PGDip Responsible Tourism Management

Course Details

Within the travel and tourism industry, there is an increasing focus on the need to adopt responsible business practices that improve the quality of life for communities and conserve the environment and local cultures. This course helps meet the resulting demand for managers with the ability to implement responsible tourism strategies within marketing, operations and product development. You will explore domestic and international tourism and you will understand that the principles of responsible tourism are as applicable to the Yorkshire Dales as they are to The Gambia. In addition to developing your subject knowledge, you will learn how to plan, implement and evaluate responsible tourism policies and practices. This course is informed by relevant theories and a number of practice-based tools and frameworks, such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria for hotels and tour operators and for destinations; the Sustainable Development Goals and the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. You will be equipped to understand and manage the complex interactions between tourism stakeholders, and you will also be able to identify, create and implement appropriate responses to better manage common resource use issues.

Course Benefits

To support your studies, you will be assigned a personal industry mentor. Our mentors are experienced tourism professionals and have all graduated from this masters course, so they understand your journey. Your mentor could assist you in a number of possible ways, including discussing career pursuits, giving advice on work placements, helping to improve your CV and providing tips on assignments, course material and work / life balance. We have over 20 mentors from areas as diverse as the Gambia Travel Foundation Programme, TUI UK & Ireland and VisitEngland, so we will attempt to match you with an appropriate mentor. Our teaching is grounded in industry consultancy and research. The quality of our research is evident in the outstanding results achieved in the Research Assessment Exercise in which Leeds Beckett came second in the country for sport and exercise science, leisure and tourism.

Applicants should have at least a second class honours degree in a relevant field including Travel, Tourism, Hospitality, Business, Economics, Marketing, Environmental Management, Ecology, Development, Cultural Heritage Management, Project Management or Planning. Applicants who do not meet the academic entry requirements will be expected to have equivalent experience and training from a relevant work environment.