News
Preparing for the futures of tourism in uncertain times
In the MSc Tourism, Society, and Environment programme at Wageningen University, our goal is to encourage critical thinking and reflection to help create more sustainable and just tourism futures.
In the Tourism and Globalization course, the lecturers therefore organized a
roleplay of a mock greenwashing court case against a travel agency that offers
fossil fuel-powered cruises to the Antarctic. This exercise allowed both
students and lecturers to explore different perspectives on the future of
tourism. It also provided insight into the real-world roles that both academic
and non-academic knowledge play outside of traditional academic settings.
The mock court case was a valuable opportunity to critically examine dominant
ideas about making the tourism industry more sustainable. These ideas include
self-regulation, over-reliance on technofixes, and shifting responsibility onto
individual tourists or host communities. Through this exercise, students and
staff were able to deepen their understanding of the complexities surrounding
sustainability in tourism.
Reflections from lecturers Martijn Duineveld & Cheryl van Adrichem:
"We learned a great deal, and despite the seriousness of the topic, it was
hard for us, the judges, to keep from bursting into laughter at times, thanks
to the impressive theatrical skills of our students."
More info about the Master Tourism, Society and Environment: https://study.wur.eu/course/tourism-society-and-environment/