Unit 40 Special Interest Tourism

Introduction

This unit is designed to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the global special interest tourism market. Students will investigate the scale and scope of existing special interest tourism products and services, and will carry out research to explore emerging and developing niche and special interest opportunities.

With significant competition in the mainstream tourism market, special interest tourism providers aim to gain competitive advantage by providing more bespoke and unique experiences for travellers seeking something a little bit different. By appealing to these smaller niche markets, special interest tourism providers can offer creative and inspiring holiday options that meet their clients’ particular needs and interests.

The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students will gain on successfully completing this unit will enhance their career opportunities, whether setting up in business independently or being employed by an organisation providing special interest tourism products, services and experiences.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit students will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of special interest tourism products, services and customer motivations
Analyse the scale, scope and impact of special interest tourism markets and how tourism providers meet customer needs and expectations
Assess emerging special interest tourism markets
Design and pitch a special interest tourism product, service or experience.

Essential content

LO1 Demonstrate an understanding of special interest tourism products, services and customer motivations

Special interest tourism products and services:

Definitions and characteristics of special interest tourism

The supply of special interest tourism: overview of special interest tourism products, services and experiences that appeal to a range of niche, heterogeneous and specialist markets

Different types of special interest tourism providers

Customer motivations and influences:

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors which motivate and influence customers to choose special interest tourism products and services and generate demand for special interest tourism

Overview of tourist typologies, lifestyles, and identities The rise of the experiential tourist economy

The importance of understanding and responding to the needs and expectations of different customer types at each stage of the special interest tourism trip cycle

LO2 Analyse the scale, scope and impact of special interest tourism markets and how tourism providers meet customer needs and expectations

Special interest markets:

Statistical data on the scale and scope of special interest tourism local, national and international markets

Supply and demand factors that have generated growth of key special interest markets e.g. eco-tourism, dark tourism, adventure tourism, gastronomic tourism, agri-tourism

Macro and micro-niches

The development, popularity and impact of special interest tourism markets

The use of special interest tourism for developing a brand identity or strategically repositioning a destination to rejuvenate and transform the brand

Contemporary trends and issues affecting the special interest tourism

LO3 Assess emerging special interest tourism markets

Emerging markets:

Emerging special interest and niche markets and providers

Development of new innovative products, services and experiences to meet changing demands and factors e.g. micro-adventures, geo-tourism

Future developments in special interest tourism

Factors which influence the development of special interest tourism:

The impact of market forces, trends and fashions Accessibility to/in emerging destinations

The impacts of tourism activity, ethical consideration and consumer responsibility

LO4 Design and pitch a special interest tourism product, service or experience

New product/service development:

Ideas generation, ideas screening/selection, creative methods, concept testing (marketing research) and business analysis

Risks associated with new product/service development

The use of digital technology in researching, designing, testing and development of new products and services

Special interest product, service or experience:

Creative product/service development: demand, feasibility and rationale Promotion of specific features and benefits

Key features and services to meet customer motivations and expectations

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO1 Demonstrate an understanding of special interest tourism products, services and customer motivations
P1 Define and differentiate the characteristics of special interest tourism from mainstream mass tourism P2 Examine examples of special interest tourism products, services, experiences and providers in different markets	M1 Analyse the relationship between customer motivations and influences and special interest tourism products and services	D1 Critically analyse how diverse customer motivations and expectations are met by special interest and niche tourism markets, products and experiences
P3 Assess how customer motivations, needs and expectations influence special interest tourism
LO2 Analyse the scale, scope and impact of special interest tourism markets and how tourism providers meet customer needs and expectations	LO2 LO3
	D2 Critically evaluate the development and impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, proposing justified and realistic recommendations for future developments
P4 Interpret and assess relevant data and statistics on the scale and scope of a chosen special interest market P5 Analyse the impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination and how tourism providers respond to customer needs and expectations	M2 Critically analyse the impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, applying relevant data and statistics
LO3 Assess emerging special interest tourism markets
P6 Examine, using a relevant example, new and emerging special interest markets, products and providers	M3 Evaluate the impact of market forces and trends on the development of special interest tourism markets

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO4 Design and pitch a special interest tourism
product, service or experience	D3 Communicate a valid

P7 Design and pitch a	M4 Design a well-	and justified rationale for
special interest tourism	conceived pitch that is	a special interest product,
product, service or	well-matched to meet	service or experience,
experience to meet	current market forces,	supported by relevant
customer needs,	trends and customer	data, statistics and
motivations and demand	demand	market intelligence

Recommended resources

Textbooks

BEETON, S. (2016) Film Induced Tourism (Aspects of Tourism). Bristol: Channel View Publications.

EVERETT, S. (2016) Food and Drink Tourism – Principles and Practice. London: Sage.

NOVELLI, M. (2015) Niche Tourism: Contemporary Issues, Trends and Cases.

Oxford: Routledge.

PAPATHANASSIS, A. (2011) The Long Tail of Tourism: Holiday Niches and their Impact on Mainstream Tourism. Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag.

SHARPLEY, R. et al. (2009) The Darker Side of Travel: The Theory and Practice of Dark Tourism (Aspects of Tourism). Bristol: Channel View Publications Ltd.

SMITH, M. (2010) Key Concepts in Tourist Studies. London: Sage.

WILLIAMS, P. (2018) Special Interest Tourism: Concepts, Contexts and Cases. Wallingford: CABI.