and hospitality business in terms of both demand and supply. The course is composed of 16 academic-hour lectures and 8 academic-hour seminars. It is intended to complement for 3rd year bachelor students.

1. Syllabus

Course Methodology

This class consists of lectures, discussion, and audiovisual presentations.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, students will have an awareness of the complexity of the modern tourism and hospitality industry and understanding of its dynamics. Insights will have been gained into the problems and opportunities faced by managers in the contemporary world and strategies adopted in response. Students will also be able to demonstrate their knowledge and communicate ideas in an effective manner.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to

• Learn the key skills, knowledge, and personality traits that will make this career a good fit for them
• Explain how to attract the right customers, deliver the service they expect, and the set the right price, all while managing employees to achieve their firm’s goals
• Make discussions regarding the project phases, and strategies used for each of the phases

Required Reading

• Cornell University School of Hotel Administration(2011), The Cornell School of Hotel Administration on Hospitality-Cutting Edge Thinking and Practice. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons
• Selected chapters from Page, S.J. and Connell, J. (2009). Tourism: A Modern Synthesis. London: Thomson Learning. 3rd Ed.

Weekly suggested readings

Readings will be assigned throughout the semester. For each week students will be given reading lists before coming to next class.

Weekly Schedule

Topic: Preparing for a successful career in tourism and the hospitality industry

The listening fast track

Developing and managing your multinational career

Becoming a leader in the hospitality industry

Topic: Leisure and Business travel

Tourism impacts

Civil aviation

Lodging and food services

Topic: Understanding and predicting customer choices

Guiding the guest experience

A scientific approach to managing hospitality operations

How to build service quality into your operation

Competing successfully with other hotels: The role of strategy

Topic: Segmenting and targeting your market: Strategies and limitations
New media: Connecting with guests throughout

Building and managing your brand

Marketing the most of your human capital

Topic: Afterword: Where do you go from here?

3. Prerequisites

None

4. Name of Professor

Hyunjeong (Spring) Han

5. Exam Details and Evaluation

Students’ grade will be evaluated by four parts; attendance (20%), level of participation in classes (40%), and final exams (40%).

The exams employ a combination of question formats. It includes open-ended questions and essays, as well as highly innovative simulations questions that replicate workplace situations and require the application of knowledge and skills to arrive at solutions.