E-TOURISM

The e-tourism course addresses the evolutionary steps of the tourism sector through the use of web technologies and technological innovation in general. The course combines the themes related to the theories of the traveller experience and the tourism production chain with those related to the internet and the revolution that occurred thanks to the advent of web 2.0, social networks and ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies).
Every main features of the tourism sector (e.g. transport, accommodation, reception, promotion, sales, creation of tourism services, etc.) will be analysed by studying the main changes related to technologies.

At the end of the course students will have acquired the necessary tools and knowledge to describe and understand the key aspects of the e-tourism concept, the application of technologies in the various productive sectors related to tourism and the revolution of the tourist experience. Students will be able to master concepts related to tourism supply and demand through digital technologies. Finally, as far as knowledge and understanding skills are concerned, students will be able:

1 - understand and master the tools and channels of marketing and promotion of the tourist destination;
2 - understand and classify the revolutions of the tourism enterprise sector thanks to new technologies and social networks;
3 - understand and know how to direct the tourist offer through the study of the tourist's behaviour and profile through the digital traces left on the web;
4 - to understand how to activate tools for monitoring the sustainability of tourism thanks to big data

No prerequisite knowledge necessary to understand the concepts and experiences shared in the course

The e-Tourism course introduces various applications and technological tools relevant to the tourism industry and offers students a theoretical/practical experience of using advanced eTourism applications. The main contents of the course are:

- The evolution of the tourism industry thanks to new technologies
- The eTourism concept
- A New Tourist Experience
- The visitor journey into the internet age
- The Web 2.0 related to tourism
- The smart destination and web 3.0
- New ways of managing the tourist destination (from destination management system to data driven models)
- The evolution of hospitality (from Online travel agencies to Business intelligence)
- Co-creation and tourist participation in the different production sectors (co-creation, social networks, customization of the offer)
- Circular economy and sharing economy applied to the world of tourism (accommodation, mobility and experiences)
- Technologies for the management of overtourism
- Big data and artificial intelligence applied to tourism
- E-tourism and post covid
- Travel blogger and influencer

Students should refer to scientific articles, parts of books and slides presented during the course.
Materials and slides used during the course will be shared in the Moodle platform.

For ATTENDING students (those who attend at least 70% of lessons), the final grade is based on:
- Creation of an elaborate/paper developed individually or in groups on the themes communicated during the lessons (50% = 15 points).
- A class presentation of the paper (20% = 6 points);
- A reduced oral examination (30% = 9 points).

For NO-ATTENDING students (those attending less than 70% of the lessons), the final grade will be based on:
- The full version of the oral exam (100% = 30 points)

The course is organized in:
1 - frontal lessons of theory
2 - discussion of case studies in the form of working groups
3 - discussion of papers or news presented during the lessons

The didactic materials will be available in the Moodle platform divided by subject and will be accompanied by an introduction that will support the student in understanding the didactic path of the course.

Italian

The course will be in Italian.

written and oral