Course content

You will work on real-life issues for clients in the tourism sector, participate in study trips and be offered myriad opportunities in terms of internships and travel abroad. You will gain a strong footing in the professional field from the minute you start your degree, which will help you identify and exploit promising opportunities. These experiences will help you become an enterprising and pioneering professional, who has a lot to offer this sector.

THE FIRST YEAR:Discover the world of tourism and leisure

In your first term, you will set up a trend-watching agency with the specific purpose of informing the sector about recent global trends, and how these will affect tourist organisations and companies. You will find out more about the sector, perform research and ensure the financial viability of your agency.

Subject areas: The tourism market, communication, research, project management and economics.

Meet the tourist

The second term will focus on getting to know the ‘tourist’. This will involve analysing different kinds of tourists and why they travel, as well as gaining insight into their world. You will be required to advise an organisation on how a Chinese tourist should be welcomed in a polite and hospitable manner. To this end, you will study different cultures and learn how to write an advisory report.

Subject areas: tourist behaviour, communication, research, culture and hospitality.

Social media ‘take-over’ for a European city

The third term will be devoted to studying various destinations, identifying a particular target group’s needs and wishes and learning more about online marketing. Your assignment will include using social media to promote a certain destination to a specific target group.

Subject areas: destinations, marketing and online marketing and consumer behaviour.

Encourage responsible tourism

The final term of this year will see you immerse yourself in meaningful action as you investigate the options available to a particular tourist organisation, in terms of generating value creation for clients, staff and society at large. This means you will encourage respect for human beings and the environment, while simultaneously factoring in the organisation’s identity and financial constraints.

Subject areas: tourism, corporate social responsibility, economics and organisational development.

Event management and project management

Organisational skills are best acquired through practice, which is why you will be organising an event for an actual client. This will teach you how to manage your target group’s needs and wishes, while simultaneously honing your interpersonal skills, your meeting skills, your communication skills and your ability to work in a structured manner.

Learning foreign languages

It is undeniable that we are part of a global society, meaning fluency in a foreign language has become an indispensable skill. You will be required to take English as a part of this degree programme but can also opt to take one of the following other languages: Spanish, German and French (subject to sufficient interest).

Personal development

You bear responsibility for putting together and designing your degree programme. This can be tricky at times but the advantage is that doing so helps you uncover your strengths, talents and weaknesses It goes without saying that you will receive plenty of advice and help in this regard and will be assigned a study career counsellor.

Foreign languages & 30 EC abroad

In an international environment it is essential to master foreign languages. Beside English we also offer courses in Spanish, German and French. With the exception of German and English, all languages start at an elementary level. You are obliged to obtain at least 30 credits (one semester) abroad. This means that you have to study or work in a traineeship outside The Netherlands.

Study load

  • 35% Theory
  • 60% Practical and group work
  • 5% Study career counseling

The six pillars of Tourism Management

  • Two areas of expertise: tourism and recreation
    ​In the 1st year you will concentrate on both areas of expertise, so that you are properly acquainted with them. In the 2nd year you choose the topics that appeal to you within any of the two fields.
  • Practically apply what you have learned
    ​We want you to be in touch with future employers as much as possible. You will therefore visit many companies, get guest lectures from professionals and solve current issues for clients in the field.
  • Solve actual issues
    Every quartile you will focus on one major tourism issue. To solve this, you need more than just expertise in tourism, but also knowledge about communication, business and research.
  • Get Ready for a Smart World!
    ​Tourism and technology are inextricably linked. Think of websites comparing airline tickets, apps serving as personal travel agents and customer service systems that generate automatic replies.
  • Traineeships across the world
    We have built up a large international network of companies that offer traineeships for Saxion students. Our network guarantees the quality of your traineeship in terms of learning opportunities. 
  • Working with international students and teachers
    You will be working closely with both students from different cultures and lecturers. Your lecturers will support you in developing knowledge and skills and will continuously challenge you.

Modules:

  • The changing world of tourism
  • The tourist
  • Destination marketing
  • Value creation

Topics:

  • Languages
  • Communication
  • Acting economically
  • Research
  • Personal development

More about the study structure

Would you like more information about the content, courses and tests of this program within the various years? Click on the button and view this training in the Saxion Course Catalog for detailed information.

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THE SECOND YEAR:Internships all over the world and real life projects

Devise an innovative concept for the tourism sector If you enjoy coming up with new ideas and concepts, this term will appeal to you, as you will be designing a concept, or travel concept, for tourists and leisure customers.

You will achieve this with the help of innovative tools such as virtual reality apps, personalised apps and robots. You may wish to use your idea to set up your own business or you may prefer to design an innovative concept for an established business. It is entirely up to you!

It goes without saying that you will need to prove your idea is financially viable. You will also need to be aware of the latest developments in the tourism sector and be familiar with marketing principles, innovative tools and creative thinking.

Solve dilemmas in the tourism sector

This term will focus on responsible tourism. You will be advising organisations facing certain dilemmas, such as helping travel agencies formulate a plan when offering holidays in countries where human rights are an issue, or where the environment and indigenous culture require protection.

You will gain a strong grounding in the principles of economic responsibility so that you are able to resolve the types of dilemmas described above.

Modules:

  • Tourism impacts
  • Entrepreneurship in tourism
  • (International) internship

Topics:

  • Smart tech
  • Acting economically
  • Responsible descisionmaking

THE THIRD & FOURTH YEARs:Possibility to specialise your field of expertise

You will work in smaller groups on issues raised by organizations in tourism, either in school or on site. These projects allow you to specialize in certain areas and to further develop your talents and professional profile.

You can choose from different projects (like destination development, hospitality, responsible tourism or marketing) for various companies (like tour operators, hotels, government, museums or leisure companies), whether you work from school, in the region or internationally.

During your minor you can either attend courses at a different institute of higher education in the Netherlands or at one of our partner universities in and outside Europe, do a preliminary course for a university master study or do another traineeship in which you focus on your management skills. The final semester is taken up by your thesis assignment.

More about Practical Education Semesters in Main Phase.

Diploma: Bachelor of Arts

 When you have graduated you hold a Bachelor of Arts degree.

👩‍🎓 This is what your education looks like!