Britain’s travel and tourism industry is worth more than £100 billion and covers everything from hospitality and the accommodation sector, to cruises and even space travel. It also includes specialist areas such as marketing, HR and understanding consumer behaviour. You will spend a total of 250 hours on paid work placements in your first and second year, either at the Staffordshire-based theme park or at another tourism venue of your choice. This will put your studies into a real-life context – and you’ll even graduate on a rollercoaster There will also be guest speakers from industry, study visits and innovative assessments such as blogs, newspaper articles, business plans and mystery shopper-style evaluations. The degree – the first of its kind in the UK – will prepare you for a wide range of exciting careers linked to the visitor economy.
On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Visitor Attraction and Resort Management
The Visitor Attraction and Resort Management course will give you practical experience, skills and knowledge of the business environment, operations and management. We also have links to professional bodies, including ATHE, to improve your employment prospects.
Topics in the first year include managing the customer experience, hospitality and hotel management, and conference and events management. In the second year, you’ll look at marketing and digital communications, health and safety, and the legal and liability side of a business.
In your final year, you’ll explore core functions of management. There is also a module covering contemporary issues, such as how businesses are adapting by using augmented and virtual reality to promote hybrid experiences.
Careers
The degree will develop both your business and management skills, as well as practical experience of working in the visitor economy. Graduates can go on to a huge array of job opportunities. Numerous industries make up the visitor attraction and resort management sector, including theme parks, zoos, museums and heritage sites. Other large employers include hotels, holiday parks and other accommodation venues. There is also the conference and events management sector. You may want to specialise in a more technical career. Many visitor attractions now have their own apps and use virtual tours to promote what they offer. The possibilities are endless. Some of our graduates also start up their own businesses.
