Course 2024-2025 a.y.

20518 - CITIES, CULTURAL TOURISM AND URBAN LIFE

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English

Student consultation hours
Class timetable
Exam timetable
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  M-GGR/02  |  SECS-P/02) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OBS  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - DSBA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - PPA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - FIN (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02) - AI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  3 credits M-GGR/02  |  3 credits SECS-P/02)
Course Director:
CRISTINA MOTTIRONI

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: CRISTINA MOTTIRONI


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

We live in the 'Urban Century' and cities are places where various economic, social, cultural, and environmental issues interact. Although the visitor economy is frequently viewed as less important to cities than other economic activities, it has played a major role in the development and redevelopment of cities around the globe. Within this context, the role of cultural, recreational and tourism activities for contemporary cities and urban life needs to be sized and understood. As a matter of fact, cities catalyze cultural and social innovation and are among the fastest growing tourism destinations worldwide. The high competition among cities to attract visitor flows and capitalize on visitor spending requires that decision makers adopt effective strategies of destination management and marketing and calls for community engagement and smart approaches. In addition, the growing relevance of urban places as visitor destinations may have side effects and, in any case, it has implications in terms of urban management and planning. The mission of the course is to analyze the vital, and in some cases controversial, relationship between cities and visitors and to acquire specific competencies and tools for planning and managing a sustainable tourism development of urban areas.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The main contents of the workshop are:

  • The global relevance of cities and of urban tourism investments in the contemporary world
  • Trends of urban tourism (e.g. experiential and lifestyle tourism, cultural and creative tourism, event tourism, smart tourism)
  • Regeneration and renovation projects through tourism in large and small urban settings
  • Key issues in tourism urban governance, management, and markting
  • Pros and cons of urban tourism: understanding and managing the impacts of the ‘consumer city’

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Know and interpret how tourism, culture, and entertainment have transformed urban centers during the recent decades.
  • Understand how the investments of the tourism industry shape urban contexts.
  • Acquire competences of tourism urban governance, management and marketing.
  • Evaluate the impacts of tourism on cities and identify proper respones.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Adopt proper strategic approaches and tools to assess and promote the tourism potential of cultural assets and creative industries in urban areas.
  • Identify and address relevant tourism segments for specific urban districts.
  • Apply appropriate tools of destination management and marketing.
  • Deal with first-hand critical issues in the tourism promotion and management of relevant assets and events in an urban area.
  • Develop feasible tourism projects for a city in collaboration with tourism companies/insitutions.

Teaching methods

  • Lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Company visits
  • Collaborative Works / Assignments

DETAILS

The course is based on a mix of face-to-face lectures, guest speakers’ speeches, on-site visits, and group assignments. The mix enables students to apply concepts to real-life situations.

As such, students gain the most from class participation.

  • Guest Speakers' talks and on-sinte visits provide students the opportunity to get in touch with leaders of the sector and confront on specific policy and managerial challenges faced by tourism professionals and decision makers.
  • Case studies and class discussions are fundamental to achieve a better knowledge of the topics covered within the course and ensure a proper understanding of different issues. They support the students in achieving better interaction in class and develop critical thinking over the course topics. 
  • A field project (group assignement) is developed through the course in cooperation with Milano and Partners I YesMilano (the official promotion Agency and destination manangement organization of the city) and submitted at the end of the semester. With the support of the Agency and through fieldwork and site inspections, students work on concrete cases of place making and sustaianable tourism and develop their own project. A practical approach supports the ability of students in applying the best tools and achieving successful strategies.

Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
     x
  • Collaborative Works / Assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
 x    
  • Peer evaluation
 x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

With the purpose of measuring the acquisition of the above-mentioned learning outcomes, the students’ assessment is based on two main components:

  • Final written exam (40%)
  • Group field project (60%)

 

The written exam consists in open-ended and multiple-choice questions referring to the concepts, models and cases discussed in class. They test students' understanding of concepts covered in class and their ability to support arguments with evidence both from the literature and from concrete cases.

 

The group field project is an opportunity to tackle first-hand critical issues in tourism. It consists of developing a real sustainable tourism project for selected urban areas. This allows to verifiy (a) the ability of students in applying the knowledge acquired in class, (b) their ability to develop a feasible tourism project, and (c) their abilty to present it effectively. 

 

 

Please note:

  • Both evaluations must be sufficient (grade ≥ 18).

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

The assessment method for non-attending students is based on a final exam in written form. It will be made up of open-ended and multiple-choice questions referring to the concepts, models and cases contained in the textbooks and exam materials.

 

The open-ended and multiple-choice questions are mainly aimed at verifying learning of the analytical and management abilities and their correct comprehension. 


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS

The reading list is provided in the syllabus at the beginning of the course and it is a mix of readings and slides.

 

In accordance with intellectual property rights rules, different materials are available in different ways:

 

  • On the Bocconi Bboard platform of the course
  • On the ad hoc web course reserve, provided by the Library

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

The reading list is provided in the syllabus at the beginning of the course.

It consists of textbooks.

Last change 24/05/2024 16:01