This unit will enable students to understand how tourism and cultural industries have dramatically changed our lives. Cultural industries have grown significantly, with examples such as museums, regional festivals and wilderness adventures.  At the same time, there is an increasing capacity for travel and an increasing need to replace income earned from traditional industries with those from tourism.  Different societies are now not only in greater contact with each other but also relating to each other in new ways, as well as benefitting from the growth of cultural capacity in their own localities.  The unit will cover three related areas: The first situates the creative economy in the various social, economic and political contexts around the world. Creative cultural industries have become crucial to the life of major cities, regional economies and remote areas. Second, creative cultural industries have expanded through travel, international access and changes in the way cities, history, nature, culture, music, food, and art develop into new forms of experiences. Third, students will gain a detailed knowledge of diversity and innovation through the development of their own creative and cultural case studies, making their participation in this unit into an engaging, reflexive and creative experience itself.