Sport Tourism (TOUR 216) - Course Introduction and Comprehensive Study Guide

Course Introduction and Case Study: Livigno

• Introduction to Tourism 216: This course is titled Sport Tourism (Tourism 216) and is described by the lecturer as the best paper at the university.
• Livigno Case Study:     - The introductory slide features Livigno in Italy, a location that recently hosted and concluded events for the Winter Olympics.     - The Paralympic Winter Olympics were noted to be continuing in the same week as the lecture.     - Livigno is located approximately $3.5\,\text{hours}$ from Milan.     - The lecturer has visited Livigno twice, specifically for mountain biking: once for a World Cup for downhill mountain biking and a second time for the World Champs.     - The destination is profiled as a beautiful winter location and an equally significant summer destination for adventure sports such as rock climbing and mountain biking.

Theoretical Frameworks and Course Aims

• Primary Objectives: The semester aims to articulate the explicit links between sport and tourism.
• Developmental Contexts:     - Destination Development: Examining how locations evolve over time to host sport tourism.     - Product Development: Focusing on tourism activities and adventure products, specifically naming Queenstown as a primary example for adventure activities.
• Manifestations: Discussion of sport and tourism as they apply to the following sectors:     - Business.     - Planning.     - Management.
• Geographic Scope: Theoretical and applied aspects will be studied on both a local and international level, ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations.
• Academic Literature: The course applies concepts from academic literature—research conducted and published by experts in the field of sport tourism.

Geographic Focus and Industry Scale

• Specific Case Study Hotspots:     - New Zealand: Clyde, Central Otago, and Queenstown.     - International: Whistler in British Columbia, Canada, and Mausanne Legere in France.
• Tourism Mobilities: The paper analyzes tourism flows and travel flows, identifying where numbers of tourists are congregating at specific times or for unique events.
• Seasonality: The analysis of "high seasons" (e.g., winter sports in Queenstown or the Alps) versus "quiet seasons" and the specific issues and opportunities associated with each phase.

Administrative Details and Learning Platforms

• Course Outline: A physical outline was provided during the lecture, containing all major information, assessments, and the actual assessment questions for the semester.
• Learning Management Systems (LMS):     - The new LMS is identified as Aiaroa Brightspace (also referred to by the lecturer as AROA Brightspace, ARUA, Aurora Brightspace, and ARod Brightspace).     - This system replaced Blackboard.     - All course documents, folders (Essentials, Paper Information, Assessments), and content are stored under the content tab on AROA Brightspace.
• Lecture Recordings: Audio and video recordings are posted on ECHO three sixty, which is linked to the AROA Brightspace platform.
• PowerPoint Slides: These are uploaded as PDFs, generally on the day of the lecture so they are available for students to use during class.

Meet the Teaching Team

• Scarlett Hagen Jacobs (Coordinator and Lecturer):     - Originally from Queenstown.     - Holds a PhD from the University of Otago in Physical Education/Sports Science.     - Office Hours: Tuesdays from $10$ to $11\,\text{AM}$. Meetings can also be scheduled via email for other times or on Zoom.
• Fahmi (Paper Tutor):     - Conducts tutorials every second week.     - Holds dedicated office hours for students to ask questions outside of tutorial times.
• Guest Lecturers: A librarian is scheduled to visit prior to the first assignment to assist with sourcing academic info. Other guests will be announced via AROA.

Lecturer Profile: Scarlett Hagen Jacobs

• Early Industry Experience: Scarlett worked various tourism and sport jobs in Queenstown after age $18$. This included getting paid $10\,\text{dollars}$ to carry paraponts up the Skyline gondola for pilots, as well as retail roles.
• Professional Athletic Career: Competing in professional downhill mountain biking for American teams, specifically GT Bikes and Pine Horse Bikes International. She traveled to different countries every $2$ to $3\,\text{weeks}$ on the World Cup circuit.
• Business Ownership: Developed Bike School New Zealand and Mini Tracks, which involved coaching school children and developing bike tracks for schools.
• Academic Foundations:     - Undergrad: Physical Education degree.     - Postgraduate: Diploma in Outdoor Education.     - Masters: Master's in Physical Education, focusing on the downhill mountain bike subculture in New Zealand as a "postmodern sport."     - PhD: Focused on "effective mountain biking experiences," specifically how tracks and obstacles influence the rider's immediate experience.

