


CERTIFICATE IN TOURISM
This proposal has been developed by CPA. It has been written by Emeritus Professors Malcolm Cooper and Phillip Pardo and will assist instructors to develop courses they have to teach and assess in this subject area.
The purpose of this document is to outline the curriculum for the study of Community Based Tourism. The curriculum is based on information derived from a comprehensive survey of international and local teaching and learning frameworks for students of the tourism industry. Quality control has been achieved by reference to the course content and principles of Californian educational institutions and local industry requirements.
This proposal is for the accreditation of a Certificate Course in Community-Based Tourism management and shows how the university will base its course offering lectures, practical work, assessment and student counseling on this proposal. Basic lesson plans and a range of assessment types are provided, and these should constitute the core of the teaching methodology and learning requirements for each course. Knowledge in this subject area is dynamically changing and is best obtained through study and field visits, and through interaction with others in the community to jointly construct outputs. Tourism and hospitality educators have also revised their views on knowledge acquisition – from seeing it as ‘being able to remember and repeat information or procedures’ to ‘being able to find and use information’ for the benefit of the community.
1.1 Overview of the Subject Area

The tourism industry encompasses the provision of all those services used by tourists when travelling away from home, including booking services, transport, accommodation, tourist retail outlets and attractions and it has seen massive changes in the period since World War II. Approximately 1.5 billion people travelled internationally for some form of tourism each year prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and this is forecast to steadily rise in the next few years once the virus has been controlled. Billions more are domestic tourists. Worldwide, millions of people are employed in the travel industry – from coach drivers to travel agents to hotel concierges, as well as all the other hundreds of occupations that cater for tourists and travellers. Tourists travel to almost every country in the globe, looking for adventure, recreation, and entertainment. They seek both new and familiar experiences, both close to home and abroad. Some travel independently, others in organised groups. Some look for security, others prefer their travel spiced with excitement and danger.
Tourism also involves changes in lifestyle choices for an increasing number of people, including host communities. There are also many different forms of tourism, each often requiring specific management processes and styles. This program aims to develop student ability to manage different types of travel products, in such areas as business tourism, festival tourism, cultural tourism, environmental tourism, senior tourism, food and wine tourism and much more from a local community’s point of view. Managers and travel personnel at the local level are responsible for the effective delivery of this increasingly important industry, and require specific training. The programs outlined in this proposal are designed to deliver that training, intended to promote local control over this rapidly developing industry.
1.2 Curriculum Aims and Objectives

This proposal outlines the requirements for education and training for the subject area of Community Based Tourism at Certificate level with the core course curriculum for each specified in Table 1 and developed in the following tables. Four courses are are provided in line with American practice. Each course attracts 3 credit hours and has its own learning outcomes that need to be successfully met by participants to ensure they are 'competent' and job ready for industry upon graduation. Each certificate is designed to be completed in 1 to 2 semesters (6 to 12 months) of study (12 credits, 135 hours online).
The aims of this curriculum are to enable students to:
- Enhance their awareness of the importance of the management of tourism at the local level;
- Acquire comprehensive understanding of the principles of tourism management, in particular techniques of management and aspects of personal qualities and attitudes that are valued by the industry
- Acquire an international standard education in this subject area
- Recognise the importance of their role as residents of their community in contributing towards the management of tourism
- Develop the intellectual capacity for life-long learning through the application of relevant concepts and knowledge to daily situation
- Appreciate the actions, values and attitudes that will contribute to the sustainability of the tourism industry
1.3 Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this program, students should be able to:
- Describe the structure and nature of the various interdependent components of the tourism industry
- Explain and evaluate the relative importance of the tourism industry to a host destination and the global economy
- Understand community based tourism management issues and analyse the main factors affecting the demand for and supply of services to the industry
- Identify sustainable management strategies that can be used to minimise the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism and maximise the positive ones
- Reflect on the importance for tourism of tourism or hospitality operators fulfilling ethical responsibilities
- Demonstrate effective application of information technology skills, and communication skills
- Develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills in the context of a dynamic tourism industry
- Demonstrate the basic principles and skills in providing quality customer service
- Describe and provide examples of how various tourism sectors are differentiated through the variety and mix of services they provide
1.4 Job/Professional Outcomes
 These qualifications will provide the skills and knowledge for an individual to be competent as an agent, trained personnel, manager or consultant in community-based tourism management. The set of courses is designed to develop the knowledge and skills essential for graduates to gain employment (including self-employment) in this important part of the tourism industry. Work opportunities are evident through the international demand for programs that will provide qualified graduates who can offer management advice and support in a range of government, corporate and community settings.
1.5 Prior Learning and Experience Pathways
For direct applicants from industry, in lieu of age & entry qualifications, at least two years’ experience in the subject area or a related area being applied for is considered essential by the University. If a student does not have a formal qualification but has gained skills and knowledge through experience, they may be a candidate for recognition of prior learning (RPL). RPL is a way to use existing skills and knowledge to gain a formal qualification. It involves getting current knowledge and experience assessed and takes into account other qualifications the student may already have. Depending on this assessment, a student may gain credit for all or part of a formal qualification.
CPA may recognise relevant skills gained through part-time, full-time, or casual jobs. Students may also gain credit for work experience completed as part of previous training. Students may have gained skills through community or volunteer work, event catering, domestic responsibilities or even hobbies and leisure activities. These skills may be recognised if relevant to a particular course. This is an example of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Section 2: CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
2.1 Curriculum Structure and Organisation
The courses are detailed in Tables.
Table 1. Subject Area Curriculum for the Certificate in Community Based Tourism
CERTIFICATE I | ||
Course Number | Core Courses (All to be taken) | Credits |
TM001 | Principles of Community Based Tourism | 3 |
TM002 | Tourism Management | 3 |
TM003 | Product Selection and Development | 3 |
TM004 | Tourism Marketing | 3 |
 |  |  |
TM-Tourism Management; CBT-Community Based Tourism.Â
Course Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
§   Develop a working knowledge of the fundamentals of community based tourism and its establishment and operation;
§   Understand the importance of ethics and social responsibility in tourism;
§   Expand knowledge of the international tourism marketplace;
§   Understand the basics of local planning and community participation;
§ Develop written and verbal skills for developing ideas, exchanging ideas with others, and presenting these ideas to a broader audience;
§ Create a learning environment that encourages students to forge meaningful collegial relationships through participation in the classroom and university community;
§ The curriculum is also designed to develop student adaptability, which is required in a rapidly changing society. On completing the course, students should have acquired relevant knowledge and concepts, and have developed a range of technical and generic skills that can be applied in the community context;
§ Gain confidence in their abilities to articulate and interpret their own experiences, and to empower them to take action as agents of personal and social change.