International Tourism Management

International tourism management examines one of the world's largest industries from a critical, strategic, and practical perspective. Tourism is a powerful force in economic development, cultural exchange, and environmental change, and managing it well requires an understanding of how destinations develop, how visitor behaviour is shaped, how businesses and governments collaborate to promote and sustain tourism, and how the industry must adapt to mounting sustainability pressures. The degree draws on business, economics, geography, marketing, and cultural studies to build a rounded understanding of tourism as both an industry and a social phenomenon.

At Chester, this three-year programme draws on the expertise of industry practitioners and academics to examine how places around the world benefit from and manage tourism flows. You will study destination management, tourism marketing, the operation of tourism businesses, and the policy frameworks that govern the industry at national and international levels. Sustainability is a central theme, reflecting the genuine challenges facing the sector: how to maintain the economic benefits of tourism while protecting the natural and cultural assets that attract visitors in the first place.

The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to experience tourism management in an international context, which is particularly valuable in a field where employers expect graduates to think globally. You will gain industry experience that helps you plan and develop your career in the sector.

Graduates of international tourism management degrees move into careers across the full breadth of the tourism and hospitality sector. Destination management organisations, tour operators, hotels and resorts, airlines, heritage sites, and event management companies all recruit tourism management graduates. Others move into consultancy, sustainable development, and policy roles in local authorities and national tourism bodies.

The broad business and management skills developed in the degree also provide a foundation for careers in marketing, project management, and international business more generally. Postgraduate study in tourism management, hospitality, or sustainable development is a natural progression for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.