Class Logistics and Schedule

• Lecture Times:     - Tuesday: $1$ to $1:50\,\text{PM}$ in Burn 7.     - Thursday: $12$ to $12:50\,\text{PM}$ in Mellor Labs (ME 215).
• Tutorial Schedule: There are $6$ tutorials throughout the semester. Students must check eVision for their specific stream and schedule. Tutorials do not run in the first week; they start in the second week.
• Field Trips: Planned within the regular lecture/tutorial schedule ($1\,\text{hour}$ duration). Events include:     - A tour of Forsyth Bar Stadium led by Dunedin Venues.     - A walk through the Signal Hill mountain bike track network to examine track infrastructure in a practical sense.

Academic Skills and Student Representation

• Skill Development:     - Formulating, explaining, and defending views in writing.     - Developing effective writing skills for essays.     - Searching and reviewing high-quality academic journal articles/textbooks via the University of Otago library.     - Critiquing academic theories rather than just reading them.
• Class Representative: One student is needed to represent peers and communicate with the lecturer. Recruitment ends by the end of the first week.     - Benefits: Referece letter and certificate from OUSA for the student's CV.

Detailed Syllabus and Weekly Topics

• Weeks 1–12 Focus Areas:     - Sport and Tourism History.     - Globalization, Commodification, and Authenticity.     - Well-being, Health, and Lifestyle Balance.     - Tourist Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction.     - Library Sourcing (Librarian visit).     - Risk Taking: Individual risk versus business risk and implications.     - Tour de France: A dedicated case study lecture.     - Sport Tourism Markets and Landscapes.     - Scale and Seasonality.     - Sports Event Tourism: Ranging from local certifications to mega events.     - Stadiums: Analysis of great stadiums from around the world.     - Elite Sport Tourism: Focus on venues, marketing opportunities, and elite athletes.

Assessment Structure and Policies

• Submission: All assignments are submitted through Turnitin on AROA Brightspace.
• Essay 1 (SA1):     - Due: Monday, March $30$.     - Weight: $20\%$.     - Length: $1,500\,\text{words}$ (excluding references).     - Requirement: Approximately $10\,\text{academic references}$.
• Essay 2 (SA2):     - Due: Monday, May $18$ at $5\,\text{PM}$.     - Weight: $30\%$.     - Length: $2,500\,\text{words}$.     - Options: Choice between two provided questions.
• Final Examination:     - Weight: $50\%$.     - Preparation: A dedicated lecture for exam planning will be held at the end of the course.
• Policies:     - Late Penalties: A "one second late equals one hour late" policy applies. The course outline serves as a contract.     - Extensions: Must be requested via the extension form on AROA prior to the deadline.     - Word Count: A margin of $\pm 10\%$ is acceptable. If under the count, the student likely lacks sufficient academic material.     - Referencing: APA (American Psychological Association) style is recommended, though others accepted by the University are permitted if applied consistently.

Definitions and Categories of Sport Tourism

• Core Definition: In $2011$, Not in Tom Hinch described sport tourism as "travel for the purpose of watching or participating in a sporting event or activity."
• Major Categories:     - Spectator Sport Tourism: Traveling to watch events like the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Rugby World Cup, Olympics, or Commonwealth Games.     - Nostalgia Tourism: Visiting famous sport-related attractions, memorials, or locations associated with personal/childhood sport memories.     - Active/Athlete Sport Tourism: Travel where the person is the athlete competing in a different country (Elite Sportsperson as Tourist).     - Historical and Heritage Sport Tourism: Visiting museums or historic venues like Lourdes in England (cricket grounds established for hundreds of years).     - Participant Sport Tourism: Actively engaging in an activity, such as skiing in Queenstown or traveling to participate in the Highland a Half Marathon.

Student Expectations and Support Systems

• Lecturer Commitments: Facilitate learning, post materials in a timely manner, respond to emails promptly, and treat all students with respect.
• Student Responsibilities: Check AROA regularly, consult the course outline before asking administrative questions, and come to class prepared to discuss topics and share industry knowledge.
• Sustainability: The course explores where tourism is now and future directions for sustainability.
• Video Resource: A video of Eileen Gu at the Winter Olympics illustrates her views on how major media events allow different cultures to interact.

Questions & Discussion

• Introductory Interaction: Students were asked to discuss with neighbors where they would go in the world to participate in or watch a sport/adventure activity.
• Sport Interest Discussion: Students engaged in a $2\,\text{minute}$ talk with peers about their current or past interests in sport and tourism.