TMGT 2610 – Environmental Issues in the Tourism Industry
In this course, we looked at how the rapid growth of tourism has resulted in significant negative environmental impacts. Not only this but we explored the cultural impacts that tourism has on destinations and their people. We identified the challenges that we as future tourism professionals will face when developing tourism policies and/or owning and operating tourism businesses. By predominantly using Canadian case studies and lessons from our past, we were able to gain a better understanding of the real issues and concerns our industry faces. One class project that I found extremely valuable was the water tracking journals. For this exercise, we individually tracked our water consumption. While it didn’t necessarily relate to the tourism industry it was an engaging, practical and eye-opening experience.
TMGT 4220 – Mountain Studies
In this upper level elective, I had the opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary study of mountain environments, communities, resorts, activities, sustainability and destination experiences. In groups, we selected mountain environments across the globe and produced presentations and papers for our classmates that highlighted their profiles, development strategies, sustainability measures and challenges. My project focused on Zermatt, Switzerland. By deep-diving into the different ways mountain destinations are protected and developed around the world, this opened my eyes to sustainability measures I was unaware of before and gave me lots of inspiration for my future career in the tourism industry. By combining both theoretical and practical learning, this interactive class not only developed my knowledge in the field but it made my appreciation for mountains and nature blossom even more.
SOCI 1211 – Introduction to Sociology II
This second introductory sociology course taught me how to use a sociological analysis to critically examine social stratification and its effects on people and the planet. The course deepened my knowledge of how significantly social inequality affects our societies and their environments. By investigating the education, work, politics, media, healthcare, sustainability and criminal justice systems of different nations, I am now able to think more critically about how culture is a major part of sustainability and form opinions based on exploration and evidence.
TMGT 4040 – tourism and sustainable development
In this class, we examined the environmental impact of tourism and looked at social, economic, and political aspects surrounding the planning, developing, and sustaining of tourism destinations. The class builds on TMGT 2610, focusing more on the importance of effective planning at the regional and community level. The course combined both historical and theoretical literature, along with in-depth case studies surrounding present tourism destinations and businesses. We looked at issues such as transportation, climate change, biodiversity, wildlife viewing, the commodification of culture, labour mobility, foreign investment and others. My favourite part of the class were the in-session debates involving critical topics such as whale watching, indigenous tourism and the cruise and aviation industries.