| CODE | TRM3101 | ||||||
| TITLE | Niche Tourism | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| EQF/MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Tourism Management | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Niche tourism represents a major evolution from traditional mass tourism, reflecting a shift towards more personalised, meaningful, and experience driven forms of travel. It encompasses a wide range of specialised tourism sectors that respond to specific motivations, identities, lifestyles, and values. Unlike mass tourism, niche tourism is characterised by smaller markets, deeper engagement, higher expectations, and a stronger emphasis on authenticity, sustainability, and experiential value. This study-unit introduces students to the conceptual foundations, market dynamics, and contemporary developments within niche tourism. It explores the diversity of niche tourism sectors, the motivations that drive them, and the supply side structures that support them. Students will analyse how niche tourism products are developed, marketed, and managed, and how they respond to global trends such as sustainability, digital transformation, demographic change, and shifting consumer values. The study-unit will examine the following Main Categories of Niche Tourism: 1. Nature Based & Environmental Tourism 2. Cultural & Heritage Tourism 3. Lifestyle, Wellness & Personal Development Tourism 4. Food, Agriculture & Rural Tourism 5. Urban, Creative & Experiential Tourism 6. Social, Ethical & Community Based Tourism 7. Technology Driven & Future Oriented Tourism 8. Special Interest & Hobby Based Tourism. Students will evaluate the development of niche tourism globally and locally, assess emerging trends such as regenerative tourism, digital nomadism, and immersive technologies, and critically examine the ethical, social, and environmental implications of niche tourism growth. Study-unit Aims: • Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the key characteristics, concepts, and terminology associated with niche tourism. • Explore the historical evolution of niche tourism and its relationship to broader shifts in tourism demand and supply. • Analyse the structure, stakeholders, and market dynamics of niche tourism sectors. • Examine the motivations, behaviours, and expectations of niche tourism consumers. • Evaluate contemporary issues affecting niche tourism, including sustainability, ethics, digitalisation, and risk. • Equip students with the ability to identify, design, and assess niche tourism products and market opportunities. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Evaluate key concepts and theoretical frameworks relating to niche tourism; • Examine the diversity of niche tourism sectors and their defining characteristics; • Assess the historical development of niche tourism, with particular attention to recent global trends; • Analyse the motivations, barriers, and socio cultural factors influencing participation in niche tourism; • Evaluate how political, technological, and environmental change shapes niche tourism markets. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Describe and critically assess the characteristics of a specific niche tourism product or sector; • Analyse academic literature, market data, and case studies to articulate informed perspectives on niche tourism; • Design and propose new niche tourism products or market strategies based on evidence and trends; • Apply theoretical knowledge to real world tourism contexts, demonstrating the ability to evaluate opportunities and challenges within niche tourism markets. |
||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2026/7. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
|||||||