Practical Learning in Tourism Education: A Hands-on Bidding and Planning Practice

Abstract

In line with the six key emerging industries in Taiwan is the ‘MICE industry’ as one of the service industries targeted for the future development. ‘Taiwan MICE Advancement Program’ intends to provide technologized MICE services align with building an attractive international MICE environment. Taiwan Vanguard Project has set Taiwan as an Asian MICE powerhouse and a platform for cooperation and exchange in the region (Meet Taiwan, 2013).

With this national plan in mind, this paper aims to discuss the advantages of practical courses on students’ learning by taking the idea of MICE as a practical course project.  Practical courses are the hands-on activities by which students learn how to deal with the tasks in real workplace. Beggs, Ross and Goodwin (2008) believed that practical activities related to the application of knowledge would provide the opportunity of firsthand learning for the students.

Ninety-five students of the course ‘Destination Bidding and Planning’ took part in this study. In their teams, these students had to plan, coordinate and mange a MICE event in the city of their choice. They had also to prepare and display their posters and present their MICE event in two phases. The result of their evaluation shows Taipei, New Taipei city and Taoyuan are the first three cities suitable for a MICE event.

Keywords: Bidding, Planning, Practical learning, Tourism education, Higher education, MICE, Taiwan.