ECB2600

Tourism economics

May not be offered in 1999

Lecturer to be advised

6 points · Two 1-hour lectures and one 1-hour tutorial per week · First semester · Berwick · Prerequisite: successful completion of ECB1101

Objectives On completion of this subject students should be able to understand how markets in tourism industries work; understand the factors behind the demand for tourism services and patterns of demand growth; appreciate how provision of tourism services affects the natural and built environment, and how economic insruments can be used to control adverse impacts; comprehend a range of tourism policies, and how economic analysis can be brought to contribute to the resolutions; analyse economic issues in tourism, and have developed skills in discussing these in written and oral form through writing an essay and in tutorial presentations.

Synopsis The subject is a survey of the economic aspects of the tourism industry. Early lectures explore the nature of the components of the tourism industry (accommodation, travel companies, air transport etc.) and their significance in the economy. The nature of tourism enterprises and the supply conditions of the industry, including aspects of finance and investment, are examined. Next, the demand for tourism is examined, leading to a discussion of tourism forecasting. The impacts of the growth of tourism demand on the economy are analysed. Tourism's impact on the environment is explored, and the use of economic instruments to control these is discussed. The course concludes with a review of tourism policy issues, such as taxation of tourism, promotion, foreign investment and international aviation policy.

Assessment Tutorial papers (3 papers of two pages): 20% · Essay (2000 words): 30% · Examination (2 hours): 50%

Prescribed texts

Tribe J The economics of leisure and tourism: Environment, markets and import Butterworth-Heinemann, 1995

Back to the 1999 Business and Economics Handbook