Abstract:

Tourism is, nowadays, one of the most growing sectors worldwide, and a source of richness and job, especially in development countries. United Nations highlighted the importance of joint tourism development to sustainability, in order to guarantee future viability of tourism. Master on Management of Sustainable and Ecological Tourism, MEST, is designed as a specialized postgraduate degree, whose aim is to create future graduates able to carry out a comprehensive ecotourism management. It will be an official Master Programme, adapted to European Higher Education Area. Some learning institutions offer ecotourism specialized courses. However, MEST joint sustainability, ecology and tourism in an ambitious learning programme that groups people from different disciplines of university and economic environment. Master on management of Sustainable and Ecological Tourism accommodates a wide range of knowledge related to ecotourism, beginning to the definition of a general frame, to continue with the study of modules related to natural and cultural heritage, ecotourism products, green building, marketing and management, from the point of view of sustainability. Optional subjects will cover aspects related to sport tourism, rural tourism or nature tourism, offering a wide range of possibilities in tourism sector. The duration of the master will be one academic year (60 ECTS) and it will be implemented through virtual learning platform.