Tourism Management course summary
Our Tourism Management degree focuses on sustainable tourism. You learn all about the cultural and environmental impact of tourism, as well as about the economic interests that come into play. You then explore how you can use commercial services in developing destinations while appreciating and protecting local traditions and environments.
The programme for Tourism Management
The programme covers a range of aspects of tourism, from concept development to sustainability, from management information systems to forecasting and trend analysis. You’ll also develop insights into organisational cultures, marketing plan and strategic decision-making as well as expand your knowledge of different languages and develop your intercultural communication skills. You’ll also develop your personal skills and intercultural awareness, so that you become adept on a personal and professional level.
Semester 1: Unpacking Tourism
In the first semester the focus lies on analysing a travel destination of choice in the Netherlands. You look at the destination from different perspectives of tourism and create an overview of the destination’s main stakeholders. By examining the destination and the stakeholders in a new way, you get to understand the basic principles of tourism. You forecast the future of the destination on the basis of an extensive trend analysis that not only considers trends and developments but also sustainability.
Semester 2: Innovations and Marketing
In the second semester, you and your project team develop an innovative product for a tourism client. You put yourself in the shoes of the target group and draw up the customer journey. You then create a unique and meaningful experience to meet their needs, for instance using innovative tools such as virtual reality or a personalised app. You will also consider how your idea will contribute to the sustainable development of the industry. You then develop a clear marketing strategy for placing the product innovation on the market and draw up a creative and effective online marketing campaign.
You also work on your personal development with guidance from your coach.
Field trips:
During your studies, you can also opt to join the field trips to various European tourism destinations, including in Germany and Slovenia. The field trips give you the chance to really understand the experiences as a consumer but also recognise the theory in place through your role as tourism specialist.
Subjects:
Study load: 16 contact hours, 24 self study hours | 60 ECTS per year
Semester 1: Rethinking Tourism Destinations
In the first semester, you will further explore how travel destinations are organised and learn how to look at them from a different perspective. Travel destinations are managed just the same as a business or organisation and dedicated Destination Management Organisations (DMO) look at questions such as how a destination can continue to be attractive for local residents and tourists, how you protect the sustainable management of the environment and local culture, how you deal with growing numbers of tourists, and what opportunities there are for future development. Your project team will be linked to a DMO as you investigate potential tourism developments, developing different scenarios for the destination.
Semester 2: Managing Talents and Satisfaction
Creating attractive tourism services and collaborating and managing an organisation are important elements of this semester. You and your fellow students will develop a short trip that you will then get to experience yourself. You will also learn how to find and train the right people for a position and develop their commitment to the company.
Elective: You also have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge for an extra language. You can pick Spanish beginners, intermediate or German.
Field trips:
Besides this second language, you go on field trips to various destinations. This deepens your cultural understanding and develops your grasp of tourism theory and concepts.
Subjects:
Study load: 16 contact hours, 24 self study hours | 60 ECTS per year
Semester 1: Tourism Research & strategic management
(Module Tourism Research Project & Strategic Management)
This semester focuses on strategic management and working with professionals from other tourism organisations. You will develop your own vision of the field and you will be challenged to apply the knowledge you’ve gained so as to develop innovative sustainable solutions. You will also study subjects such as research, strategic management, trend analysis and scenario planning.
Semester 2: Minor subject (option to study abroad)
During your minor you focus on a specific subject or expand your knowledge by taking an additional subject. This allows you to truly take charge of your education by ‘customising’ your course.
You can take these minors on the NHL Stenden campus in the Netherlands or at one of the NHL Stenden Grand Tour locations in South Africa, Bali or Thailand. You can also choose from minors offered by other courses and universities of applied sciences via an Exchange programme – this is all part of broadening your academic skills.
Read more about the options available and where you can take your minors in the section below on minors and specialisations.
Study load: 16 contact hours, 24 self study hours | 60 ECTS per year
Internship and graduation project
The fourth and final year of your course is where you get to put into practice everything you have learned so far. You will complete a 7-month or 30-week internship anywhere in the world, and write your dissertation to prove your academic capabilities in analysing and translating industry-related problems and presenting feasible solutions. Our students currently have internships at companies such as TUI, Lufthansa, Stuttgart Airport, Norwegian Cruise Line and Bizz Travel.
You can choose to write your graduation project on a subject relevant to your internship company, for your own business start-up or on a subject of your own choice. Whatever you choose, you can assured of coaching and guidance from your personal student advisor.
60 ECTS per year
Download the brochure to get a really useful one-page overview of the curriculum with a description of the modules and a list of subjects per year, the study load and the ECTS you can earn. Use it to compare the programme with other studies you’re interested in.
Minors and specialisation Tourism Management
In your third year of Tourism Management, you get to specialise by taking a number of minors.
- Heritage Experience Management (Leeuwarden):
Focusing on the management of natural and cultural heritage, you research the tourism possibilities for a particular heritage site. Working for local companies, students develop, for instance, an app or experience related to the heritage site. - Outdoor Leadership and Adventure (Leeuwarden, Bali):
Focusing on planning and guiding outdoor activities, you learn what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the industry, from setting up a business to being a manager. And you learn to understand and develop sustainable products and innovative strategies. - Destinations in Transition (Aruba):
Imagine being a pioneer in shaping a sustainable, innovative future for island destinations. This minor is designed to empower future leaders in regenerative tourism development. - Tourism Geography & Planning (Leeuwarden):
This pre-master programme consists of two minors and a dissertation and is offered in cooperation with the University of Groningen (RUG). Tourism Management graduates can then enrol straight onto the Cultural Geography Master programme at the RUG.
Research and practice
You will gain substantial practical experience in your chosen field of tourism throughout your studies, for instance by taking on practical assignments from companies, our various departments and our ETFI research institute or the Centre of Expertise for Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality (CELTH). You will also go on several international field trips during your course.
In order to share research data and knowledge within the education system and the professional field, a large team of researchers are affiliated with the course, along with three NHL Stenden departments. These departments include:
- Sustainable Innovation in the Regional Knowledge Economy
- Marine Wetland Studies
- Scenario Planning
Course Catalogue
Practical approach of Tourism Management
We aim to help you put theory into practice as quickly as possible. Through our educational concept, Design-Based Education (DBE), you work in small teams of students, teachers, researchers and industry professionals. You tackle current, real-life issues developing and adapting your visions and ideas to form a solid solution.
International opportunities
We want to prepare you for an international, intercultural, and ever-changing environment, so that you can dive into the unknown and gain experience in an international context. It is possible with our Grand Tour, Exchange programme or one of our mobility options offered by RUN-EU. Or you can choose to do your internship abroad. You’ll be able to put together the right combination of courses and internships to develop both your professional and personal skills – and develop your own network for the future.
Podcast
Check out the Tourism Management podcasts and meet students, staff and alumni. Hear what they have to say about the degree and where it’s taken them.
Discover our field trip to Slovenia!
Is this the degree for you?
If you're confident this degree is the one for you, then why not apply online straightaway? Or pick one of the other options to help you take the next step.
