How long is the Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance?

The Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance runs 15 to 18 months and articulates into LSTITM honours top-up routes for candidates progressing to Bachelor level.

How is the Higher Diploma delivered?

The Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance is delivered on-campus in London, online via the LSTITM VLE and by distance learning, giving international students and working policy staff full flexibility.

What UK level is this Higher Diploma?

The Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance is a UK Level 5+ articulation-focused LSTITM qualification aligned with references from the Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI and UKHospitality.

What are the entry requirements?

You need a completed Advanced Diploma or Level 5 tourism qualification, or 3+ years of supervisory experience. IELTS 6.0 and an interview are required for the Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance.

What are the fees for this Higher Diploma?

Fees for the Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance are published on the LSTITM website. Instalment plans, employer sponsorship and international payment routes are supported on enquiry.

Higher Dip Tourism Policy and Governance | LSTITM | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance is a 15 to 18-month LSTITM programme designed as the articulation route between senior operational policy work and department-head governance responsibilities. Sitting within the Tourism and Destination Management department, this Higher Diploma is aligned with references from the Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI and UKHospitality, and is aimed at candidates positioning themselves for policy-lead roles inside tourism boards, DMOs and destination authorities.

By graduation you will be able to shape and defend a tourism policy portfolio, chair working groups, oversee governance calendars, and act as the primary policy interface with board committees, elected members and industry federations. You will also complete a supervised senior project on a real policy portfolio and defend it in a mock elected-member briefing at end-point assessment, with feedback from tutors experienced in UK tourism policy environments.

The Higher Diploma treats policy craft as the discipline of writing well, chairing calmly and briefing under pressure. Every module lands with workplace-ready outputs including policy positions, member briefings and consultation summaries that graduates can carry into their first policy-lead role and use as templates from week one.

Key Features

Articulation-focused Higher Diploma bridging Level 5 to honours-level policy practice
Alignment with Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI and UKHospitality references
Case studies from national, devolved and regional tourism policy programmes
Coaching on portfolio design, risk registers and public-facing consultation
Introduction to legislative tracking and inter-governmental tourism forums
Guest sessions from policy leads at UK tourism boards and consultancies

What You Will Learn

Shape and defend a tourism policy portfolio for a board or DMO
Chair working groups and inter-department policy meetings
Oversee governance calendars across annual and multi-year cycles
Manage consultations, evidence sessions and response synthesis
Analyse legislative and regulatory change for tourism organisations
Follow public-standards, ethics and inclusion frameworks at senior level
Present policy briefings to board committees and elected members
Coach advanced-diploma staff through policy routines and controls

Who This Course Is For

Advanced Diploma graduates preparing for policy-lead roles
Senior DMO and tourism-board staff progressing to department-head level
Consultancy partners specialising in tourism-policy delivery
International applicants with 3+ years of tourism policy or supervisory experience

Career Pathways

Tourism Policy Officer at UK regional and national bodies
Destination Manager leading policy interfaces
Tourism Development Officer on policy-led programmes
Tourism Research Analyst on policy briefings
Sustainable Tourism Officer on policy and impact
Tourism Board Coordinator on senior governance

LSTITM's careers service provides tailored CV coaching, LinkedIn optimisation and warm introductions to UK tourism boards, policy consultancies and destination organisations for Higher Diploma graduates. Graduates progressing into an LSTITM honours top-up degree continue to receive careers coaching and are frequently placed into policy-lead and head-of-policy positions at UK regional tourism partnerships, destination boards and specialist policy consultancies within a year of completion. Assessment on the Higher Diploma in tourism policy uses a supervised senior policy project, an elected-member briefing simulation and a defended portfolio, giving graduates managerial-workplace-ready evidence for honours and executive progression. Optional deep-dive masterclasses cover cabinet-office briefing practices, parliamentary select-committee evidence and international multilateral tourism-policy forums.

Entry Requirements

A completed Advanced Diploma or equivalent Level 5 tourism qualification
Alternatively, 3+ years of supervisory tourism or policy experience with a portfolio statement
IELTS 6.0 or equivalent English proficiency for international applicants
Two academic or professional references
Interview with the LSTITM admissions team

Why Study at LSTITM

LSTITM is Harold International College of London's specialist tourism division. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, ITT, ABTA, CIM, CMI and UKHospitality, so graduates walk into policy meetings with credible, industry-referenced study behind them.

Higher Diploma students are taught by former policy directors, governance consultants and destination leads, and every route is supported by LSTITM's careers service with warm introductions to UK tourism boards and consultancies.

Higher Diploma policy candidates on the LSTITM route benefit from a structured chairing-craft programme where students rotate through chair, secretary and member roles across simulated committees. This applied practice is difficult to replicate on the job, and it is what gives LSTITM Higher Diploma graduates a distinctive edge in policy-lead interviews. Alumni-in-residence sessions extend this support, connecting current cohorts with recent Higher Diploma graduates now leading policy portfolios at UK regional tourism partnerships, destination boards and specialist policy consultancies.

Apply for Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance

Applications for the Higher Diploma in Tourism Policy and Governance are reviewed on a rolling basis and successful graduates articulate cleanly into LSTITM top-up honours routes. The LSTITM admissions team welcomes pre-application interviews with senior candidates so that programme scheduling can accommodate real committee cycles at UK national and regional bodies. International candidates receive additional guidance on visa, English-language evidence and payment routes tailored to their country of residence, and admissions interviews can be arranged in multiple time zones. Complete your operational-to-managerial articulation with LSTITM by submitting your online application today. Enrol Now