This course introduces an emerging phenomenon in the tourism industry-future space tourism. The course is divided in two parts, with the first going through the status of the current industry such as technical and ethical aspects and the second part provides insights for understanding weak signals and future scenario planning in form of sustainability. At the end of the course, students will have gained an understanding of a new framework research tool used for designing a sustainable future in the tourism industry. Much of the course is taught virtually, but there will be some contact classes at Porvoo campus.

Note: Course is 90% virtual, as there may be some guest lectures.

Unit 1: An introduction to space tourism (history and current)
Unit 2: Social sustainability (Changes in the society and the ethical concerns)
Unit 3: Economic sustainability (Case study: UK spaceports)
Unit 4: Environmental sustainability
Unit 5: Legislation
Unit 6: Future forecasting (Sustainable Future Planning Framework)

Assessment description:

1) 30% of course weight assessment: Electronic test - Unit 1 & Unit 3
2) 50% of course weight assessment: Two Written assignments from one of the four topics-Unit 2, 3) 3, 4, and 6
20% Webinar: Participation in one webinar (3 webinar sessions will be provided during the course to join)

a) Learning with contact teaching including assignments, project work, independent study and exams
b) Virtual learning including virtual study with assignments, project work via the Internet, project execution as a webinar and exams

The module advances the following competences: cultural awareness, business mind-set, research methods, product service development, future scenario planning, sustainability and weak-signals in aviation.

• Books on the content topics
• E-books and online articles
• Online tutorials
• Companies’ web portals
• Relevant media, news agencies, quality press, etc.
• Exercises, tests
• Instructors’ own materials, materials produced by students.

Internationality: Possibility to operate with international teams and international lectures. Possible guest lecturers from international organizations and partner universities.

The student has some understanding of different space tourism aspects used in the module. He/She is able to communicate at a minimal level with space tourism terminology and theory. The student is able to operate only when aided by other students and supervisors.

The student is able to understand most aspects space tourism aspects used in the module. He/She is able to communicate at an intermediate level space tourism terminology and theory. He/She is able to discuss and write assessment tasks with reference to some space tourism academic materials mostly independently.

The student is able to understand many concepts of space tourism used in the module. He/She is able to communicate fully independently with space tourism terminology and theory. He/She is able to discuss and write assessment tasks with reference space tourism academic materials independently. He/She applies a problem-solving approach to sustainable future tourism issues.

This is an advanced course, so all assignments must be passed to achieve an overall pass grade for the module.