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Do you embrace upcoming and developing technologies to find new ways in being in touch with (new) customers within tourism? In this minor you will work on the skills, strategies and mindset which are required to operate as a digital expert in a turbulent and fast-changing industry.

The tourism sector is in urgent need of digital marketing professionals who can apply and manage state-of-the-art digital tools from both a practical and a strategic perspective.

What is it all about?
The tourism industry has experienced a high degree of turbulence during the past decade and did currently facing its biggest challenge yet to engage their travellers, to find new customers. In the fast-changing (post) pandemic world, digital marketing, technological developments, and new disruptive companies have changed the roles and function of traditional tourism actors. In this minor you will learn how to recognise these changes and apply more agile, market-oriented, and digitally savvy opportunities.

State-of-the-art cases and experts from the working field
In close cooperation with a wide variety of experts from the digital marketing field like social media, conversion, UX and analytics, you learn the skills, strategies and mindset required to operate as a digital expert in the tourism industry. You gain hands-on experience with online strategy, website development and digital marketing channels such as Google Ads, email marketing, affiliate marketing, social media and influencer marketing. You learn about social media research, digital analytics, usability, and conversion rate optimisation. We furthermore explore the latest technological and AI trends and developments and conceptualise how they affect businesses, organisations, and their customers.

What’s in it for me?
A lot of attention has already been paid in your studies to creating and managing experiences to engage customers in leisure, tourism, or hospitality. In this minor you will learn how to market them in this digital world!

After completing this minor, you can bridge the gap between marketing communication and technology, a vital skill in today’s tourism industry!

At the end of this minor, you have developed a professional view on the commercial and digital marketing perspectives in the tourism field:

• you can develop a substantiated digital marketing campaign.
• you can apply the most important principles of scrum & agile.
• you know online strategy: goals, KPI’s, and related actions.
• you can maintain and optimize a website using usability and conversion rate optimization principles.
• you have general knowledge of social media-/data research techniques and the ethics involved.
• you can track digital analytics and provide advice based on the insights gained from them.
• you know the basics of data and how to visualise them.
• you can conceptualize the effect of the latest technological trends and developments on (tourism) businesses, organizations, and their customers.
• you have expanded your professional network through our expert guests from the working field.
• you have developed an inquisitive mindset towards life-long learning in the field of digital marketing.

Propaedeutic certificate obtained

We use a lot of online professional and some academic sources. The main book that is used:

Visser, Sikkenga & Berry (2021).
Digital Marketing Fundamentals (2nd ed)

• Business Intelligence (4 ECTS, group + individual assignment)
• Social Media Research (4 ECTS, group + individual assignment)
• Digital Marketing Project (8 ECTS group report + 8 ECTS individual oral exam)

Competencies
See module handbooks

Topics

• Website development (WordPress/Wix)
• Online strategy, data analytics and business intelligence
• SEO, online advertising & affiliate marketing
• Content, visual communication and persuasion techniques
• Usability, conversion rate optimization
• Social media & influencer marketing
• Email marketing and real time marketing
• Technological trends & developments (artificial intelligence, chatbots, VR/AR, games in tourism, wearables)
• SCRUM
• Connecting to the industry

Structure of the minor
You follow 2 modules of 4 ECTS (6 weeks) on Business Intelligence and Social Media Research. The rest of the minor (12 weeks) consists of a digital marketing project in which you work in a team to develop your own website and marketing communication tools. You receive continuous feedback and feedforward on the deliverables and progress.

Teaching method(s)
The teaching methods vary per module: SCRUM project, workshops, (guest) lectures, flipped classroom, and self-guided learning.

International context
You work in an international environment and in groups with students from various backgrounds. Part of the lecturing staff is non-Dutch and has extensive international experience in the tourism context. The topics and cases covered are largely presented from an international perspective.

Costs
A fieldtrip, visiting an (international) trade fair is planned. In 2023 we went all to London. Depending on the destination and duration, the costs may vary between estimated 150-300 euros.