Postgraduate courses in Tourism Development and Promotion

Are you interested in tourism and promoting some of the country or the world’s most beautiful sites, scenery and tourist attractions? Do you have excellent communication skills, organisation skills and the ability to be creative and keep up with trends? 

If you answered yes to the questions above then you are already halfway there! These are just some of the skills and qualities needed in this area. There are a number of postgraduate courses you can take if you want to develop your career here. Take a look!

What is Tourism Development and Promotion?

Tourism Development and Promotion focuses on generating income through advertisements, campaigns and promotions of tourism around the UK and the world. 

Some main responsibilities of those working in promoting tourism and aiding it’s development will include writing for tourism guides and newsletters, develop online tourism platforms, keep social media and websites up to date, coordinate and organize itineraries and tours, build strong relationships with local businesses, the media, graphic designers and fellow staff as well as tourists. 

You will also be expected to have strong writing and communication skills to write reports and give presentations to promote your ideas to your colleagues and then, if successful, present those ideas to wider communities. You will also have to keep up to date with market research and keep up with new developing trends to reach your target audiences effectively and generate income, tourists and carry out successful promotion and development. 

Your working hours in this role will add up to between 37-38 hours weekly. Hours may be unsocial such as weekend work or evening work and you will be expected to be flexible with you schedule. 

Courses

There are many courses on offer in the area across the UK. Some courses offer the opportunity to study either part time or full time. Universities may have certain restrictions in place due to Covid-19 and may offer courses online. Courses available include:

Tourism, Heritage and Development

Postgraduate courses in this area will give you the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge in this area while using academic approaches such as social sciences. Modules include Tourism and Regional Development, Sustainable Heritage Management and Heritage, Interpretation and Development. You will also gain experience through work placement and produce a research dissertation in a relevant area. 

International Tourism Development

A postgraduate course in International Tourism Development will give you a theoretical and practical understanding of the role and contribution of the tourism industry in the context of international development. You will gain skills to manage sustainable tourism businesses, a strategic insight into the future of tourism development. You will also focus on strategic destination management, managing tourism post-conflict and crisis and the strategic use of events for urban destination management and many other important areas. 

There is also a course available in Tourism, Development and Culture should that interest you. 

Entry requirements

Entry requirements may differ from course to course or university to university. Therefore, it is important to research your specific course in detail to ensure you meet the entry requirements. As these courses are postgraduate courses, you will need a bachelor’s degree. Some courses may accept a 2.2 degree while others will require a 2.1 in a relevant area.

Salary

Your salary in this area will be dependent on a number of different variables. These include your employment type, your experience and often location can play a role in your salary within the tourism industry. Salaries in the area of tourism officers, tourism development and promotion will range from £16,000 up to £40,0000. Starting out you may earn around £16,000-£20,000 and as you gain experience you will increase your salary to up to £30,000. Those will have a lot of experience and in high roles can earn in excess of £40,000. All figures are based on estimates and are intended to be used as a guide only. 

Related Jobs

• Tourism Development
• Tourism Promotion
• Tourism/Travel Business Manager
• Holiday Rep
• Hotel Manager
• Travel Agent
• Event Manager
• Hotel Front Office
• Tourist Attraction Manager
• Receptionist 
• Human Resource

Potential employers

• Tourism offices
• Advertising companies
• Tourist information departments
• Hotels and Accomodation
• Travel Agents
• Local authorities
• Commercial tourist attractions
• National Parks

Skills and requirements 

Skill and requirements that are helpful include:

• Excellent communication skills
• Attention to detail  
• The ability to motivate others 
• Remain calm under pressure
• Adaptability 
• Time management skills 
• Organization skills 
• Ability to give clear instructions 
• The ability to work well with others 
• Ability to keep up with growing trends and demands of the industry
• IT skills
• A knowledge of the tourism and travel industry
• The ability to work under pressure
• Creative 
• Event planning skills
• Confidence