N/A

Tourism, Society and Visual Culture involves the study of core elements of visual culture in the context of tourism; and it allows you to develop a practical understanding of tourism’s visual cultural. The module is underpinned by current theories in visual consumption and analysis, drawing from: the arts, social sciences, tourism studies, and tourism management. It facilitates a critical understanding of the significance of visual culture in the context of tourism studies; and across the tourism sector, including: destinations, attractions, and festival and event settings. The module opens with an introduction to, and overview of, visual culture and its relationship to the tourism sector. It continues by considering key theories and concepts such as: the history of travel, tourism and visual culture; visual representations of tourism places and cultures, across a range of media; literary and film induced tourism; cultural tourism; art and tourism; visual consumption - the tourist gaze and photography; the semiotic paradigm and its role in tourism’s visual culture; visual analysis of tourism imagery; and the influence of visual cultures on societies, cultures and the tourism industry. In studying this module you will develop: an understanding of the relationship between the tourism sector, culture and society; skills to understand and analyse visual media in the setting of tourism; and knowledge and experience of how managers across the tourism sector can apply theories around visual culture and tourism in their practice.

LO1: Identify and critically appraise the historical development of tourism and its visual culture at local, national, and international levels.
LO2: Critically evaluate and reflect upon the significance of tourism’s visual culture on society and across the tourism sector.
LO3: Critically examine and analyse selected visual representations of tourism, destinations, attractions, and related phenomena, across media sources.
LO4: Demonstrate a critical understanding of tourism and its visual culture as significant elements within both the wider social life, and the business, of the tourism sector.