Introduction

Sustainable tourism is a new and important study area in geography, resource management and related disciplines. In practice, it promotes the development of tourism industry taking into consideration of the environmental, resource and sustainability issues.

The Department of Geography and Resource Management (GRMD), which is in the vanguard of promoting environmental and sustainability issues in Hong Kong and the region, presents a distinctive programme that has a strong focus on resource management issues, tourism policy and ecotourism practicum in Hong Kong as well as in greater China. It adopts a natural resources-based perspective incorporating resource management and environmental management principles.

Understanding and implementing sustainable tourism will help the environment, promote education and ethics, and inculcate conservation.

Objectives

The objectives of the Master of Social Science in Sustainable Tourism (MSSST) are:

• To provide a solid conceptual framework and a technical know-how in the understanding and implementation of sustainable tourism;
• To raise the level of awareness of participants on aspects of resource management and environmental management principles; and

To help inculcate environmentally friendly outdoor skills and equip participants with skills to plan, develop and manage resources for sustainable tourism and its derivatives.

Who should apply

This programme is targeted at those who are interested in developing a career in tourism and environment, those who deal with policies of the environment, natural resources and tourism, and those in the tourism industry who are looking for knowledge of tourism sustainability.
Specifically, this programme is also useful for those who are working for the government agencies such as the:

• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department;
• Architectural Services Department;
• Civil Engineering and Development Department;
• Development Bureau;
• District Offices;
• Education Bureau;
• Environment Bureau;
• Environmental Protection Department;
• Home Affairs Bureau/Department;
• Hong Kong Tourism Board;
• Information Services Department;
• Lands Department;
• Leisure and Cultural Services Department;
• Planning Department;
• Sustainable Development Unit;
• Tourism Commission, etc.