An online course program developed by Cornell University in partnership with the Travel Foundation will be the first of its kind to equip destination professionals with new knowledge and skills urgently needed to manage tourism in the 21^st Century. The complete 40-hour course is derived from the analysis of the 2019 partners report, Destinations at risk: the invisible burden of tourismwhich has highlighted a gap in fostering the talent, capacity and leadership needed to manage the greener, more efficient and fairer destinations of the future.

the Sustainable management of tourist destinations The course program will be available via eCornell from Fall/Fall 2022 and will help today’s global tourism professionals develop many of the new skills needed in the market, including impact management, action planning and finance climate change, risk profiling and community engagement.

The program is developed by the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at SC Johnson College of Business. Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) in partnership with a global NGO the Travel Foundationwith the financial support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in the name of German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

At least 1,000 participants, from target countries where affordability might otherwise be a barrier to registration, will be granted free access to the program through a process supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) . The intention is that additional scholarships will be made available in the future, through collaborations with global partners.

The online program will feature award-winning faculty and practitioners who will share their destination management expertise from around the world on pressing themes including climate change and overtourism; downloadable tools directly applicable in the workplace; as well as research from top experts on cutting-edge destination management issues. Program content includes:

1. An overview of the global tourism economy and the value it provides.
2. Measuring the “invisible burden of tourism” – the unaccounted impacts of tourism.
3. Manage the invisible burden.
4. Management of climate impacts.
5. Define and achieve key economic development goals.
6. Equitable and inclusive management of shared tourism assets.
7. Develop a dedicated destination management capability.
8. Apply sustainable destination management tools and concepts to real-life critical case studies of the tourism sector

The online program is designed for a global audience, including: national and local government tourism officials, staff of destination marketing and management organizations (DMOs) and others in the public, private and non-profit related to the management and stewardship of tourist destinations. .

“Our Invisible Burden report has documented how destinations have struggled to manage the growth and impacts of tourism, and revealed the urgent need for new technical skills, knowledge and tools,” said the lead instructor and director General of the Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP). , Megan Epler Wood. “While public sector organizations are increasingly aware of the need to manage tourism demand and destination assets, rather than simply promote destinations, these organizations have little knowledge or capacity to carry out such transition. Cornell’s Sustainable Tourism Destination Management program aims to fill this gap and foster professional development in this neglected field.

Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation, said: “Coming from a leading Ivy League institution, this program has enormous potential to transform the way destinations are run, and I am delighted that we can continue our partnership with the Cornell team. . I particularly welcome the opportunity to share our experiences and resources as part of the course content, and to ensure that the free scholarships remove any financial barriers for destinations, especially those in the South. Our mission is to support the destinations that most need stewardship to ensure they have the capacity to fully benefit from tourism, and this course will become an essential part of our approach.

Natalia Bayona, Director of Innovation, Education and Investments at UNWTO, said: “Online education is here to intensify the way people are educated. Tourism is the number one employer of young people. However, 50% of them have only secondary education. Today, more than ever, we need value-added programs full of innovation and sustainability to help these bright minds have a better career and build a career path in tourism. At the World Tourism Organization, we want to help our member states do just that.

Successful completion of the online program will include recognition from Cornell University.

To receive updates on the program and its launch, click here.

About Cornell STAMP

As a program of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) develops a global knowledge base, online professional and student training, and research and technical support to destinations to more effectively manage tourism assets in the face of endemic poverty, ecosystem degradation, climate change and public health crises.

About eCornell

eCornell is Cornell University’s external teaching unit that provides online professional and executive development to students around the world. More than 100 award-winning professional certificate programs are offered in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are developed by Cornell University faculty with practical ideas and tangible results in mind in collaboration with experts from around the world. econell.cornell.edu/

About the Travel Foundation

The Travel Foundation is a leading global NGO that works in partnership with governments, businesses and communities to develop and manage tourism in a way that maximizes benefits for communities and the environment. Founded in 2003, it has since worked in nearly 30 countries around the world. www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk