Objectives and competences
Objectives:
• To encourage students to take an analytical approach to reflecting on the role of the "old" mass media and digital intermediaries in contemporary communication between tourism organizations and tourists.
• To encourage students to read scientific and professional literature on the role of the media in tourism.
• To mentor students in professional and scientific writing, with an emphasis on writing a literature review, justifying contributions to science, and clarifying a research question.
Competences:
• Research thinking and writing based on an independent analysis of the scientific literature in on the role of media in tourism.
Content (Syllabus outline)
• Storytelling in tourism
• Role and importance of storytelling in communication
• Storytelling and tourism
• Story, theme, enumerating of facts
• Looking for heroes and heroines in tourism stories
• Media, popular culture and destination branding
• Introduction in discussion on media effects
• Organic destination image
• Induced destination image
• Destination branding
• Media discourse and sustainable, green and active tourism
• Tourism and media agenda setting
• Media discourses and the “Other”
• Connotation, denotation
• Objectivity, information sources and public relations in tourism
• The new intermediaries: online media
• Political economy of »old« and »new« media in tourism
• (In)Visible mediation of communication
• Guests as creators of content in tourism
Learning and teaching methods
This study course uses a wide range of teaching methods including:
• Lectures
• Guest lectures
• Presentations of work
• Discussion groups
• Video material
• Field work
• Individual study
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Student:
• Is familiar with the methods, role and importance of storytelling in tourism and understands the importance of storytelling for the relationship between tourism and the media
• Is familiar with basic discussions about media effects and can critically reflect on the relationship between destination branding and popular culture
• Demonstrates an analytical approach to issues of media representation and relations between social groups in tourism
• Critically reflects on the political economy of the mass media and digital intermediaries in tourism
• Can theoretically justify a research problem, present the state of the art and pose a research question within the area of media and tourism that can be answered by empirical research
Readings
Dinnie, K. (2016). Nation branding: concepts, issues, practice. Routledge.
Turnšek, M. (2022). Filmski turizem in turizem popularne kulture. Univerzitetna založba Univerze Maribor.
Priporočena dodatna literatura / Recommended additional literature:
Posamezna izbrana poglavja in znanstveni članki po izboru predavatelja bodo študentom posredovani pri predmetu./ Selected chapters and scientific papers according to lecturer's decision will be provided during the course.
Prerequisits
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Additional information on implementation and assessment Method (written or oral exam, coursework, project):
Active participation at the seminar 30%
Oral defence 30%
Seminar paper 40%
A student passes the course when each segment of the course is positively assessed.
