Taking a deep dive into the economy of tourism and experience

If you ask someone to picture a business school, a large lecture theatre probably comes to mind — students at desks taking notes, a PowerPoint with financial models or management theories on screen at the front of the room with the professor delivering the day’s lesson.

But the Haskayne School of Business isn’t your typical B-school. It’s part of Canada’s entrepreneurial university, after all and, while you will still find the above scene repeated many times on campus, it’s supplemented with ones that break from convention to give students experiences that are anything but typical, redefining what business education can be — with a philanthropic boost from a familiar name at UCalgary.

Capstone course immerses students in tourism economy

This past May, more than 30 grad students spent three days in Canmore painting pottery, touring a firehouse, stacking Jenga blocks and exploring a cave — seemingly just fun and games, but in fact an integral part of the capstone course that concluded their Master of Management education.

“The cave tour was one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had,” says student Emma Fisher. “It’s not something you expect (in business school).”

During that week, Fisher and her peers visited the Rat’s Nest Cave, a four-kilometre network of tunnels in Grotto Mountain outside Canmore, for an immersive lesson in the marketing of experiences — which is big business in the area. 

It’s a great example of sustainable tourism, taking a point of interest — a remarkable geological formation that attracts everyone from expert spelunkers to not-so-experts — and making it a safe, accessible and memorable experience that both educates folks about the cave system and generates revenue for its management and care.

“It taught me about the importance of creating unique experiences in marketing,” says Fisher. “They have a much more lasting effect on someone than an ad campaign. The cave tour is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Classmate Kat Ciupka agrees. “I was really impressed with the intentionality that goes into the details,” she says. “Every step along the way played a big role in how we navigated the entire experience. It got me thinking more about the small pieces, rather than the experience as a whole.”

Entrepreneurial thinking and experiential learning are key

Activities that bring classroom concepts to life raise education to a different level, says Dr. Scott Radford, PhD, associate professor of marketing and Haskayne’s interim associate dean of teaching and learning.

“We can teach from a textbook, but the opportunity for them to go out and see it and experience it is invaluable,” he says. “And, as we talk about the experience economy, we reflect on how that experience was designed and delivered — which is marketing.”

Equally critical is helping students develop entrepreneurial thinking, not just as a pathway to starting a business, but as a critical skill for solving complex problems.

“It’s about learning to think like an entrepreneur, layering creative thinking and innovative approaches to topics and challenges,” says Radford, who leads the course with colleague Dr. Mehdi Mourali, PhD. “When we think about future-proofing our students, it’s important they learn not only how to do the pragmatic thing now, but also how to approach challenges, so they’re ready to address new ones as they come.”

Students saw those principles in action over the week. In addition to caving, they learned about sustainable public infrastructure at Canmore’s new carbon-neutral fire hall, how the Town turned a parking problem into an opportunity to increase public transit use — with parking fees fully subsidizing bus fares — and how businesses manage tourism while preserving the natural environment.

Businesses like Banff Sunshine Village, one of the biggest ski resorts in the area.

Donor goes beyond funding course

Philanthropic support from the Scurfield family, who owns the resort, has revitalized the capstone course after a slump during COVID-19, providing financial backing for years to come. 

The donation was spearheaded by Haskayne alum Kendra Scurfield, Sunshine’s director of brand and communications and a champion for experiential learning and preparing students for the real world. 

“You don't get the full experience in the classroom. You don't get the intimate conversations, the relationships, the life-changing moments,” says Scurfield, MBA’16. 

“In tourism, we talk about these indelible moments that mark your soul. That’s our business — not selling products, but creating memories — and (as a business student) it’s something you really need to experience.”

And she didn’t stop at financial support — Scurfield actively engaged with the students, visiting and speaking to the class.

“Kendra was super-inspiring,” says Fisher. “Hearing about her experience and approach to brand-development at Sunshine was really interesting. She was so welcoming and encouraged discussion, wanting to learn from us, too. Not a lot of guest speakers have that mindset.”

Considering her family name is emblazoned across the faculty’s largest building, some might be surprised by Scurfield’s down-to-earth nature, but it’s right in line with that of her grandfather, Ralph T. Scurfield, who made a game-changing $8-million donation to the School in 1981, one of countless gifts from the family over the decades.

“It was his belief that a business school is for the community — that all great cities needed great business schools,” says Kendra, who earned her MBA 30 years after the building opened. “I felt an immense amount of pride going to Scurfield Hall and walking past his picture every day.”

And just as Kendra Scurfield was inspired by her grandfather’s philanthropy, Fisher and Ciupka were touched by her investment in them.

“It's such a selfless act for someone to invest in students they've never met,” says Ciupka. “Thinking about the impact she had on my education, I look forward to being able to do the same for others in the future.”

Adds Fisher: “I can't even express how grateful I am to be able to have this experience. It's something that is completely unique to any other post-secondary learning experience I've ever had.”