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Nottingham Trent University

SMART Tourism and Responsible Travel

Nottingham Trent University via FutureLearn

Overview

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Explore the concept of responsible tourism with Nottingham Trent University

Tourism is often criticised for having a negative impact, from CO2 emissions to exploitation.

On this four-week course, you’ll learn how to offset negative impacts by making responsible travel choices. You’ll also discover how digital and smart technology is impacting sustainable travel practices in global contexts.

Identify the benefits of travel and tourism

Beginning with a focus on the controversies that surround travel, you’ll learn why some regard travel as unsustainable on environmental grounds.

You’ll then contrast this by examining the benefits of tourism when governed responsibly.

Using case studies that reflect both sides of the argument, you’ll gain insights into how your travel choices can impact a destination, and how you can address these opportunities and challenges on an individual basis.

Examine the impact of smart and digital technology on responsible travel

Digital and smart technology has transformed travel, from the planning process to the activities experienced once at a destination.

You’ll learn how new and emerging technology such as apps, VR, and AR are revolutionising the travel and tourism industries in exciting and innovative ways.

With this knowledge, you’ll be able to adapt your future travel behaviours, understanding which technologies will help drive responsible travel.

Inform your decision making using smart tourism principles

Responsible travel decisions affect everything from transport to accommodation choices.

You’ll investigate how technology can help travellers make responsible decisions using meaningful data and information.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to offset negative travel consequences, where possible, by using technology-driven decision making that benefits your destination and its people.

This course is designed for anyone with a personal or professional interest in travelling responsibly.

It would also be beneficial to those considering a career in travel and tourism, furthering their understanding of sustainable travel choices.

Syllabus

  • So what's the problem with tourism anyway?
    • Introduction
    • The scale and scope of the issue
    • The anti-tourism debate
    • Tourists behaving badly
  • Can we do things differently?
    • The counter-argument
    • Tourism benefits everyone, everywhere, or does it?
    • Tourism as a force for good?
    • The practices of a responsible traveller
  • How data makes a difference
    • Information informs behaviour
    • The role of SMART tourism
    • Cases in SMART tourism
    • Time to change!
    • Next steps

Taught by

Peter Williams

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