Higher Diploma in Tourism Strategic Policy Studies
Course Overview
The Higher Diploma in Tourism Strategic Policy Studies is a 15 to 18-month integrated qualification delivered by LSTITM in London for department-head candidates and career-changing senior professionals preparing to lead strategic policy work inside tourism boards, regional partnerships and consultancies. Aligned with Tourism Society, Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) senior practice, the Higher Diploma articulates senior operational policy work into full department leadership.
By graduation, you will be able to lead a small strategic policy department, coordinate an annual policy agenda across destinations and sector themes, and produce department-head-level artefacts including annual policy plans, executive-tier policy briefs and board-facing policy memos. The programme blends live tutor sessions with applied group work using real UK destination and travel-industry policy briefs, plus a final integrated capstone that brings evidence base, consultation discipline and recommendation writing together for a full department review at director tier.
Key Features
- Aligned with Tourism Society, CMI and WTTC senior practice for integrated UK tourism policy studies
- Applied department-head assignments using real UK destination and sector policy briefs
- Tutor briefings from former destination policy leads and travel-industry executives
- Structured articulation into the LSTITM Bachelor top-up routes for full honours-level study
- Portfolio-quality outputs including annual policy plans, executive-tier policy briefs and board memos
- Careers coaching for department-head-track tourism policy roles across London
- Rolling intakes across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes for senior learners
- Dedicated LSTITM careers coaching for policy directors and executive tourism advisors
What You Will Learn
- How to lead a small strategic policy department through a full annual policy cycle
- Coordinating an annual policy agenda covering destinations, source markets and sector themes
- Producing structured executive-tier policy briefs with clean evidence and clear takeaways
- Writing board-facing policy memos that give a director confidence in each recommendation
- Aligning policy programmes with UK tourism-industry benchmarks and government-facing standards
- Coordinating a light-touch consultation routine across a small policy team
- Managing cross-team stakeholder expectations across policy, product and marketing
- Presenting an integrated strategic policy plan to a tutor panel with executive-tier rationale
Who This Course Is For
- Advanced Diploma-holding tourism practitioners moving into department-head policy roles
- Career-changing senior policy leaders entering tourism policy departments
- International applicants targeting UK policy leadership roles in tourism
- Tourism board and consultancy staff stepping up into department leadership
- Senior programme managers moving into full policy-function responsibility
Career Pathways
- Head of Tourism Policy inside a UK destination board or regional partnership
- Tourism Policy Director on a sub-executive track
- Head of Strategy and Policy (Tourism) inside a UK consultancy
- Regional Tourism Policy Manager on a sub-executive track
- Senior Tourism Policy Officer inside a local authority partnership
- Senior Tourism Consultant with a policy specialism
The LSTITM careers service supports Higher Diploma learners with department-head-level CV drafting, structured interview coaching and warm introductions to London tourism boards, consultancies and destination policy leadership teams. Learners also receive coaching on how to present executive-tier artefacts during director-level interview rounds, plus advice on how to talk credibly to boards about consultation, evidence quality and structured recommendation discipline. LSTITM's articulation model links Higher Diploma graduates cleanly into Bachelor top-up and Master's routes for executive tourism-policy careers.
Entry Requirements
- A completed Advanced Diploma or equivalent Level 5 tourism qualification
- Alternatively, 3+ years of supervisory tourism or travel 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 the London School of Tourism and International Travel Management, a specialist division of Harold International College of London focused on the destination, business, systems and strategic disciplines that shape modern global tourism. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with UK bodies including the Tourism Society, Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT), ABTA, CIM, CMI, WTTC and UKHospitality, giving graduates credible department-head study behind them and a clean articulation route into Bachelor top-up and Master's degrees.
Our curriculum is written by former destination policy leaders and travel-industry executives, and delivered across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so senior working professionals and international students can join. Dedicated careers services support every LSTITM learner with CV, LinkedIn and interview coaching plus introductions to London tourism boards, consultancies and destination policy leadership offices.
Apply for Higher Diploma in Tourism Strategic Policy Studies
Applications open on a rolling basis, and the LSTITM admissions team will guide you through documents, English requirements, references, the admissions interview and cohort dates for on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so you can pick the pace that suits your senior schedule. Higher Diploma graduates typically progress into department-head policy roles inside UK boards, regional partnerships and consultancies, or continue directly into the LSTITM Bachelor top-up route for full honours. The admissions team confirms tuition, instalments and required documents at enquiry so you have full clarity on cost and cohort dates before you commit. Complete your operational-to-managerial articulation with LSTITM. Enrol Now
