Led by Professor Dr Dirk Reiser, students on the ‘Sustainable Tourism’ course at the Faculty of Society and Economics went on a study trip to Morocco, where they experienced the link between theory and practice in a very special way.
From 24 May to 4 June 2017, 25 fourth-semester students travelled to Morocco with Prof. Dr Dirk Reiser, Professor of Sustainable Tourism Management, and research assistant Ika Dau. Whilst there, they explored Moroccan culture and engaged in discussions with locals and key local figures in the field of sustainability.
This was the second time the field trip had taken place as part of the ‘Ecology, Economy and Ethics’ course, and it served to deepen and broaden the content covered in the lectures. Furthermore, the excursion focused on critically examining stereotypes prevalent in the Western world – for example, regarding Islam – and on improving the students’ intercultural competence. To this end, the students gave short presentations on various aspects of tourism relevant to Morocco, which they had prepared as part of the lecture series. During a panel discussion with Mountassir Boullal, Deputy Director of the tourism portal Conseil Régional du Tourisme de Marrakech (CRT), two students spoke about the reasons why German tourists travel to Morocco. “The opportunity to discuss tourism concepts and targeted marketing with regional experts such as Mr Boullal, and to talk about the expectations and needs of Muslim travellers, are enriching experiences that are difficult to convey in a lecture,” reports Ika Dau.
In addition to visiting some classic tourist attractions, such as the Medina (old town) of Marrakech and the desert town of Aït-Ben-Haddou, which has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, visits to the world’s largest solar power plant in Quarzazate and an argan oil co-operative in Essaouira were formative experiences and provided the basis for in-depth discussions amongst the group. “The field trip to Morocco was a welcome change from everyday student life. We were able to learn so much more; what’s more, the trip brought us closer together as a course,” explains Martin-Thorben Fortkort, a student on the ‘Sustainable Tourism’ programme.
As well as providing lasting personal and practical experiences for the students, the ‘Sustainable Tourism’ programme’s excursion also opened up opportunities for long-term collaboration. “We visited Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane and discussed the possibility of an exchange programme for academic staff from both institutions,” summarises Prof. Dr Dirk Reiser. “Furthermore, contact with a social cycling project in Marrakesh gave students the opportunity to complete the practical semester, which forms part of the sixth semester, there.”
