Master in Tourism &
Hospitality Management
Companies require academically qualified, visionary leaders to create new business models and understand changes in technology and consumer trends in the tourism industry.
EU's Master in Tourism & Hospitality Management program explores the theories, practices and business models that make up the tourism and leisure field. Focusing on the development of management skills and strategic thinking, students will develop key industry competences as well as international and intercultural management abilities which are needed in this dynamic and fast-changing sector.
Program Structure
The Master in Tourism & Hospitality Management (60 ECTS) is a one-year program, divided into three terms. Each term comprises four courses (4 ECTS each) and one seminar (2 ECTS). Throughout the year, students are also exposed to real-life case studies, games and business simulations. In order to graduate, participants must also complete a business plan (6 ECTS).
(13 CH | 18 ECTS)
Foundations of Business Management
Show detailsThis course focuses on the management of organizations. It will examine the skills and functions needed by managers to run efficient and effective organizations. Themes such as motivation, communication, leadership and strategy will be covered.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
The Changing Environments of Tourism
Show detailsNowadays, no industry or no business is immune from disruption, and this is specifically true for the travel and tourism industry. It is dynamic in nature and has witnessed major changes and crises over the past century including the disruptive impact of the pandemic. Any changes in the internal business environment or external business environment covering the social, ecological, political, technological, or economic dimensions demand agility, creativity, and foresight from business leaders to adapt and strive. In this course, students will explore trends in the micro and macro environments of the tourism industry and how businesses should anticipate and adapt to those changes. In a practical approach, above findings will be applied to a real-life example.
Subject-specific module | 3 ECTS
Finance Management
Show detailsThis course aims to convey knowledge about the management of a tourist business and about its connection to the financial world. Students will explore the financial strategies used in the development of tourism project and become familiar with fundamental financial terminology. Examination of feasibility studies and the development of business plans form the basis of class discussion and learning. This course focuses particularly on evaluating new investment opportunities and their financing. Students evaluate the most effective ways to acquire funds from financial markets and examine current events that affect the business environment.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Tourism Marketing
Show detailsThis course provides students with in-depth knowledge of how an organization can offer value to the customer using both tangible and intangible facets. This module will examine the parameters which need to be managed to situate the organization in a strong market position. Students will be introduced to key factors influencing customer behavior in this sector together with the concepts and principles of marketing management. At the end of the course, students will produce a strategic marketing plan for a tourism and hospitality organization.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Seminar: Sustainable Tourism: Policies & Ethics
Show detailsThis seminar considers the main challenges regarding the impact of tourism on the environment and global society. Students assess these challenges and hypothesize about their future impact, while discussing solutions to incorporate sustainability into the tourism business and society in general.
1 CH | 2 ECTS
(13 CH | 18 ECTS)
The Tourism Industry
Show detailsThe course draws together and develops concepts of the hospitality sector, events management, leisure and recreational management, cultural heritage, and luxury and travel issues. Students analyze the complex inter-relationships between the public and private sectors in tourism development, and evaluate philosophical issues concerning the development of tourism in different cultures and societies.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Cross-Cultural Team Management
Show detailsThis course provides students with the key concepts and theories surrounding cross-cultural communication. In our interdependent world, we all need to be able effectively and skillfully work within the framework of intercultural communication knowledge, cross-cultural skills and understand and apply the sensitivities to be able to functions within a cross-cultural working environment such as the tourism and hospitality sector.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Operations Management
Show detailsThis course examines the functional area of operations management in the tourism industry. Topics include decision-making, capacity planning, aggregate planning, forecasting, inventory management, distribution planning, project management and quality control. Students learn how to use a range of concepts and analytical tools to solve common operational problems.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
E-Tourism: Marketing Strategies and Online Commercialization
Show detailsE-tourism refers to the digitization of all of the processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries. Understanding its impact on marketing, and how the latest technologies and platforms can help create and execute effective strategies and campaigns is key for anyone engaged in hospitality general management. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of strategic and operational services marketing, with digital marketing placed within a broader, integrated communications context. The focus will then shift to digital tourism marketing, with a focus on real-world examples and practical insights into campaign formulation and execution, including the understanding and use of marketing and advertising technologies (MarTech and AdTech) to help drive marketing efficiency and effectiveness.
