HOTO7032 Dark Tourism Coursework Brief 1 2025-26

HOTO7032 Assessment instructions

This is an individual written assessment that should be 2000 words (+/- 10%). 

• Students will individually assess an existing dark tourism experience and recommend appropriate changes (focusing on interpretation and/or operations) to enhance the overall guest/visitor experience.
• Alternatively, students may choose a historic tragedy or death-related event that is not currently represented in a tourism, hospitality or event experience and design a new experience around it – focusing on interpretation and operations.

In the report, students must address the following points:

• What is the type of dark tourism experience (i.e. attraction, event, hotel, etc.)
• The context and/or story represented - what happened? 
• Where in the Darkness Spectrum the experience may be identified and why
• The experience’s target market and why 

The submission may be written in the form of an:

• Academic report
• Business plan
• Magazine article

The following lists the information that should be included in your submission. Please note, the suggested word count for each section is for guidance only. You can write more or less in each section as needed within the 2000 total word count.

You might also refer to the Centre for Academic Development pages on writing reports: www.brookes.ac.uk/students/academic-development/study-skills/

Example structure for a report style submission (please speak to Module Leader on suggested structure if business plan or magazine style is chosen):

Title Page (not included in the word count)

This should include a title for the report, your student number, the module number and title, and the final word count. Do not include your name. 

Abstract (not included in the word count)

This is a concise summary of the essential elements of the report, outlining the purpose, key points and conclusions. This is an essential element in the structure and presentation of an academic report and should be no more than one paragraph in length.

Table of Contents (not included in the word count)

This should outline each section of the report starting with the Introduction section. 

Introduction (250 words) 

This should establish the context for the experience explored, including the experience type, the context of the tragedy or death-related event, where the experience sits within the Darkness Spectrum, and who the target market is.

Discussion (750 words)

In this section you will offer a critical evaluation of the experience or tragedy chosen to explore for this report. This should include – but is not limited to – discussion and critical analysis of the following:
-What the purpose of the experience is (e.g. commemoration, education, entertainment, edutainment, etc.)
-What interpretation methods are used 
-Operational issues and/or challenges
-Stakeholders relevant to the design and management of the experience
-How the experience compares to other and/or similar attractions (e.g. competitive analysis)

Recommendations (750 words)

This should offer relevant recommendations to enhance the visitor experience of the chosen experience discussed. Recommendations may be to the interpretation and/or the operations of the visitor experience, with each recommendation being fully justified. A futures thinking discussion can be offered to demonstrate how these changes or ideas will help to enhance the experience and strengthen its position within the market or in comparison to its competitors.

Conclusions (250 words)

You should refer to the key points discussed in the discussion. This should include a critical overview of the experience and the key recommendations proposed to conclude with a strong final argument or point.

HOTO7032 Structure

Your report should be structured in a professional manner, following the guidance offered in the assignment task, with appropriate use of grammar. It should include in-text referencing and a reference list set out in the required Harvard Referencing System. References are not included in the word count. Appendices that provide evidence of appropriate research may be added after the reference list if required. These are not included in the word count.

Please note: This is NOT a reflection and no part of this report should be written in the first person.

Presenting coursework for assessment

When submitting your assessment, you must not include your name – we use a system of anonymous marking to reduce the risk of any unconscious bias. For some authentic assessments, there may be an exception to this, so please confirm with your Module Leader. The authentic and essential requirements for this piece of assessed work are:

Your assignment must be presented in the following format:

●It must be word-processed in 12-point Arial font and double-spaced
●It must be black text on a white or ivory background 
●All pages must be numbered
●Margins must be as follows: Top: 1 inch, Bottom: 1 inch (2.5 cm), Left: 1.25 inches, Right: 1.25 inches (3.2 cm)
●It should not contain your name but the title page should include your student I.D.
●The final version should be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF.

HOTO7032 Assessment criteria rubric assessment 1 (50% of module mark)