The course aims to provide knowledge on the main theoretical models, methodologies, and best practices necessary to correctly manage a tourist destination, both from a strategic and operational perspective. To reach this objective, after introducing the distinctive features characterizing a tourist destination, the course will deepen the destination management principles, with a focus on the main marketing and digital communication tools.

• Introduction to Destination Management
• The distinctive features of Destination Management
• The subjects and the functioning mechanisms
• Tourism planning from the Destination Management perspective
• Destination Marketing and Destination Branding
• Product policies with a focus on Event Marketing
• Promotion and promo-marketing policies
• Digital communication policies
• Measurement and evaluation of tourist destination performance

• Knowledge and Understanding: Students will acquire knowledge of the fundamental concepts of destination management, which are necessary to manage all aspects, both strategic and operational, related to the correct management of tourist destinations. This objective will be pursued through lectures and group work.
• Applied Knowledge and Understanding: Students will acquire methodological tools and the necessary skills to plan projects at the destination level. Additionally, they will be able to appropriately apply the acquired knowledge to analyze, understand, and solve specific situations in managing tourist destinations. These objectives will be pursued through testimonials from entrepreneurs and professionals, case study analyses and discussions, and group work.
• Autonomy of Judgment: Students can independently develop management plans for tourist destinations and create connections between the various acquired knowledge with great flexibility. This objective will be pursued through in-depth seminars and case studies.
• Communication Skills: Students can communicate the acquired competencies using specific languages in line with the topics covered during the course. This objective will be pursued through presentation simulations.
• Learning Skills: Students must develop good learning abilities essential for mastering the topics covered during the course, laying the theoretical and methodological foundations necessary to continue successfully in their academic journey and entering the workforce. This objective will be pursued through lectures, testimonials, business case analyses and discussions, and group work.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The course includes meetings with industry experts, allowing for analyzing specific case studies related to strategic and operational destination marketing.

Teaching

The course involves the use of different teaching methods:

• Lectures;
• Presentation of case studies/seminars;
• Group discussions.

Innovative teaching methods

The course will include exercises and possible case study simulations focusing on strategic and operational planning. The necessary materials will be uploaded to the university's Moodle platform.

Course books

The teaching material made available by the teacher can be found, together with other support activities, within the Moodle platform ›blended.uniurb.it

Slides and materials provided by the teacher.

Further reading:

Franch M. (2021). Marketing delle destinazioni turistiche. McGraw-Hill Education

Assessment

The expected learning outcomes will be assessed through a written exam (consisting of both multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions). The time available to complete the test is 1 hour.

The evaluation criteria are the following: the level of mastery of knowledge; the degree of completeness of the answer, along with its contextualization within the general program of the course, and the degree of adequacy of the explanation.

Specifically, the attending students must demonstrate the acquisition of (i) full knowledge of the concepts (corresponding to 50% of the overall assessment); (ii) an adequate degree of completeness and articulation of the answers (corresponding to 30% of the overall assessment); (iii) an adequate explanation of the answers by applying the concepts acquired during the course (corresponding to 20% of the overall evaluation).

The vote is expressed in thirtieths and the exam is passed with a grade of at least 18/30.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance

Non-attending students are invited to consult the teaching material uploaded to Moodle (slides discussed in class, seminars, and other possible material) through which it will be possible to further deepen the volumes indicated in the "Course books" section.

Course books

To allow non-attending students to compensate with independent study for what is covered during the lessons, the following materials related to the same program content are indicated to promote their complete understanding:

The teaching material made available by the teacher can be found, together with other support activities, within the Moodle platform ›blended.uniurb.it

Further reading:

Franch M. (2021). Marketing delle destinazioni turistiche. McGraw-Hill Education

Assessment

For non-attending students, the same guidelines apply as for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.