Choosing the best tourism management courses is about making a series of decisions in order to narrow down the options. Initially, it will seem as if there are a lot of options to choose from. If you know what you want to learn and what you want to do post-qualification, you are halfway there already. Narrow down the options by doing research, learning about courses and course providers and matching them with your needs.
The range of tourism management courses available to you is going to depend on a number of factors. Firstly, it depends on what courses are present. The nature and cost of these courses change from country to country, and quite often, from institution to institution. Countries such as America, Canada, Australia and Britain have government and private websites dedicated to detailing the courses available.
Now, consider your objective for doing the course. The objective is not just to enjoy an interesting course and it is not just to gain an additional qualification. When choosing tourism management courses, you need a course that aids your career progression.
Get advice from your current or prospective tutors. Academic tutors will be able to tell you in more detail about the tourism management courses and what they offer. Ask them about what skills you will develop, what experience the courses will give you and what jobs the courses lead to.
Ask professionals in the tourism industry. If you know anyone in the industry such as a relative or a friend’s relative, ask them for advice. These people, bosses especially, will know what qualifications companies are looking for. With their advice, you will be able to pick the best tourism management courses that suit you and your job.
Determine what your study budget is and how far you are willing to go. Even courses that do not charge fees will cost money for things such as living expenses, accommodation, transport and equipment. Determine your budget or what you can reasonably afford with part-time jobs and use this to narrow down the options. Consider how far you are willing to travel and if you are willing to relocate.
Use the criteria you have used to narrow down your search. This will produce a list of possible tourism management courses. Look at each course based on its own merits, but also look at the wider picture. Determine if the course provider has a good reputation or not amongst tourism management professionals. Look at their graduates and look at the overall atmosphere of the provider.
If the institution provides an open day, then attend. Attending open days allows you to meet the staff, see the course provider and to examine further details of what you will study. This will help you decide if the courses are right for you.
