Travel and tourism is one of the world’s largest economic sectors and employs over 330 million people worldwide, generating about 10.5% of the world’s GDP. From hotels, to food and beverage, transport, tour operators and travel agents, this sector includes several other industries and provides livelihood to many. The following courses cover a wide range of topics related to tourism and there is something for everybody interested in the sector in the list.
International Travel Preparation, Safety and Wellness
This online course about travel preparation and wellness is offered by the Johns Hopkins University. The course aims to educate students about how to take care of their health and safety when overseas. In 8 hours, this course will teach students about planning, preparing, documentation, and insurance that must be considered before one travels. Some important topics that will be covered in the course are travel advisories, different types of diseases, finding care abroad, Gender-based violence, staying safe, culture shocks, and the importance of learning different languages.
Tourism and Travel Management
This introductory course in travel management is being offered by the University of Queensland. Several of the modules of this course have been shot in premier locations of Queensland in association with the statutory marketing authority for Queensland. Over seven weeks, several academicians, public sector officials, tour operators, transport as well as local communities will address students about travel and tourism management principles, understand the different challenges faced and research-backed ways to solve these problems.
eTourism: Communication Perspectives
This is a self-paced course being offered to students by the Università della Svizzera italiana and consists of 8 chapters. This course examines the relationship between Tourism and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This course will cover several topics on the current scenario of eTourism and its applications, ICTs, and its relevance to the tourism industry, mapping communication activities within the tourism sector and analysis of web applications in the context of tourism. Students will also learn how to plan and execute eTourism related activities in the context of analyzing important tourism destinations.
Sustainable Tourism: Society and Environmental Aspects
This online course in tourism is being offered by the Wageningen University and Research and can be completed in 6 weeks. This course presents tourism as a complex phenomenon and something more than just an economic force. Through this course, students will examine the nature of tourism and its effects on the social as well as the natural environment. Students will also look at the connection that tourism has with changing consumer behavior, economic developments, epidemics, climate change, and even with terrorism.
Travel Journaling: How to Write Extraordinary Travel Diaries
This is a creative course for those passionate about traveling which is being offered by Dave Fox who is a professional traveler and also an author. This course is aimed at anyone who writes travel diaries and would like to polish their skills to write more scintillating stories about their travel. This short course can be completed in 1.5 hours.
Sustainable Tourism – promoting environmental public health
This course discusses the problems and the potentials that tourism developments cause in tropical and sub-tropical settings. The course is being offered by the University of Copenhagen and can be completed in approximately 11 hours. The course presents the case of Zanzibar and how tourism development activities adversely affected the environment. Students will learn about policies and strategies for developing sustainable forms of tourism in low-income countries, sustainable management of water resources, and also the challenges of managing solid waste generation by tourism-related actives will be discussed.
Introduction to the Travel and Tourism Industry: Passport to the World
This course in tourism is being offered by The Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP). Over 8 weeks, students will learn not only about the travel and tourism industry but eight sectors from a traveler’s point of view. Students will learn about the structure and the trends of each of these sectors and evaluate several career opportunities available in these sectors. Some other interesting topics that will be covered in this course include sources for trip planning, destination choice, transportation and accommodation as well as the rapidly growing sector of creating “experiences”.
Sustainable Tourism: Rethinking the future
This course in sustainable tourism is the second half of a professional course in sustainable tourism. The course is being offered by Wageningen University and Research and can be completed in 9 weeks. During this period, students will look at tourism from a social sciences perspective and interact with several industry leaders. Students will also learn several new tourism developments like Digital Nomadism, Urban Overtourism, Accessible Tourism, and Ecotourism. Students will be able to rethink the current tourism scenario and reimagine practices for the future.
Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism
The course mentioned above is a part of this professional certification in sustainable tourism offered by Wageningen University and Research. Over 4 months, with the help of expert instruction, students will adopt a global view towards the tourism industry and understand the complex phenomenon that it is. In this program, students will understand the relationship between tourism and its environment and social aspects. Sustainable practices like Ecotourism and new tourism developments like Digital Nomadism, Accessible Tourism will also be covered in the program.
Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Industry
This introductory course in hospitality and tourism is aimed at those individuals who aspire to have a career in the hospitality or tourism industry. The course is being offered by the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and University System of Maryland and can be completed in 6 weeks. The course walks students, right from the professional language used in the industry, the remuneration scale, and the perks of being a part of the industry as well as the careers in it. Students will learn about travel and tourism, food and beverage as well as accommodation in separate models thus covering each area in detail.
Culture and Tourism
This course that talks about cultural tourism is meant for those with an interest in cross-cultural tourism and preservation of heritage sites. The course is being offered by Nankai University and will enable students to evaluate the role that tourism plays in the production and consumption of culture in heritage practices. Students will learn about the categories in mixed heritage and cultural heritage, how to manage and safeguard heritage sites, and the meaning as well as an assessment of cultural landscapes. Students will also learn about the role of affect and emotion in heritage tourism and different sustainable indigenous tourism practices.
Tourism and Climate Change
This course establishes a direct relationship between tourism and the climate change that we see today. The course is being offered by Wageningen University and Research and can be completed in 5 weeks. Students will examine this relationship and understand the challenges faced in mitigation and adaptation strategies. Some topics that will be covered include the planetary context of tourism and climate change, emissions, trends, Paris Agreement, climate services. By the end of this course, students will be able to develop their standpoint concerning the ‘climate change emergency’.
