THE FUTURE OF MARKETING AND TOURISM - 2024/5

Module Overview

The future of tourism is shaped by a variety of societal, economic, ecological and political factors that undergo rapid changes. For example, socio-demographic change leading to an ageing population will create new consumers in tourism with specific accessibility needs. Destinations, like space or polar regions, that to-date are still out of reach for most consumers will become part of the future of tourism. Besides, new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robots or virtual and augmented reality, will transform tourism in the future and create an abundance of marketing innovations that will fundamentally change tourism marketing in the future.

In this module, students will learn to identify and critically evaluate current trends that may shape the future of tourism and marketing. After identifying core drivers of change in tourism, this module will explore future consumers in tourism, destinations that to-date are not (fully) part of the tourism landscape and tourism products evolving from new technologies and digital innovations. Students will also learn how the future of marketing in tourism will change because of artificial intelligence, non-fungible tokens and the creation of metaverse. Using a practice-oriented teaching approach, students will be guided to develop innovative marketing material for future consumers, destinations or products in tourism using different digital marketing tools and channels.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

KARL Marion (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

Indicative contents include:

• Trend analysis and scenario-thinking for future tourism development


• Trends in tourism (e.g., sustainability, artificial intelligence, virtual reality)


• Future consumers in tourism (e.g., digital nomads, eco-friendly traveller)


• Future destinations in tourism (e.g., space tourism, polar tourism)


• Future products in tourism (e.g., virtual travel experiences, robots)


• Virtual and augmented reality in tourism marketing


• Artificial intelligence as a tourism marketing tool


• Big data, geographic information and data-driven tourism marketing


• Non-fungible tokens (NFT) and branding in tourism marketing


• Tourism marketing in the metaverse

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

For the group presentation: Where a student isn't able to complete the group presentation, they will be required to record a presentation.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to allow students to demonstrate their insight into trends in tourism and future developments of tourism and marketing and to demonstrate their ability to develop a marketing plan for one potential future development in tourism.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• An individual essay where students are asked to critically discuss a current trend and future tourism development to assess students’ understanding of key concepts and trend analysis in tourism


• A presentation of a marketing plan (group work) for a future customer, destination or product in tourism including a road map of marketing activities, examples of marketing material using different digital marketing tools and channels as well as strategies for the evaluation of the marketing success

Formative assessment and feedback:

Students are required to submit a proposal before the final submission of the individual assignment and the presentation of the marketing plan. An assignment consultation session will be organized to give formative feedback on their proposals based on submitted drafts.

Module aims

• identify core drivers of change for future tourism development
• critically evaluate trends leading to new consumers, destinations, and products in tourism
• enhance skills in emerging digital marketing tools
• think creatively and innovatively about the future of tourism and marketing

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide students with key information about current trends and future developments in tourism, including the emergence of new customers, destinations and products as well as novel tourism marketing instruments using artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Students will learn the necessary methodological and analytical skills to critically evaluate the future of tourism and marketing. Students will also learn new ways to develop and evaluate marketing material using digital technology.

The teaching and learning methods include:

• lectures designed to provide a framework of knowledge


• workshops and seminars (with case study exercises) designed (a) to provide opportunities for students to discuss future customers, destinations or products in tourism; (b) to develop practical skills in using digital technology in tourism marketing; and (c) to evaluate digital marketing using the latest technology applications from the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management's own social science laboratory


• guest speaker sessions designed to provide industry insight and the opportunity to discuss potential future customers, destinations or products in tourism with industry experts

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM552

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Employability: Students learn theories and methodologies in trend analysis through case examples, guest lectures and software tools in order to help students identify and evaluate how current trends may impact future development in tourism. They also learn how to develop a marketing plan in a group which will help them build capabilities in working effectively in small groups towards a common goal. Students learn how to apply novel technologies in marketing such as artificial intelligence.

Digital Capabilities: Digital marketing tools are a key element of this module and students' will not only gain theoretical knowledge but will also be able to build on their digital capabilities from Semester 1 (MANM316: Digital Marketing and Social Media in Tourism) by applying novel technologies in digital marketing such as artificial intelligence. Students will learn how digital technology is changing tourism now and in the future. The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, is an essential part of this module. Students will use the virtual learning environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, video conferencing platforms such Microsoft Teams, and data analytics software to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and peers.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Students will develop an understanding of current trends and potential future developments in tourism and marketing on a regional and global level. Case examples from different cultural backgrounds and worldwide destinations will be chosen to explore various aspects of the future of tourism and marketing. As a class is a mix of students who are from different countries and have diverse cultural background, class discussions where students will be encouraged to share experiences and perspectives from their cultural backgrounds and to learn from these will reinforce students' global and cultural capabilities.

Sustainability: Sustainability is a major trend in tourism development and will strongly impact the future of tourism and marketing. This module covers sustainability in tourism intensively and using case examples of best practice in sustainability, students will be encouraged to discuss strategies that can help create more sustainable consumers, destinations and products in tourism for the future. Resourcefulness and Resilience: This module involves opportunities for guided reflection on team learning activities in form of class discussions and individual meetings with each group during the preparation of the marketing plan. Students are expected to regularly evaluate their progress on the assignment in order to improve self-reflection and, as part of this, will be required to demonstrate how they incorporate feedback from the lecturers and their peers. The critical nature of the in-class discussion will help foster openness by encouraging students to understand and discuss contrasting perspectives.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.