How long is the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics?

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics is a 12 to 18-month postgraduate programme, with full-time students typically completing the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics inside 12 months.

How is the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics delivered?

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics runs on-campus in London, live online and by self-paced distance learning, with the same executive economics brief and dissertation across every route.

Is the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics UK recognised?

Yes. The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics is a UK postgraduate degree aligned with WTTC, Tourism Society and BCS-referenced practice.

What entry criteria apply to the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics?

Applicants for the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics need a UK 2:2 honours degree or 5+ years senior experience, IELTS 6.5, a research statement and an admissions interview.

How much does the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics cost?

Fees for the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics are published on the LSTITM admissions page. Instalment plans and select international economics scholarships are available for eligible applicants.

MSc in Tourism Applied Economics | LSTITM | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics is a 12 to 18-month LSTITM postgraduate programme within the Travel Systems & Global Tourism department. It applies applied-economics research methods to tourism policy, investment and executive decisions, aligned with WTTC, Tourism Society and BCS practice, with a supervised dissertation.

By dissertation stage you will be authoring applied-economics briefs on tourism policy, defending economic models to boards and coordinating cross-country research programmes for public and corporate clients.

Study on the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics is structured around case cohorts, weekly tutor clinics and applied studios that mirror the pace of a UK-facing tourism organisation. The programme runs over 12 to 18 months and layers reading, guided practice and small-group work so learners can apply frameworks the following week at their operator, tourism board or agency. It sits inside the LSTITM Travel Systems & Global Tourism department and is designed to develop research-informed executive practice with policy and board-level applications for candidates working across travel technology, distribution systems and global-tourism structure.

Key Features

Curriculum aligned with WTTC visitor-economy investment vocabulary
Tourism Society and BCS professional-practice frameworks referenced
Research-informed methods with supervised dissertation stage
Studios in tourism policy-economics modelling
Coverage of tourism impact assessment and satellite-account use
Sessions on ethical use of quantitative models in tourism
Assessment blends coursework, executive economics brief and dissertation
Structured tutor-led clinics that unpack case material week by week
Peer cohort review sessions modelled on UK operator working groups
Termly employer showcase sessions with LSTITM industry partners

What You Will Learn

Author an applied-economics executive brief on a UK tourism topic
Design a tourism-impact assessment for a national programme
Interpret Tourism Satellite Account tables critically
Model policy scenarios using tourism-economic frameworks
Handle economic-model limitations transparently in briefs
Coordinate research collaboration with public bodies
Author a full postgraduate dissertation on a tourism-economics topic
Apply UK GDPR and research-ethics duties across applied-economics work
Build a personal reading and reflection log across the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics modules
Use tutor feedback to develop a portfolio artefact you can share at interview

Who This Course Is For

Senior tourism economists moving into executive advisory roles
DMO economics leads formalising research-informed methods
Tourism policy officers preparing for chief-economist mandates
International practitioners preparing for a UK postgraduate credential
Boutique-consulting partners formalising applied-economics practice
Working professionals seeking a structured UK-referenced msc in tourism applied economics credential
Alumni of Harold International College of London progressing across the school portfolio

Career Pathways

Head of Tourism Applied Economics
Senior Tourism Investment Analyst
Chief Tourism Economist
Executive Director (Tourism Research)
Senior Tourism Policy Adviser (Economics)
Tourism Impact Assessment Director
Senior Tourism Consultant (Economics)
Independent consultant or freelancer using the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics portfolio as evidence
In-house progression within your existing tourism employer using the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics

LSTITM's careers service supports Master's learners with executive coaching, LinkedIn optimisation and structured introductions to London DMO economic-research offices and boutique tourism-economics consultancies.

Graduates of the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics typically progress into roles across UK inbound tour operators, destination management organisations, OTAs, airline commercial teams and boutique tourism consultancies, and LSTITM alumni support networks help learners identify open vacancies and prepare tailored applications.

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics also equips learners with a concrete portfolio of coursework and applied artefacts they can present at interview, and LSTITM careers advisers help match those artefacts to live vacancies advertised by London tour operators, tourism boards and international travel employers each intake.

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics includes a supervised dissertation window in which learners work with a specialist economics supervisor to develop, defend and finalise a research question grounded in a UK, European or international tourism-policy question of practical relevance.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree or overseas equivalent in any discipline
Applicants without a first degree may be considered with 5+ years senior tourism experience
IELTS 6.5 overall with no band under 6.0, or equivalent English proficiency
A 500-word research statement on your applied-economics specialisation
Two academic or professional references and a short admissions interview

Why Study at LSTITM

LSTITM is the specialist tourism and international travel management arm of Harold International College of London. Every programme is aligned with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, ITT, ABTA, CIM, CMI, BCS and UKHospitality, giving graduates credible study behind them.

Teaching combines former DMO chief economists, tourism-impact assessment leads and boutique-consulting economists, delivered on-campus in London, live online and by distance learning.

Choosing the MSc in Tourism Applied Economics at LSTITM also opens articulation into the wider Harold International College of London portfolio, so learners on this MSc route can progress into higher LSTITM qualifications or move sideways into related Harold International schools when it fits their career plan.

Apply for MSc in Tourism Applied Economics

The MSc in Tourism Applied Economics is a credible postgraduate route into executive applied-economics tourism practice. Contact admissions about the next intake, dissertation supervision and instalment plans. Advance into executive tourism leadership with LSTITM. Enrol Now.