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During the module participants will hear from a range of UK and international speakers as well as having the opportunity to strengthen industry networks and develop as a leader. Team building skills and leadership practice will be enhanced through familiarisation visits to businesses and visitor facilities in the area demonstrating best practice.

The module consists of:
1) Five one day workshops which will cover five key themes:
Destination Development - vision and strategy / product knowledge / holistic development / stakeholder management / the role of festivals and events / business tourism/ providing authentic experiences (heritage and culture) / role of innovation / value added from collaboration/ effective partnership building and networking
Customer Journey - component elements of the product (from first point of contact to transport to and within the destination) / customer experience / knowing your customer / market and future trends / importance of workforce skills, training and customer interface / customer service
Marketing and Branding - what defines 'World Class' / competitor analysis / sponsorship / sales and promotion/ market segmentation / integrated city marketing / developing a compelling proposition / alignment of messaging
Sustainability and Influencing Government Policy Agendas - achieving a competitive advantage for your business and the destination through influencing key decision makers, adding value, and raising awareness of adopting sustainable processes
The Digital Economy - impacts on consumers of information and communication technology (ICT) developments / social media / ICT impacts on customer journey and touch points (websites/apps/ e-commerce)

2) Three (two day) residential weekends will focus on leadership and will cover areas including:
Leadership skills - leadership behaviours; taking on a leadership role; team building and leadership; leading for the future; coaching for leaders
Developing strategic views at a destination level - goal setting in tough times; vision and strategy; change management; personal development theory and practice
Creating and enhancing collaborative environments - effective collaboration; partnership working across sectors (influencing and negotiating); advanced communication and negotiation

3) Assessed Leadership Project:
Working in groups, participants will identify a specific leadership or destination management issue or problem within their business or a related organisation. The focus will be on creating a positive impact on the visitor experience, enhancing market and competitive positioning, and maximising the return on investment to the destination.

Participants will utilise the theory and practice gained on the module to provide an in-depth situational analysis, recommendations and solutions. At the end of the module, the group will present recommendations to a panel of Senior Destination Leaders.

LO1: Critically review the internal and external destination environment.
LO2: Critically evaluate the needs and expectations of key stakeholders in the destination LO3: Critically assess key success drivers of effective destination leadership
LO4: Working in a professional capacity as part of a team defend and deliver a business rationale for a leadership based project to peers and module leaders