Subject-specific module | 3 ECTS
Seminar: Marketing & Communication Skills
Show detailsThis seminar examines and illustrates the strategic way in which tourism and hospitality organizations plan and coordinate their marketing activities. Students consider a range of industry examples used by successful businesses in order to meet customers’ wants and needs in a constantly changing market.
1 CH | 2 ECTS
(13 CH | 18 ECTS)
Hospitality Management
Show detailsThe hospitality industry is a highly segmented industry, encompassing everything from restaurants and hotels to theme parks, casinos and cruise lines. Nonetheless, these diverse segments are united by similar key trends, opportunities and challenges. Any hospitality business relies on a multitude of resources and managers must make the best use of them in order to reach the intended goals in the most efficient and effective way possible. This course will equip students with knowledge pertaining to key management concepts as well as the tools and techniques to thrive as hospitality managers.
Subject-specific module | 3 ECTS
Entrepreneurship, Change Management & Leadership
Show detailsThe course aims to develop students’ understanding of business management practices specific to the tourism and hospitality industry. The course will evaluate the internal and external factors that affect the success of businesses in this industry. Students will be introduced to both theoretical and practical aspects of the entrepreneurship, change management and leadership process, offering a realistic insight into the process and organization to conceive, research and communicate a credible business proposal/idea in order to secure the necessary external resources to start a new business.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Innovation in The Tourism Industry
Show detailsInnovation in the tourism industry has been revolutionizing the way travelers experience destinations and services. Additionally, innovative business models have enabled new opportunities for travelers and providers alike. Driven by changing customer behavior and expectations, the tourism industry is being transformed. From an outside perspective, innovations often tend to get reduced to “product” innovation. This course, however, will not only assess key drivers for innovation but also examine the various areas for innovation including product, process, business model, pricing and distribution innovations. Students will learn how these types of innovations have changed the way of doing business for the key players in the tourism industry such as hotels, airlines, tour operators, destinations and cruise companies, among others. The course will also examine the term “destructive innovation,” in order to discover whether this type of innovation could affect tourism companies.
Subject-specific module | 3 ECTS
Information Technologies in Tourism
Show detailsThis course will show students how innovation and innovative processes could be applied to tourism by providing a profound understanding of the role of information systems as we continue to move further into the digital world. We will highlight what information systems are, how they have evolved to become a vital part of modern organizations, and why this understanding is necessary for students to become an effective manager in the digital world, focusing on the tourism industry by studying and analyzing industry-specific case studies.
3 CH | 4 ECTS
Seminar: Applied Cases in Tourism
Show detailsThis seminar aims to provide students with the necessary skills for effective communication of a luxury brand. Based on storytelling and persuasion, students will learn the importance of creativity, being authentic and building an experience for the customer.
1 CH | 2 ECTS
Final Project
Show detailsStudents will also be required to submit a final project (6 ECTS) at the end of their studies and to attend field trips, company visits and fairs as part of the experiential learning method.
4 CH | 6 ECTS
Learning Outcomes
In addition to industry-specific modules, this program focuses on development strategies and management styles geared towards creating leaders in the industry who can also apply the same skills to the wider commercial market. Students will:
- Investigate the impact of tourism planning and development on economic, sociocultural and physical environments.
- Have a systematic understanding of the hospitality and tourism service sector organizations, their external contexts and how they are managed.
- Critically evaluate the core business disciplines and methods at work in hospitality and tourism service sectors, and be able to apply these in practical contexts.
- Explore issues that concern host-visitor relationships.