Programme: Tourism in Transition: Exploring a Sustainable Future

Why follow this programme?

Tourism’s profound impact on the world

The societal and environmental importance of tourism has grown significantly in recent decades. Its development is closely linked to major global changes in culture, politics, technology and the environment, affecting the quality of life of all involved.

While continuing its focus on growth, even in light of post-COVID ambitions to restore business-as-usual, tourism development seems insensitive to sustainability issues. And with climate change forming an even larger challenge to the tourism industry and humanity itself, a radical paradigm shift is truly needed.

Exploring a sustainable future for tourism

These 3 sustainable tourism courses are designed to take you on an wholistic investigation of the tourism sector and will eventually lead to your very own vision of what sustainable tourism should look like. To stimulate a continuous stream of new ideas, you are invited to join a platform for ongoing discussions on sustainable tourism business.

So, are you eager to see tourism through a new lens? Join us on this unique all-round journey to bring about a much needed paradigm shift in the tourism industry. Together, we can drive sustainability in tourism. Subscribe now!

1. Introduction to tourism; an all-round perspective

Instead of taking on tourism education’s customary approach – growth driven, applied and hospitality management – the first course of this programme offers an integral introduction to the complex phenomenon that is tourism, from its historical emergence to its current impact on society and the environment.

2. Rethinking the future

In the second course of the programme you will apply argumentation skills and different social science perspectives to tourism. You will learn of a broad array of sustainable tourism organizations, such as ecotourism and voluntourism. Together with your team you will pitch a case of your own.

3. Tourism and Climate Change

In spite of tourism’s substantial contribution to climate change, international tourism continues to grow exponentially, with serious environmental impacts. That is why we dedicate this third course to address the mutual relationship between tourism and climate change. Study the key challenges related to mitigation and adaptation and learn to apply them to your personal position as well as your organisational situation.

Is this programme for you?

So, are you eager to see tourism through a new lens? Whether you're work in tourism or are a fervent traveller, join us on this unique all-round journey to bring about a much needed paradigm shift in the tourism industry. Together, we can drive sustainability in tourism. Subscribe now!

What you will learn

• Recognize and co-create future narratives that are useful for writing business cases and/or project proposals in your professional context.
• Understand tourism as a social and environmental complex phenomenon.
• Gain an overview of global tourism development.
• Learn about the latest tourism developments across the world.
• Become part of ongoing dialogues on developments for the future of tourism.

Content of the Programme

This online programme consists of three MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses, which can be taken in any desired order. Your time investment will be about 6-8 hours per week per online course, and the average length is 5-6 weeks per MOOC. Of course, you can study in your own time, at your own pace, so you can adjust the duration.

Class Central has ranked the first MOOC among the 10 best online courses in the world and the second MOOC was nominated for the annual edX® award in 2019.

Job prospects

• The United Nations has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. It marked the beginning of a visible awareness of making the industry greener and more social.
• Tourism is one of the largest industries of the world and it continues to experience ongoing growth.
• Globally 1 in 12 jobs is in tourism. Most of these jobs have an applied nature, yet there is a strong need for skilled, creative and responsible gamechangers.
• Participating in this program allows you to improve reflective skills next to opportunities to team up and suggest necessary changes to bend growth into a sustainable direction.