February 2, 2022

Tisch Center Course Spotlight: Tourism Planning

Professor Gavin Landry teaches Tourism Planning, an elective course in the MS in Travel and Tourism Management at the Tisch Center of Hospitality. Professor Landry tells us more about his background and the course subject below.

What is your background? 

I am a lifelong hospitality practitioner. In my career thus far I ran commercial hotels, ran a destination management organization (DMO), owned a hospitality consulting business, ran the I LOVE NY program, and built it into one of the most extensive government-funded state tourism programs in the USA. I am now a senior executive with Great Britain's national tourism office, the British Tourism Authority dba VisitBritain. 

At the Tisch Center, you teach the Tourism Planning course. What are the objectives of the course?

The students will learn the principles of tourism planning, the interplay of tourism policy and tourism management, as well as the immense influence of the various stakeholder groups on DMOs, NTOs, Quangos et al. Additionally, I hope to impart both academic and real-life learning to my students. In the post-pandemic (endemic) world, it is critical for tourism professionals to understand how the industry is changing. 

Why is this an important and interesting subject area in our fields?

With a supply-side crisis like none we have experienced in my lifetime, the tourism industry stands at a precipice and at a unique moment in time that will likely influence consumer behavior and the industry for years to come. The very nature of planning and the extent to which tourism leaders can play a vital role in the development, stewardship, and measurement of destinations will be challenged. 

What impact do you hope to have on your students through this course?

I have been beyond fortunate to teach at NYU previously. I have maintained relationships with myriad former students, and I have marveled as I watched them prosper in their careers all over the world and thrive in their personal lives. I hope I was a small part of their positive NYU experience. It is important to me for my students to benefit from my work and career experiences.  

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

The tourism industry may seem vast, but in reality, it is a small community, especially in these days of globalization and technology. I would encourage students to prioritize their peer relationships as they do their relationships with the faculty. The student next to you, indeed you, are the future titans of our industry. I am convinced this approach will surely benefit you now and into the future.


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