Tourism Planning

Target Audience

The short course is designed to empower a diverse range of stakeholders in the tourism sector, such as tourism and hospitality professionals, public managers, students of Tourism, Geography, and Environmental Management, ecotourism entrepreneurs, and community leaders interested in enhancing local heritage and mitigating the negative socio-environmental impacts of tourism.

Justification

The need for a course focused on Tourism Planning is justified by the complexity of managing destinations that range from coastal and mountainous regions to rural areas and thermal resorts, requiring specific approaches for each context. In a scenario of global warming and increasing pressure on natural resources, planning becomes the essential tool to ensure that tourism is a vector for sustainable economic development rather than degradation. Furthermore, the integration of cartographic representation methods and the understanding of geographic space are fundamental for managers to diagnose, assess, and communicate the potential of a territory strategically.

General Objective

To train professionals for the planning and sustainable development of tourism in various types of destinations, based on the understanding of natural resources, environmental impacts, and tools for effective management of tourist spaces.

Specific Objectives

• To analyze and apply specific tourism planning methodologies for each type of destination, considering their particularities and potentialities;
• To identify and evaluate the natural and renewable resources of each region, understanding their importance for the development of sustainable ecotourism and the challenges posed by global warming;
• To use cartography and the concepts of geographic and tourist space as strategic tools for the development of tourism plans and projects, aiming at the optimization and sustainability of enterprises.

Curriculum Content

[title-dropdown] Module 1 - Tourism Planning and Economic Development [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] In this module, students will explore the fundamentals of tourism planning applied to different contexts: coastal, mountainous, rural regions, and thermal resorts. Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of tourism will be addressed, as well as the importance of infrastructure and local cultural enhancement, in addition to strategies to promote sustainable development. The module offers an integrated view of tourism and economy, highlighting the role of public and private management in building balanced and attractive tourist destinations year-round. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 2 - Sustainable Ecotourism, Renewable Natural Resources, and Global Warming [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] In this module, students will understand the fundamentals of sustainable ecotourism and its relationship with contemporary environmental challenges, such as global warming. Social, cultural, and ecological impacts of tourism will be discussed, as well as the importance of the conscious use of renewable natural resources. The module also highlights planning and participatory management strategies aimed at sustainable development, promoting the conservation of ecosystems and the well-being of local communities. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 3 - Methods of Graphic and Cartographic Representation Applied to Tourism [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] In this module, students will learn how graphic representation methods and cartography are fundamental for the planning, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of tourism activities. Different ways to map relevant geographic, social, and economic information for tourism will be explored, using symbols, scales, legends, and cartographic projections. The module also addresses the importance of maps as a communication tool with tourists, facilitating the understanding and enjoyment of tourist spaces. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 4 - Geographic Space and Its Potentialities for Tourism Activities [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] In this module, students will understand how geographic space transforms into tourist space through the actions of different social agents. The relationships between tourism, territory, development, and spatial organization will be explored, analyzing the social, economic, and cultural impacts on local communities. The module also highlights the importance of participatory planning and democratic management of tourist spaces to promote sustainable development and the enhancement of local heritage. [/content-dropdown]