Tourism - Faculty of Arts

Offered by the National Centre for Australian Studies, within the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences

Tourism currently employs around 10 per cent of the workforce and over the last decade has been both one of the world's, and Australia's, fastest growing industries. Currently more than eight million international visitors are forecast to arrive in Australia by the year 2012. Australia is widely regarded as being one of the global leaders in the management and marketing of tourism.

Some of the key issues that the graduate tourism program addresses include the following. What is the current state of the global tourism industry? What are the patterns of global tourism development and why are some regions growing faster than others? What type of tourism is emerging in the 21st century? Where will the proposed tourism growth come from and where will it occur in the world? What segments of the market offer the greatest growth prospects? What are the developmental and planning issues associated with managing this growth? What role does 'culture' play in the industry? What is the role of the government in managing the industry? How are destinations marketed and can countries become 'brands'? What are the associated impacts of tourism on the environment? What is the role of special events such as major sporting events in tourism development? How will new technologies such as the internet impact on the industry?

The key strength of the graduate tourism program lies in its international focus, its multidisciplinary nature, its industry links and its ability to critically evaluate the industry from various perspectives. The program believes in the value of 'field-based learning' and a range of study tours are offered to encourage student interaction with the industry. Academically, the program encompasses the areas of Australian culture and society, marketing and international marketing, cross-cultural analysis, cultural tourism, museum and heritage studies, environmental tourism, development and planning issues, special events, communications and technology, and independent tourism. All courses within the graduate tourism program are designed for students who wish to work in the management sector of the industry.

The graduate tourism program actively pursues research and supervision in the following areas: tourism planning and development in regional areas; backpacker/independent tourism; international tourism marketing; educational tourism; Aboriginal tourism; urban tourism; cultural tourism and museum studies; tourism and development in less-developed countries; wine tourism and tourism in transition in Eastern Europe.

Relevant course groups

Graduate Certificate
Graduate Diploma
Masters degree by coursework
Masters degree by research and coursework
Masters degree by research
0020 Doctor of Philosophy

Contact

Telephone: +61 3 9903 4039

Email: NCAS.enquiries@arts.monash.edu.au