Tourism Destinations: Climate and Digital Transition

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

In the seminar, the expository method is used only as a framework for the syllabus. Active student participation is promoted and students are encouraged to acquire and apply knowledge, skills and competences by carrying out practical exercises on different case studies. Critical reflection and guided discussion on the topics are promoted in a seminar context, combining current data of a diverse nature from various sources. A variety of resources are used, with multimedia being favoured. Under the guidance of the lecturer, the student must prepare independently for the seminar sessions. Contact with the reality under study is favoured, as well as with organisations (entities, companies and/or associations), through open classes and a study visit. Tutorials are designed to support the student in carrying out guided research. Assessment of the course is individual and periodic.

Learning Outcomes

The overall aim is to equip students with the knowledge, skills and competences to analyse the recent dynamics of destinations in terms of climate change and digital transformation in order to make them more sustainable and competitive. By the end of the course, students will be able to: recognise the reciprocal relationship between tourism and climate change; understand the impact of climate change on resources, products and tourist attractions in different destinations (e.g. Mountain, coastal and island regions); identify the mitigation and adaptation strategies applied in different destinations; identify smart destinations and technological solutions that allow to optimise the management of destinations; critically reflect on how local tourism systems have adapted to a more sustainable and digital future, the challenges in training and upskilling human resources and the strategies of DMOs.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.Climate transition

Tourism, climate and climate change

Climate chnage scenarios applied to different tourist destinations

Impacts of climate change on tourist destinations

Tourist destinations: mitigation, adaptation and resilience strategies

Changes in climatic elements, climate comfort and outdoor leisure activities

2. Digital digital

Tourism e digital technologies

Smart tourism destinations

Digital technologies for optimising the management of tourist destinations

Digitalisation of businesses and transformation of tourism services

Digital technologies and the tourist experience in destinations

3. Destinations in transition: looking to a more sustainable and digital future

Dual transition and the competitiveness of tourist destinations

Human resources skills in the face of the dual transition

Destination Management Organisations in the face of the dual transition.

Head Lecturer(s)

Professor a Definir - Faculdade de Letras

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Participation in sessions: 20.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 20.0%
Research work: 60.0%

Bibliography

 Adie, B. & Hall, M. (2024). Second homes and climate change. Routledge.

Castelo, A. P., & Reis, B. C. (2023). Turismo digital: Uma comunicação para nómadas intermitentes. Livros Horizonte. 

Dube, K., & Zyl, C. (2023). A dialogue for tourism, climate change, and philanthropy. In Morrison, A. & Buhalis, D. (Eds). Routledge handbook of trends and issues in tourism sustainability. Routledge.

Gajdošík, T. (2022). Smart tourism destination governance. Routledge.

Moreira, C. O., Ferreira, R., & Santos, T. (2021). Smart tourism and local heritage: Phygital experiences and the development of geotourism routes. In L. Oliveira, A. C. Migueis & A. Melro (Org.), Handbook of research on cultural heritage (pp. 206-232). IGI Global.

Saarinen, J. & Gill, A. (2019). Resilient destinations and tourism governance strategies in the transition towards sustainability in tourism. Routledge.

Scott, D. (2022). Sustainable tourism and the grand challenge of climate change. Sustainability, 13(4), 1966.