turistice

Turistice is a term used in several European languages to denote the interdisciplinary field that studies tourism and the management of tourist destinations. In English-language contexts, the closest equivalents are tourism studies or tourism science. The field examines why people travel, how travel experiences are designed, and how destinations plan, market, and regulate visitor flows. It integrates approaches from geography, economics, sociology, anthropology, and environmental science to understand social, economic, and environmental dimensions of tourism.

Education and research in turistic contexts vary by country. Programs may be named Turistice, Tourism Studies, or related terms and are offered at bachelor’s or master’s levels within faculties of geography, business, or cultural studies. Curricula typically cover destination planning and governance, sustainable tourism, cultural heritage management, tourism economics, marketing, and policy analysis. Research methods include traveler surveys, econometric analysis, GIS mapping, and ethnographic studies of tourist experiences. Careers include national and regional tourism boards, destination management organizations, cultural institutions, hotels, tour operators, and consultancy.

Critics note that the term is not uniformly standardized and may overlap with established fields such as tourism studies or hospitality management, which can hinder international comparability. Proponents argue that the term emphasizes a holistic, place-based approach that combines theory with practice, especially in relation to sustainable development, community engagement, and resilient destinations.

See also: tourism, destination management, sustainable tourism.