Course Topics
• Economic impact of tourism • Impact of tourism on climate change and biodiversity • Social and cultural challenges in tourism • Rural development and tourism • Protected areas and ecotourism • Agrotourism and use of local products • Sustainable consumption and tourism • The role of government, the private sector and other stakeholders in addressing sustainability in the tourism industry • Initiatives being taken to address sustainability across the tourism industry

Teaching format
Frontal lectures, exercises, project work

Educational objectives
ILO (Intended Learning Outcomes) ILO 1 - Knowledge and understanding ILO 1.1 Comparative advantages in the field of travel destinations ILO 1.2 Price and quality strategies in travel destinations ILO 1.3 Economic policy instruments for promoting the development of travel destinations ILO 1.4 The role of the state in the economy ILO 1.5 Quality strategies for accommodation providers ILO 1.6 Horizontal differentiation strategies for accommodation providers ILO 1.7 Methods for assessing external effects and public goods in the tourism and sports sector ILO 1.8 The concept of sustainability and its impact on regional development ILO 1.9 The determinants of cooperation and the ability to build systems between the various local tourism stakeholders. ILO 2 - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding ILO 2.1 Market analysis with the aim of selecting products and markets on which to focus business activities ILO 2.2 Context-dependent criteria for pricing ILO 2.4 Analysing the trade-off between price and product quality and understanding the criteria used to select the appropriate level of quality for the context ILO 2.5 Analysing the economic sustainability of current and future destinations ILO 2.6 Development of economic models for the sustainable development of tourism at the local level ILO 2.7 Planning and evaluation of economic development processes in the tourism sector at the macro and micro levels ILO 2.8 Analysis of the economic impact of economic policy measures for the tourism sector at local, regional and national level ILO 2.9 Development of economic models for sustainable tourism development at local level ILO 2.10 Basic concepts useful for attending courses in economics, business administration and management ILO 3 - Making judgements ILO 3.1 Identifying the most important variables to be used in decision-making in complex situations; ILO 3.2 Reporting analytically and critically on information, empirical values and data in order to make appropriate business decisions; ILO 3.3 Selecting the most appropriate quantitative and qualitative analysis tools to support decision-making; ILO 3.4 Find necessary additional information in databases, legal documents and scientific sources; ILO 3.5 Find solutions by using logical conclusions and combining information and analytical tools ILO 4 - Communication skills ILO 4.1 Graduates of the Bachelor's programme in Tourism, Sports and Event Management will develop communication and presentation skills in order to explain, discuss and summarise the complex, interdisciplinary topics of the tourism, sports and event sector in a work environment. ILO 4.2 The educational activities in the first year include courses in all three official languages of instruction, which cover communication and presentation strategies and techniques, while also offering the acquisition of various skills for the cultural environment related to language. The second year includes a language course in a fourth language. Case studies, projects and exercises within the courses, as well as written examinations at the end of each course, also contribute to the development of students' communication skills. ILO 4.3 The achievement of this objective is assessed by means of written examinations, group work, homework assignments, presentation of case studies and projects, and the final thesis. ILO 5 - Learning skills ILO 5.1 The ability to find up-to-date information in order to keep pace with changes in the service sector in general and in the field of tourism, sports and event management in particular. ILO 5.2 The ability to retrieve and utilise information from databases, research studies, legal texts, regulations and standards that are required in their professional life. ILO 5.3 The ability to analyse, critically evaluate and integrate data, information and experience. ILO 5.4 the ability to develop possible solutions to problems in economic and operational areas relating to those work contexts that represent potential career prospects for graduates.

Assessment
A) Attending Students: - Written examination: 50 % (ILOs 1 and 2) Expected duration of written exam: 90 minutes - Project work: 50 % The project work consists of a 5-page seminar paper which presents a scientific paper in the field of sustainable tourism and an oral presentation of the seminar paper. The project work is to be carried out as group work. A selection of papers is provided by the lecturer and students need to choose one within the first two weeks of the lectures. The 15-minutes presentation and 15-minutes discussion of the seminar paper will take place during the lectures. The 5-page seminar paper (excluding title page, table of contents, reference list and appendix) must be submitted at least three days before the oral presentation (ILOs 3, 4 und 5). B) Non-attending students: - Written exam: 50% (ILOs 1 and 2) Expected duration of written exam: 90 minutes - Project paper: 50% The project work consists of a 5-page seminar paper which presents a scientific paper in the field of sustainable tourism and an oral presentation of the seminar paper. A selection of papers is provided by the lecturer and students need to choose one within the first two weeks of the lectures. The 15-minutes presentation and 15-minutes discussion of the seminar paper will take place during the lectures. The 5-page seminar paper (excluding title page, table of contents, reference list and appendix) must be submitted at least three days before the oral presentation (ILOs 3, 4 and 5).

Evaluation criteria
Relevant for the written exam: clarity of answers, mastery of terminology related to the course, ability to summarize, evaluate, and establish relationships between topics. Relevant for project work (seminar paper and oral presentation): scientific working skills, ability to search and read scientific articles, scientific writing and presentation skills, skills in critical thinking, ability to discuss sustainability approaches. Written exam: 50%, Project paper: 50%. ATTENTION: The seminar paper has to be written according to scientific standards and all sources have to be cited. Students must check the paper with the software TURNITIN and submit the report along with their seminar paper. Unauthorized use of sources will be considered an attempt to cheat and will be subject to the sanctions provided for by the examination regulations.