In many higher education curricula, pre-structured laboratory exercises in courses in tourism geography are an important part of the training of future tourism operators. This paper explores how the collaboration between university and association can enhance practical competences and skills, while bringing innovative approaches to the teaching and learning of the Geography of Tourism. The aim is to empower students in geographical thinking and doing so by building on their latent skills and

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... wledge. The observations of the places of tourism must be flexible so as to encourage innovative teaching strategies with applications to reality. Experiences were generally positively received and serve to highlight the potential for new teaching opportunities to use applied geography to share geographical empathy and stories. The result identified the laboratory as a favourite learning activity opening up new possibilities in terms of practical exercises.