B1755 - TOURISM AND THE WEB: INFORMATION, UNCERTAINTY AND THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The main goal of this course is to build on and extend microeconomic theories to develop an understanding of how to manage uncertainty and asymmetric information in tourism through information and communication technologies. Specifically, with the ongoing digital transformation of tourism, and the growing impact of the Internet on marketplaces, students will acquire those economic tools useful for tourism firms in a digital economy, and techniques required to manage tourism business activity on the web, in a framework of uncertainty and asymmetric information. To that end, the course will focus on online booking and communication platforms and treat signaling, screening, reputation, and other web communication activities.

Contenuti

1) Market Structure Fundamentals

Explore the foundational concepts of market structures and their influence on the dynamics of tourism markets.
 

2) Competition in Tourism Markets

Analyze competition within tourism markets, focusing on key players, market trends, and competitive forces shaping the industry.

3) The Role of Two-Sided Platforms in Tourism

Examine the significance of two-sided platforms, such as online travel agencies and booking platforms, and their transformative impact on the tourism sector.

4) Asymmetric Information and Uncertainty in Tourism

Delve into the challenges of asymmetric information, including the adverse selection problem, and explore signaling and selection mechanisms specific to the tourism industry.

5) Online Tools and Platforms for Managing Asymmetric Information

Investigate how online platforms address issues of quality uncertainty and their implications for tourism.

 

Testi/Bibliografia

References

Guido Candela and Paolo Figini (2012), The Economics of Tourism Destinations, Springer.

Dwyer, L., Forsyth, P., & Dwyer, W. (2020). Tourism economics and policy (Vol. 5). Channel View Publications.

Belleflamme, P., & Peitz, M. (2021). The Economics of Platforms. Cambridge University Press.

Additional references

Readings will be updated continuously on the subject web page.

Metodi didattici

30 hours of in-class lectures and discussion of case studies.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

The written exam is composed of two open-answer questions on the topics taught during the course and lasts one hour. The questions aim to verify the knowledge and understanding of the theories taught during the course and their application to case studies.

The exam is conducted only in person (face-to-face). The option to take the exam online will be available only if the University guarantees this option.

In addition to the written exam, the course assessment includes a case study analysis and an in-class presentation component. This segment is designed to evaluate students' ability to apply the theoretical concepts learned during the course to practical, real-world scenarios.

The maximum final mark obtainable by providing all the correct and complete answers and an excellent in-class presentation is 30 cum laude and is expressed according to the following graduation:

• <18, fail;
• 18-23, sufficient;
• 24-27, good;
• 28-30, very good;
• 30 with laude, excellent.

A positive final mark can only be refused once. Refusal of the grade has to be communicated via email within the day of the subsequent office hours of the instructor.

Supporting material such as textbooks, personal notes, or electronic devices is prohibited during the exam. Registration for the exam is compulsory, and students have to register through AlmaEsami [https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm] according to the general rules of the School of Economics and Management.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Teaching material: slides and discussion of case studies.

The slides can be downloaded by clicking on "Teaching resources on Virtuale" or directly from the "Virtuale" website (https://virtuale.unibo.it).

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Veronica Leoni