MSc in Tourism Destination Management
Course Overview
The MSc in Tourism Destination Management is a 12 to 18-month postgraduate qualification for senior tourism practitioners moving into executive destination leadership at DMOs, tourism boards, consultancy partners and multi-country tourism groups. It sits within LSTITM's Tourism and Destination Management portfolio and is aligned with the destination frameworks used by the Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI and UKHospitality.
By graduation, students can lead a destination programme end to end, design a research-informed executive strategy, complete a full postgraduate dissertation and step into a senior destination leadership role.
Postgraduates work through supervised executive studios, live board rehearsal sessions and structured research seminars so every graduate leaves with a dissertation, an executive portfolio and coaching on non-executive board readiness.
Every postgraduate develops a rolling executive destination portfolio across the MSc, gradually building programme, board and stakeholder artefacts credible with tourism board chief executives.
Postgraduate assessment is spread across executive coursework, board rehearsals and a full research-informed dissertation, so students build a coherent long-form portfolio credible with tourism board chief executives.
Key Features
- Executive-level postgraduate qualification with research-informed teaching
- References to Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI, CIM and UKHospitality
- Delivered online, on-campus in London and by distance learning
- Applied executive studios on destination transformation programmes
- Assessment through executive strategies, board decks and a dissertation
- Progression into consultancy, executive and board-level tourism careers
- Careers-service support with DMOs, tourism boards and consultancy partners
- Live monthly executive clinics with practicing destination directors
- Curated pattern library of UK and international DMO executive playbooks
What You Will Learn
- Executive destination management for complex multi-stakeholder programmes
- Research-informed strategy design at DMO and tourism board level
- Advanced policy and community consent frameworks for destinations
- How to lead cross-sector partnerships across public and private tourism
- Board and shareholder engagement in destination transformation
- Advanced sustainability and carrying-capacity governance
- How to run a research-informed postgraduate dissertation project
- How executive destination leadership connects with policy and finance
- How to lead a full destination transformation programme with clear KPIs
- How to structure a research-informed dissertation grounded in a live destination challenge
- How to write an executive-level destination transformation paper grounded in research
- How to prepare an evidence-informed board proposal for a national tourism programme
Who This Course Is For
- Bachelor holders progressing into executive destination management
- Practitioners with 5+ years senior tourism experience
- Career changers moving into executive tourism from adjacent sectors
- International applicants aiming at DMO and tourism board leadership
- Consultancy directors targeting executive destination engagements
- International students targeting UK executive destination management credentials
- Working destination directors on flexible executive study routes
Career Pathways
- Executive Director (Tourism Board)
- