Information Package / Course Catalogue
Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Tourism
Course Code: TTS126
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: Short Cycle (Associate's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 0
Credit: 2
Lab: 0
ECTS: 2
Objectives of the Course

The objective of this course is to enable students to understand the concepts of entrepreneurship and innovation in the tourism sector, develop innovative tourism business ideas, and evaluate these ideas using a basic business model approach. The goal of the course is for students to be able to analyze entrepreneurial opportunities in tourism and develop innovative product or service proposals tailored to the sector.

Course Content

This course covers topics designed to help students evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities in the tourism sector, develop innovative thinking skills, create product and service ideas that meet evolving tourist expectations, understand the fundamental stages of the entrepreneurial process, and generate viable business ideas in the field of tourism.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Explains the concepts of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial traits, and innovation within the context of the tourism sector.
2.Evaluates entrepreneurial opportunities in the tourism sector across the fields of accommodation, travel, gastronomy, cultural tourism, recreation, and digital tourism.
3.Classifies types of innovation in tourism, including product, service, process, marketing, organizational, and social innovation.
4.Classifies types of innovation in tourism, including product, service, process, marketing, organizational, and social innovation.
5.Interprets the target audience, value proposition, revenue model, and core business model components for tourism ventures.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Işık, C. Ed. (2021). Turizmde Girişimcilik ve İnovasyon. Eskişehir: Anadolu Üniversitesi Yayınları.
2.Suna, B., & Vatan, A. Eds. (2020). Turizm Endüstrisinde İnovasyon (1. Baskı). Ankara: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
3.Hall, C. M., & Williams, A. M. (2020). Tourism and Innovation (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
The concept of entrepreneurship, the characteristics of an entrepreneur, the importance of entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, and the ability to identify opportunities and create value in tourism.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Entrepreneurial opportunities in the fields of lodging, travel agency services, food and beverage, guiding, event management, recreation, gastronomy, rural tourism, cultural tourism, and digital tourism.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Characteristics of an entrepreneur, risk-taking, self-confidence, innovation, evaluating opportunities, problem-solving, creative thinking, and idea development techniques.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Needs analysis in tourism, identifying the target audience, evaluating destination resources, generating business ideas from local values, and creating innovative tourism products.
Week 5 - Theoretical
The definition of innovation, and its applications in tourism: product innovation, service innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, organizational innovation, and social innovation.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Tourism experience design, personalized services, niche tourism, themed tours, local experiences, and sustainable and accessible tourism products.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Online travel platforms, digital marketing, mobile apps, virtual tours, AI-powered travel planning, social media-based initiatives, and online customer experience.
Week 8 - Intermediate Exam
Assessment of the topics covered in Weeks 1–7. A midterm exam will be administered covering entrepreneurship in tourism, entrepreneurial traits, business idea development, types of innovation, and digital entrepreneurship.
Week 9 - Theoretical
The concept of a business model, value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams, cost structure, distribution channels, business partners, and developing business models for tourism ventures.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Marketing strategies for startups, target market selection, brand identity, destination branding, social media usage, customer loyalty, and word-of-mouth marketing.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Startup capital, cost planning, revenue-expense balance, investor relations, government support, grants and incentives, incubators, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Sustainable tourism ventures, local development, women’s entrepreneurship, rural tourism, social impact-focused ventures, and environmentally responsible business practices.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Examples of tourism startups from Turkey and around the world; analysis of successful and unsuccessful startups; students developing a draft of their own tourism startup idea.
Week 14 - Theoretical
A comprehensive review of all topics covered in the course.
Week 15 - Final Exam
A final exam covering entrepreneurship in tourism, innovation, business models, marketing, financing, sustainable entrepreneurship, and case studies of startups will be administered.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Assignment1%10
Quiz1%10
Midterm Examination1%20
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Quiz2216
Midterm Examination1516
Final Examination110111
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)51
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
OÇ-1
4
2
1
2
1
2
2
5
OÇ-2
4
3
3
2
1
4
3
5
OÇ-3
4
3
2
2
1
3
2
5
OÇ-4
4
2
2
4
1
2
3
5
OÇ-5
4
5
3
3
1
3
3
5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026