Advanced Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance
Course Overview
The Advanced Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance is a UK Level 5-equivalent LSTITM programme delivered over 12 to 15 months, focused on the policy and governance discipline that surrounds tourism boards, DMOs and destination authorities. Sitting within the Tourism Professional and Strategic Studies department, the Advanced Diploma is aligned with references from the Tourism Society, CMI, WTTC and UKHospitality.
By graduation you will be able to run a policy or governance workstream inside a tourism organisation, prepare board and committee papers, interpret consultation responses, and coach diploma-level staff through structured policy routines. You will also complete a supervised policy project on a live consultation and defend your response synthesis, papers and committee brief in a tutor-led senior review at end-point assessment.
The Advanced Diploma places heavy weight on the craft of committee work: papers that decision-makers can actually use, agendas that respect people's time, action logs that survive contact with reality. Graduates leave able to run a governance cycle end to end and are typically trusted with real policy work within the first quarter of a new role.
Key Features
- UK Level 5-equivalent Advanced Diploma articulating into LSTITM Higher Diploma routes
- Alignment with Tourism Society, CMI, WTTC and UKHospitality references
- Case studies from UK national, regional and international tourism policy
- Coaching on board papers, committee minutes and action-log discipline
- Introduction to consultation, engagement and legislative tracking
- Guest sessions from policy leads at UK tourism bodies
What You Will Learn
- Run a tourism policy or governance workstream to committee standard
- Draft board papers, briefings and consultation-response summaries
- Interpret UK, EU and international tourism policy developments
- Analyse consultation responses using structured coding techniques
- Follow governance, safeguarding and inclusion standards
- Coordinate committee schedules, agendas and follow-up actions
- Coach diploma-level staff through governance routines
- Communicate policy outcomes to stakeholders and public audiences
Who This Course Is For
- Tourism board and DMO staff moving into policy roles
- Career changers from law, public policy or NGO advocacy
- Consultancy staff supporting tourism-policy programmes
- International applicants with Level 4 study progressing to Level 5
Career Pathways
- Tourism Policy Advisor on regional and national programmes
- Tourism Business Analyst on governance briefs
- Regional Tourism Director assistant on policy workstreams
- Global Tourism Manager on cross-border policy tracking
- Tourism Programme Director assistant on public-facing policy
- International Development Manager on multilateral tourism programmes
LSTITM's careers service supports Advanced Diploma graduates with CV coaching, LinkedIn optimisation and warm introductions to UK tourism boards, policy consultancies and DMOs. Graduates progressing into an LSTITM Higher Diploma continue to benefit from careers coaching and are frequently placed into department-lead tourism-policy roles at UK regional partnerships and destination bodies where they take responsibility for committee cycles and public consultation programmes. Assessment on the policy and governance Advanced Diploma uses a supervised policy project, a consultation-response synthesis and a defended committee-simulation briefing, giving graduates senior-workplace-ready evidence they can use at progression interviews. The Advanced Diploma also offers optional deep-dive masterclasses on public-standards conduct, freedom-of-information handling and constituent engagement.
Entry Requirements
- A completed LSTITM Diploma or equivalent Level 4 tourism qualification
- Alternatively, 2+ years of relevant tourism or policy experience with a statement of purpose
- IELTS 6.0 or equivalent English proficiency for international applicants
- Two academic or professional references
- Access to a computer and reliable internet for online delivery of the Advanced Diploma
Why Study at LSTITM
LSTITM is the specialist tourism division of Harold International College of London, delivering destination, business, systems and strategic tourism programmes. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, ITT, ABTA, CIM, CMI and UKHospitality.
Advanced Diploma students are taught by former policy leads and governance consultants, and every route is supported by LSTITM's careers service with dedicated coaching and warm introductions to UK tourism boards and policy consultancies.
Policy and governance Advanced Diploma students on the LSTITM route benefit from structured mock-committee sessions where students rotate through chair, secretary and lead-officer roles. This kind of live rehearsal is where craft is actually learned, and it is what makes LSTITM graduates immediately credible in policy team rooms. Alumni-in-residence sessions extend this support network, connecting current cohorts with recent Advanced Diploma graduates now working as senior policy officers at UK national tourism bodies and specialist policy consultancies.
Apply for Advanced Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance
Applications for the Advanced Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance are reviewed on a rolling basis and successful graduates articulate cleanly into LSTITM Higher Diploma and honours-degree routes. The LSTITM admissions team welcomes short pre-application discussions so policy-focused candidates can plan module work around actual committee schedules in their organisation. International candidates receive additional guidance on visa, English-language evidence and payment routes tailored to their country of residence, and pre-application discussions can be arranged in multiple time zones. Progress into supervisory and strategic tourism practice by submitting your online application today. Enrol Now
