Recreation, Parks and Tourism 350
RCPT 350: Commercial Recreation
Credit Hours: (3)
Instructional Method: Three hours lecture
Note(s): Applied Learning designated course
This course is designed as three hours of lecture per week and focuses on the professional development and management of tourism and outdoor recreation as businesses. It will cover basic business principles for running a successful tourism and recreation business and will include special considerations for private recreation operations on public lands. Students will apply what they learn about commercial recreation business in the development of a feasibility study on a proposed business endeavor.
Detailed Description of Content of the Course
In order to advance as professionals in commercial recreation, skills such as the ability to prepare a commercial recreation business feasibility study using principles of organization, legal foundations, planning, marketing, promotion, public relations, finance, human resource practices, and decision-making are essential. Furthermore, the ability to apply these skills in order to be able to make an assessment of the market feasibility of a proposed commercial recreation enterprise, and recognize the roles and relationships between private, public, and nonprofit organizations in tourism and recreation delivery systems are important. The tools needed to critically reflect on the delivery of tourism and recreation services and associated products as well as career opportunities and trends in tourism and commercial recreation enterprises are also invaluable.
Major Topics:
1. The Outdoor Recreation Professional Sphere
2. Commercial Recreation definitions, paradigms, and applications
3. Recreationist motivations
4. Tourism Operators and Clientele
5. Entrepreneurial skills and characteristics
6. Feasibility Analysis
7. Feasibility Study
8. Current trends in commercial recreation
9. Starting and managing a commercial recreation enterprise
10. Financial management
11. Marketing strategies
12. Operations management
13. Human resources
14. Program planning in recreation
15. Leadership and management
16. Decision making strategies
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Course instructional methods include but are not limited to: lectures, guest speakers, videos, hands-on learning, development of marketing outputs, collaborative learning, problem-solving, and discussion. Students will identify an area within commercial recreation to develop a feasibility analysis to develop this concept into a working professional business proposal and judge the likelihood of success of this proposal. Students will present this to their peers. Students and faculty provide valuable input and feedback during this process and students are given the opportunity to revise as necessary.
Student Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this course, students will be able to:
- Prepare a commercial recreation business feasibility study using applied learning principles of organization, legal foundations, planning, marketing, promotion, public relations, finance, human resource practices, and decision making
- Make an assessment of the market feasibility of a proposed commercial recreation enterprise
- Critically reflect upon the roles and relationships between private, public, and nonprofit organizations in tourism and recreation delivery systems
- Critically reflect upon the delivery of tourism and recreation services and associated products
- Use applied research on additional career opportunities and trends in tourism and commercial recreation enterprises
Assessment Measures
Students may be assessed through quizzes/exams, projects, presentations, activities, reflections, and peer evaluations.
Other Course Information
Bibliography:
Crossley, J. C., Jamieson, L. M.& Brayley, R. (2011). Introduction to Commercial
Recreation and Tourism: An Entrepreneurial Approach (6th. ed.). Champaign, IL:
Sagamore Publishing.
Review and Approval
Reviewed February 2005 Edward Udd, Chair
March, 2010
June, 2023