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The course covers basic perspectives on and theories of supply and demand in tourism, both in terms of economy and in terms of cultural geography, with a special focus on entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry. The course is mainly based on economic geography and regional economy in relation to how the development of economic activities influences and is influenced by the societal context.

There is a special emphasis on how physical, institutional, and cultural distance and closeness affect the interplay of businesses and geographical locations, as well as how various geographical properties such as locality, resources, demographic composition, and institutions influence economic development, destination development, and entrepreneurship. The course introduces the concept of sharing economy as an alternative to traditional business models, and students discuss its spatial effects upon the hospitality industry.

The course also covers basic perspectives on different relationships between the business plan and chosen location of a company, and provides an overview of theories on business plans, business models, and business localisation. Classical localisation theory is presented, as well as more recent perspectives on agglomeration benefits, networks, clusters, and entrepreneurship. Methods for analysing the localisation, dimensioning, and market conditions of economic activities are treated in application exercises. Students complete practical localisation exercises and create business plans for companies in the hospitality industry.

Progressive specialisation: G1F (has less than 60 credits in first‐cycle course/s as entry requirements)

Education level: Undergraduate level

Selection:

Selection is usually based on your grade point average from upper secondary school or the number of credit points from previous university studies, or both.