Managing Human Resources in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
This course explains the important concepts and theories of human resource management in the context of hospitality and tourism. The course is being offered by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and can be completed in 8 weeks. In this course, students will learn how organizational culture impacts the human capital, analyze human resources functions and employee motivation, evaluate the impact of social, economic, and cultural factors all in the context of hospitality and tourism management. Students will also identify problems in this arena and utilize available data and research journals to come up with probable solutions for these problems.
Understanding data in the tourism industry
This course is mainly targeted at small and medium enterprises in tourism and aims at explaining how tourism businesses can benefit from data in their operations. The course is being offered by the Edinburg Napier University and Scottish Enterprise and can be completed in 5 weeks. During this period, students will learn how data can be used to understand consumer behavior, deliver and promote services, and also increase productivity. Students will also learn how to implement data into their business and different tools to make the most of the available data.
China’s role in Global Tourism Development
This course is meant for those with an interest in tourism trends and would like to study more about China’s role in tourism development around the globe. The course is being offered jointly by Nankai University and GTTP. The course begins with a study of the evolution of the global tourism industry and moves to historic developments in tourism in China. Students will learn to classify tourism based on its characteristics, learn how the Belt and Road initiative has implications on travel, and also assess current issues on tourism development.
Tourism Policy and Planning
This course which discusses policy and planning in tourism is meant for anyone with an interest in tourism policy. The course is being offered by Nankai University and can be completed in 5 weeks. During this course, students will learn about tourism policies, their formulation, scale, implementation, and the role that they play in destinations all around the globe. Along with sustainable tourism planning and implementation, students will also learn about the historical development of tourism planning in the world as well as in China along with the current trends in tourism development.
Research Methods in Tourism Studies
This course is meant for anyone with an interest in conducting tourism research. The course is being offered by Nankai University and can be completed in 6 weeks. During this period, students will understand the requirements of doing good research. Students will learn the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, explore data collection methods, and understand how to analyze this data. The course will also cover the issues in tourism and hospitality research along with the ethics in research.
Hospitality and Tourism in China: A Global Perspective
This course revolves around tourism in China and discusses the role that they play in the global tourism and hospitality sector. The course is being offered by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and can be completed in 6 weeks. In this period, students will gain an understanding of China’s outbound tourism, learn about China’s food and wine culture, understand the role of China’s social media in tourism and also learn about the career opportunities in these sectors. While learning about several destinations in China, students will also learn about several trends and emerging forms of tourism.
Managing Marketing in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
This course focuses on the challenges faced while trying to market intangible services of the hospitality and tourism industry. The course is offered by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and can be completed in 8 weeks. During this duration, students will understand the concepts and theories in marketing and learn to apply them within the context of hospitality and tourism. Students will also learn about the challenges faced, proper methods of communication with stakeholders, and also how to utilize the available numeric data to make business decisions.
Innovation and Technology Management in Tourism and Hospitality
This course establishes the influence of technology on the tourism and hospitality industry and its sectors. The course is being offered by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and can be completed in 8 weeks. Throughout the course, students will gain an in-depth understanding of the role of information and communication technologies in this industry and understand the impact and applications. Students will be in a position to lead at work in technology, innovation, and information management. They will also be able to understand big data and its application in the context of the hospitality and tourism industry.
MicroMasters Program in Hospitality Management
This program takes into consideration the hospitality as well as the tourism industry and comprises of 4 courses which can also be taken individually. This masters is being offered to students by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and can be completed in approximately 8 months. In each of the individual courses, several areas like human resource management, marketing, technology, and luxury have been discussed in the context of hospitality and tourism. This program is ideal for professionals aiming to become senior-level hospitality managers.
Management e Marketing nel Turismo
This is an Italian MOOC that discusses about the main actors in tourism and the strategies as well as policies followed. The course is offered by The University of Naples Federico II and can be completed in 10 weeks. Through 10 modules, students will be taught about the food industry, transport industry, cruise industry, and destination management amongst other topics. Students will be introduced to the challenges in the tourism industry and the sources through which companies achieve sustainable competitive advantages. The language of instruction, as well as the transcript, is in Italian.
The Business Travel End to End Process
This course is meant for anyone interested in knowing the way travel management companies work. The course is being offered by Michael Boyle who is an educator as well as the founder of MD Procurro Solutions LLC. The course will trace the evolution of the travel management companies (TMC), the TMC SIPOC model as well as the TMC customer journey. Students will also learn about the different components of customer profiles and their types, the types of data, and travel policies. Towards the end, students will also learn about Porter’s five forces and business travel.
Marketing Strategies for Adventure Travel Tour Companies
This course has been created for anyone in the adventure travel industry who wish to educate themselves on specific issues related to marketing in their industry. This course is being offered by AdventureEDU which is the only UNWTO backed training program. The course aims to differentiate between mainstream travel marketing and adventure travel marketing. Students will understand the relationship between the different channels and will be able to create a strategy to integrate all the channels and online advertising efforts while also avoiding pitfalls and maximizing benefits.
Start your own Tourism Business – A Beginner’s Course
This course is aimed at all those who would like to start their own tourism business. The course is being offered by Stacy J who is an international facilitator, consultant, and marketer and can be completed in approximately 1.5 hours. Through this course, students will be equipped to do their market research, relate tourism products to target markets, develop competitive tourism products, and identify business opportunities in the tourism market.
The language of instruction for all the courses is English unless mentioned otherwise. Most of the courses can be audited for free but may require a fee for the certificate while some of them would require an enrolment free. Financial aid may also be applicable for certain courses.
