Tourism and Visitor Economy Management
Tourism and visitor economy management is the study of one of the world's largest and most complex industries. The visitor economy encompasses not just leisure travel but business travel, cultural heritage, live events, hospitality, destination development, and the management of places and experiences that attract people from around the world. Managing it well requires an understanding of consumer behaviour, destination strategy, sustainability, and the operational and leadership skills to run organisations that operate under intense competitive and environmental pressure.
At the University of Cumbria, this three-year full-time programme combines academic rigour with practical industry focus. You will develop confidence and reflective capability alongside the knowledge and skills needed to work at operational, supervisory, and management levels within the visitor economy. The programme has been designed in consultation with industry and with reference to UNESCO's sustainable development goals, reflecting a clear commitment to preparing graduates who understand the environmental and social responsibilities that contemporary tourism management demands.
Cumbria's location in and around one of England's most visited landscapes gives the course a distinctive and immediate relevance. The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.
Graduates of tourism and visitor economy management programmes find careers in destination management organisations, hotel and resort management, events management, cultural heritage and museum management, airline and transport operations, tourism consultancy, and policy development for national and regional tourism bodies. The combination of business acumen and sector-specific knowledge the degree provides is valued across a wide range of employer types, from small boutique tourism businesses to large international hotel groups and public sector agencies. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in tourism management, hospitality, or sustainable development, particularly as the industry grapples with the growing urgency of its environmental impact.