HOS 3300 - Animals, Tourism, and Sustainability (3)

When Offered: Spring, Even-numbered years
The course addresses the environmental effects of animal production, animal agency and sentience, the supply chain for animal experiences, the cache of exotic or endangered animals, the imagery or portrayal of animals in media and marketing, methods of demand reduction, and cultural interpretations of animals within tourism. The triple-bottom line of economics, society, and environment will provide a connective thread throughout the topics. We will explore contradicting and paradoxical ethical perspectives, whether those contradictions exist between government and industries, between tourism and other industries, or within ourselves. Examples of the ways that animals are leveraged in tourism include: Wildlife-watching, Hunting & Fishing, Entertainment, Sport or racing, Beasts of Burden/Transport, Animals as Food, Animals parts within souvenirs and art, Religious ceremonies and Cultural practices, Animal Selfies, Sanctuaries, Hawkers and street vendors, Wildlife trafficking, Tourism-based conservation programs, and Last Chance Tourism.
Prerequisites: 54 earned hours and HOS 2000 or permission of the instructor.