For students seeking an advanced business degree with an emphasis on tourism, a tourism dissertation will be the final and most important requirement to complete. A tourism dissertation is an extended, in depth analysis of a specific issue within a specific segment of the tourism industry. Often, a tourism dissertation should focus on a particular locality with a look at tourism issues unique to that locality.
The goal of a tourism dissertation is a greater body of knowledge regarding the influence of various factors on tourism in a specific area or surrounding a specific event. When important information is gained regarding how tourism behaviors are influenced, this information can be applied to similar situations in other areas or in the future. A tourism dissertation focusing on the Olympic Games in a particular city, for instance, can yield information and strategies to facilitate the effective planning of future Olympic Games.
Students should usually choose a particular locale or event to focus on for a tourism dissertation. They may choose an area in their country that is economically depressed and would benefit from increased tourism. The tourism dissertation could look at the potential for increased tourism, or compare the tourism amenities of a similar area in the same or a nearby nation. What can be learned about the behavior of tourists in general that can be applied to this locality to increase tourism revenues?
The effective tourism dissertation will be based on quantitative research, including demographic information on tourists who visit an area, seasonal numbers of tourists in the area, economic data that indicate where and why tourists spend their money, and other informative data. Tourism dissertations cannot simply rely on opinions and observations, but must be supported by facts.
With the global political situation in growing turmoil, one central and very intriguing area for tourism dissertations is the effects of regional politics on tourism. What effects do the local political leaders, economic activities such as the advent of the EU, and dangers such as terrorism or drug trafficking have on tourism in an area. Questions like these can be fascinating subjects for a tourism dissertation.
