Information Package / Course Catalogue
Trends in Thematic Tourism
Course Code: TTS133
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 identify emerging trends in thematic tourism within the tourism sector and to evaluate these trends in terms of tourist motivations, destination resources, sustainability, experience design, and tourism product development. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to distinguish between different types of thematic tourism and interpret these types from the perspectives of travel businesses and destinations.

Course Content

This course covers topics aimed at evaluating the evolving forms of thematic tourism in line with changing tourist expectations, as well as travel trends focused on special interests and experiences, and the applications of cultural, culinary, nature, wellness, rural, event, sports, dark tourism, creative tourism, digital tourism, and sustainable tourism from the perspectives of destination, target audience, and tourism product development.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Explains the concepts of thematic tourism, special-interest tourism, alternative tourism, and niche tourism.
2.Evaluates the travel motivations of new tourist profiles, which focus on experience, authenticity, learning, participation, and personalization.
3.Classifies types of thematic tourism, such as cultural, gastronomic, nature, wellness, rural, event, sports, and digital tourism.
4.Classifies types of thematic tourism, such as cultural, gastronomic, nature, wellness, rural, event, sports, and digital tourism.
5.Develops a thematic tourism product or route proposal based on a destination’s natural, cultural, and social resources.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Albayrak, A. (2013). Alternatif Turizm. Ankara: Detay Yayıncılık.
2.Gökçe, A., Coşkun, G., Eker, N., Dilmaç, E., & Çolak, O. Eds. (2023). Turizmde Yeni Trendler. Gaziantep: Özgür Yayınları
3.Agarwal, S., Busby, G., & Huang, R. Eds. (2018). Special Interest Tourism: Concepts, Contexts and Cases. Wallingford: CABI.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
The concept of thematic tourism and its relationship with special-interest tourism, alternative tourism, and niche tourism; changes in tourist expectations and the emergence of thematic tourism.
Week 2 - Theoretical
The impact of motivations such as the new type of tourist, the pursuit of experiences, authenticity, personalization, learning, participation, lifestyle, and the search for meaning on thematic tourism.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Cultural heritage tourism
Week 4 - Theoretical
Gastronomy tourism
Week 5 - Theoretical
Ecotourism
Week 6 - Theoretical
Rural living experiences
Week 7 - Theoretical
Health tourism
Week 8 - Intermediate Exam
Assessment of the topics covered in Weeks 1–7. A midterm exam will be administered covering the concept of thematic tourism, tourist motivations, and trends in tourism based on culture, gastronomy, nature, rural tourism, and wellness.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Festival tourism
Week 10 - Theoretical
The concept of dark tourism
Week 11 - Theoretical
Creative tourism
Week 12 - Theoretical
Smart tourism, digital guidance, mobile apps, augmented reality, virtual tours, AI-powered travel planning, and the impact of social media.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Sustainable tourism, accessible tourism, barrier-free tourism, responsible travel, volunteer tourism, community-based tourism, and ethical tourism approaches.
Week 14 - Theoretical
A comprehensive review of all topics covered in the course.
Week 15 - Final Exam
A final exam covering thematic tourism types, tourist motivations, experience-oriented approaches, digitalization, sustainability, and new tourism trends is 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
Quiz2012
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination110111
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)52
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
5
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
OÇ-2
2
1
4
5
1
1
1
3
OÇ-3
4
3
4
2
1
2
1
2
OÇ-4
3
5
4
2
1
1
3
4
OÇ-5
3
5
5
2
1
1
5
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026