eTourism MOOC from USI

eTourism: Communication Perspectives
by Prof. Lorenzo Cantoni, Dr. Nadzeya Kalbaska, Dr. Elena Marchiori, and Dr. Silvia Matilde De Ascaniis
USI Università della Svizzera italiana

This Swiss-made MOOC takes you on a terrific journey into eTourism and online communication. You will feel the pulse of ICTs and enjoy the beauty of Switzerland as a globally renowned tourism destination. Time to travel. Join today. Begins Oct 3, 2016.

About this course
An introduction course to a fascinating travel into the eTourism world, which crosses both space and time, and is always closely connected with communication. In fact, we are embarking to create a great study experience, which explores how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) do matter for tourism – both for our personal experience, and for the tourism industry at large. In other words, we will together explore eTourism by using tools and models of the Communication Sciences.

Key concepts and theories covered include: Online Communication Model (OCM); Roman Jakobson’s Communication Model; Quality of online contents; User Generated Content (UGC); Web 2.0; Reputation in online Media; Intercultural communication and localisation; eLearning; Argumentation; World Heritage Sites.

Who is this course for?
We expect the following publics to be attracted by the course in order to update their skills and knowledge on a very hot topic:
* Students, in particular within tourism and hospitality programs
* Academia and researchers
* Destination managers
* People active in the industry
* Policy makers<

What do I need to know?
No prerequisite knowledge necessary to understand the concepts and experiences shared in the course.

What will I learn?
By the end of the course, learners:
* Know current eTourism applications, technologies and practices
* Know what is communication, and its major components, ICTs and their relevance to the tourism field
* Know what kinds of online training courses can be used within tourism and hospitality
* Know how to map different communication activities within the tourism sector
* Know how to run a usability test and how to make usages analysis of a website or mobile app
* Know how to plan, run and evaluate eTourism related activities, especially when it comes to the analysis of online reputation of a tourism destination
* Are aware of the crucial role played by communication and ICTs within the tourism and hospitality sectors