• Edinburgh Napier University

Understanding Data in the Tourism Industry

How can you benefit from using data in your tourism business? Learn the opportunities of tourism data with this online course.

3,698 enrolled on this course

Man taking picture of Edinburgh Castle using mobile phone
  • Duration

    5 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

Discover how data can be used to drive business decisions

Data gives businesses in the travel and tourism industry the foundation it needs to make innovative decisions. From accommodation to tour company providers, there’s potential for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow and improve productivity if they understand the value of data.

On this course, you’ll explore how data can be used to address business concerns. You’ll learn what data can reveal about customer behaviour and how this can help your business’ success. The course will introduce simple tools and technical support to help you introduce data practices in your own business.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1: The importance of data to your business

Week 2: Using data to make your business more robust

Week 3: How to improve business productivity through data

Week 4: Tools to help you make the most of your data

Week 5: Data beyond your own business - data collaboration

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Understand the value and impact of data in the tourism sector and how similar businesses are making effective use of data to drive business decisions
  • Consider what data can reveal about customer behaviour and how it can be applied to promote and deliver services and increase productivity
  • Identify business problems and how data could be used to address them, mindful of costs and benefits
  • Create opportunities for ‘data in tourism’ community engagement

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry, such as tour companies, transport providers, and B&Bs.

Who will you learn with?

Academic with research interests in festival and events, small tourism businesses and destination development. Lectures in destination marketing/management and tourism, society and visual culture.

Professor of Festival and Event Management. A recognised academic, published widely and extensive teaching experience at U/G; P/G & professional level with a love of tourism and all things Festivals!

Who developed the course?

Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University is an innovative university inspired by and deeply connected to the world around it.

Scottish Enterprise

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland’s national economic development agency & a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. They work with partners in the public & private sectors to identify & exploit opportunities for the Scottish economy

Endorsers and supporters

funded by

The Data Lab

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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