Tourism Study Tour

An experiential learning opportunity that combines study, international travel and fun

3226THS / 7226THS Tourism Study Tour is a 10CP elective course in which you can explore coveted international tourism destinations while potentially earning credit towards your degree.

You'll have the opportunity to learn about significant contemporary tourism, event, hospitality, marketing industry issues including authenticity, sustainability and destination competitiveness. The study tour is carefully designed to ensure a balance between structured learning activities, tourism experiences and free time to explore the destinations on your own.

If you have an interest in business management, or love travel and need to include a third-year elective in your program, this course is ideal. There are no prerequisites.

Places you will visit

Rome

Venice

Dubai

Florence

Verona

Lake Garda

Course information

The course is structured in three phases and contains three assessment items.

Phase one

The first phase includes a series of seminars on the underpinning topics of this course: destination competitiveness, sustainability and authenticity.

These seminars will take place during three Saturdays (typically from 10 am to 4 pm) during Trimester 1 2020. We also have one or two group dinners so students can meet each other.

The first two assessment items—a presentation on the critical overview of a destination (worth 30% of your overall marks) and an essay (30%)—will be due during this first phase.

Phase two

The second phase is the field component of the course. As a group, we will visit Rome, Florence, Lake Garda, Verona, Venice and Dubai.

This component is designed to allow you to explore the destinations as a reflective tourist and, for some of you, as a future tourism professional.

Phase three

The third phase includes a reflection session and the submission of the final assessment, a photo essay (worth 40% of your overall marks).

This final phase also includes a farewell get-together.

Professor Charles Arcodia and Dr Margarida Abreu Novais are the course convenors of the Tourism Study Tour.

Charles is the Deputy Head of the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management at Griffith University.

Margarida is a lecturer within the same department.

Charles and Margarida travel with students on the study tour, which they have been running together at Griffith for seven years.

The costs for the Tourism Study Tour are:

the usual Griffith University course enrolment fee
plus $4450 for the study tour component
plus airfares (about $2000–$2600).

The study tour fee covers all accommodation, ground transport, entrance fees and costs associated with the activities included in the study tour, breakfasts and a number of group dinners.

Financial assistance

Students enrolled in this course can apply for a $500 Griffith Global Mobility International Experience Incentive Scheme Travel Grant.

Australian citizens who have completed at least 80CP in their degree and still have room for a free-elective and 10CP, may be eligible for Overseas Higher Education Loan Program (OS-HELP) of approximately $6,500, which will need to be repaid like HECS-HELP. All enquires for HECS-HELP should be made to the Griffith Go Global office. If you are applying for this loan, you should do so as soon as possible.

Go Global

Spending money

It is hard to give you an exact figure as it will depend on the extra activities you might be interested in doing during free time (such as shopping and other experiences not included in the tour).

You will at least need money for some meals (mostly lunches and some dinners). We recommend that you bring at least $1,000 spending money.

If you wish to travel with the group, you should book the following Emirates flights:

1. Brisbane (BNE) to Rome (FCO) 19 June 2020

EK 431 | BNE 22.50–07.00 DXB
EK 097 | DXB 09.10–13.25 FCO (June 20)

2. Venice (VCE) to Dubai (DXB) 1 July 2020

EK 136 | VCE 15.50–23.35 DXB

3. Dubai (DXB) to Brisbane (BNE) 5 July 2020

EK 430 | DXB 02.30–22.20 BNE

Is this a real course?

Yes it is. The course will be for credit and you will be able to use it as an elective in your degree program (as long as you have elective space). It may also be possible to enrol in this course if you have actually finished your degree program.

Are there prerequisites to enrol?

No, there are no prerequisites to enrol.

I am not a tourism, hospitality or event management student. Can I still join?

Of course you can! This is a general elective for anyone who studies at Griffith University. As long as you have an interest in travelling and you are willing to be a reflective traveller, it will be fine.

What is the assessment for this course?

There are three assessment items for this course:

Presentation (30%): A Critical Overview of a Destination, due before the trip component.
Individual written essay (30%) due before the trip component.
A photo essay (40%) due after the trip component.

When and where to classes for this course take place?

Pre-departure seminars will take place during three Saturdays in Trimester 1, from 10 am to 4 pm. Typically we alternate the location between Nathan and Gold Coast campuses, with the third Saturday seminar taking place on the campus that has the highest number of students. You are expected to travel to the campus where the seminars take place. These days are great opportunities for students to get to know each other. The last seminar takes place after the trip component, usually on a weekday late afternoon, which is followed by a group dinner.

Do I need a visa?

If you hold an Australian passport, you do not need a visa to enter Italy or United Arab Emirates. All other nationalities should check requirements immediately as it may take some time to obtain a visa.

How many people normally go on the study tour?

Each year we take a group of about 24 students.

What is the accommodation like during the study tour?

Most of the accommodation is in four-star hotels except in Venice, where we stay in a trendy hostel and in Dubai, where we will be staying at a hotel school. Normally you will be sharing twin, triple or quadruple rooms except in Venice.

Can I book an individual room?

Yes, but that will be at extra cost. You will need to let us know as soon as possible and it will depend on availability.

Will it be hard to fit in?

No. The idea of spending nearly two weeks with a group of people you don't know can be intimidating. Most people who come to the study tour don't know anyone else, but they leave the course with many friends. In any case, you will meet your travel companions during the seminars and we will ensure everyone knows one another.