Sustainable Tourism

Harvard Extension School

ENVR E-118C

Section 1

CRN 17299

View Course Details
Travel and tourism account for a significant percentage of global domestic product (GDP)—over 10.4 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic, with recovery well underway. However, its negative impacts on people and planet demand that sustainability is positioned as a strategic driver. The sector has enormous potential to drive fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advance quality of life for all through the pursuit of sustainable development. The interdependency of travel and tourism with other sectors such as energy, transport, buildings, and food create challenges and opportunities to advance sustainability. This course presents frameworks and insights, illustrated by research case studies and guest speakers drawn widely from across the sector. Students are encouraged to recognize technical, organizational, economic, and political barriers to scaling sustainability solutions and understand the trade-offs and dilemmas of pursuing sustainability at a strategic level. As a sector, travel and tourism is widening its view of sustainability beyond immediate operational impacts to consider the broader systems in which it operates, adopting sustainability practices for the twenty-first century and beyond. To accelerate sustainability, more attention is being paid to leadership and change efforts in collaboration with other stakeholders. Travel and tourism has enormous potential to educate the traveler and sustain global communities and cultures and make a fuller contribution to creating a world that leaves no-one behind.

Instructor Info

Wendy Purcell, PhD

Professor, School of Public Health, Rutgers University


Meeting Info

W 3:00pm - 5:00pm (9/2 - 12/20)

Participation Option: Online Asynchronous or Online Synchronous

In online asynchronous courses, you are not required to attend class at a particular time. Instead you can complete the course work on your own schedule each week.

Deadlines

Last day to register: August 28, 2025

Notes

This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements.

All Sections of this Course

CRN Section # Participation Option(s) Instructor Section Status Meets Term Dates
17299 1 Online Asynchronous, Online Synchronous Wendy Purcell Open W 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Sep 2 to Dec 20