TM9643 - Innovation and Creativity in Tourism, Hospitality and Events

You will have two lectures per week which focus on specific topics and introduce you to the theory behind innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship within THE. The lectures will provide industry examples to illustrate product development and the role of the consumer as a driver and co-creator in the THE experience. You will also have a weekly seminar; this will re-enforce the lecture content and focus upon extending your knowledge of innovation development in practice. Some seminars will focus upon specific THE product development and operations; case studies will be used, along with group work and formative assessment. You will learn by undertaking independent study and directed learning on the topics; resources for this will be indicated, and these will support your learning experience.
You will have a formative (practice) assessment in the early weeks of the semester which will greatly assist you through the provision of feedback, to support your final summative assessment.

Support will be provided to you by a member of academic staff leading the module. Additional academics will contribute to the teaching of the module based on their experience. Support will include feedback from tutors during seminar for individual and small – group based activity. Your module is supported by an e-learning portal, which will house lecture material, seminar activities, assessment details and study support resources. You will be provided with an electronic reading list that comprises of book section, journal articles and industry reports that will contribute to your understanding of the management practices and challenges within international tourism, hospitality and events.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• You will develop a critical understanding of the role of innovation and creativity within contemporary tourism, hospitality & events industry (THE). (MLO1)
• You will develop knowledge and understanding of how consumer demand shapes product development in THE. (MLO2)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Critically evaluate the effectiveness of industries (particularly SME’s) in responding to global competition and consumer demand by producing innovative and creative offerings. (MLO3)


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Develop and critique skills related to the aligning of market demands with innovative product creation. These will assist you in any career path in THE. (MLO4)

Formative assessment will take place in initial seminars when problem solving tasks will be set and students evaluated as to how effectively they are applying developed theory and knowledge.

There will be a presentation (20%) in week 6 or 7 of the module. This will address MLO3.

The summative assessment will be a 2,500 word (80%) report. This will be a fully researched piece on an area of innovative and creative THE development and an evaluation of the feasibility of its implementation in specific markets.

This assessment will address MLO1, MLO2, and MLO4.

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Innovation is a key concept in business and the tourism, hospitality and events sector are some of the most important industries from a consumer demand and experience perspective. Globally THE are vibrant, dynamic industries where quality and delivery of enhanced experiences are fundamental; consumers however are now more knowledgeable, sophisticated and demanding. THE organisations must provide innovative, creative and specialised products to maintain loyal customer behaviour and also attract new customers and ensure sustainability in an increasingly competitive global environment. This module explores how this is done, incorporating a range of examples and examining the theoretical framework for understanding tourism, hospitality and event innovation, together with an evaluation of the role of the entrepreneur within this process.

You will explore the development and operation of the following THE products; rural and gastronomic tourism, event innovation, creative attractions, innovation in restaurants and hotels, technology advancements and consumer engagement, destinations marketing and new resort / product development. You will evaluate these from a management, marketing, sustainable practice perspective and will draw on the concept of entrepreneurial activity. This will give you skills and knowledge necessary to develop a career in THE and also skills which are transferable to other service industries.