Резюме. This course syllabus for teaching Golf Tourism in vocational schools provides reasonable coverage of the needed competencies. The guidelines were developed in accordance with the strong request expressed by the sector for the need to implement quality initial vocational training relevant to golf employers’ needs. It aims to provide reasonable coverage of different sectors of the golf industry, some of its key issues as well as essential tourism management principles, such as understanding consumer behavior, planning issues, developing a marketing plan, etc. The training modules include theoretical material, tutorials, project-based lessons, group workshop activities, project work. The teaching materials can be used in two ways: first, as separate activities related to Golf Tourism that can be integrated in Tourism classes, as well as an autonomous course for teaching Golf Tourism including lectures, seminars, workshops and small projects which can be implemented as an optional subject.

Ключови думи: golf; tourism; vocational school; training; golf industry; project; lesson

1. Description

Golf Tourism is a quickly developing sector as leisure is becoming one of the leading industries. To develop higher employment in the golf sector, a stronger accordance between the training system and this sector is in demand. Nevertheless, there is a large gap between competencies developed by the vocational training and the needs of the job market in the golf industry - a gap between the competences requested by the labour market and the learning outcomes delivered by the training providers. It is imperative that educators should take action in this area so the movement between education and employment could be improved and the development of a competent workforce with the right skills in the golf industry should be ensured.

Golf club managers have difficulties in recruiting employees that really fulfill their professional expectations. This lack of skills inhibits the proper development of the sector and does not support employment in this professional field.

The described course provides reasonable coverage of the needed competencies. The guidelines were developed in accordance with the strong request expressed by the sector for the need to implement quality initial vocational training relevant to golf employers’ needs.

We tried to provide reasonable coverage (in the form of training materials) of different sectors of the golf industry, some of its key issues as well as essential tourism management principles, such as understanding consumer behavior, planning issues, developing a marketing plan, etc. We developed teaching materials for theoretical and practical classes related to some contemporary tourism issues such as integrated marketing communications, Internet marketing, and the environmental impacts of golf tourism.

2. Course Design

This is a course in which topics are presented by the instructor, particular tasks are explained, and assigned tasks are completed by students both during lab periods and outside of class.

The training modules include theoretical material, tutorials, project-based lessons, group workshop activities, project work. The teaching materials can be used in two ways: first, as separate activities related to Golf Tourism that can be integrated in Tourism classes, as well as an autonomous course for teaching Golf Tourism including lectures, seminars, workshops and small projects which can be implemented as an optional subject.

3. Course Objectives

After finishing the course, students should be able to:

– recognize why Golf tourism is an important area of study and define what is meant by Golf tourism — both conceptually and technically;

– identify the composition and major characteristics of Golf tourism products as well as outline the various forms of Golf tourist destination and their appeal;

– understand the concept, and importance, of sustainable tourism in a sociocultural context;

– recognize the need for adequate planning and cooperation between the private and public sectors;

– understand the various ways in which tourism can impact on the environment and identify and evaluate different approaches to finding solutions to these problems; understand the importance of sustainable tourism as it relates to the environment;

– understand the complexity of the destination as a tourism product, recognize the importance of the image and the brand in destination marketing;

– distinguish between different categories of destination and understand the appeal of each form of destination as well as explain why destinations are subject to changing fortunes.

– understand the main trends that are having an impact on Golf tourism in the early twenty-first century.

4. Course Topics
The course covers the following topics:

– The History of Golf Tourism
– The Golf Tourism Product
– Planning for Golf Tourism
– The Marketing of Golf Tourism’ including ‘Advertising in Golf Tourism
– The Role of Tour operators in Golf Tourism
– Golf Events

5. Grading Plan

Students work will be assessed as follows:

6. Course Contents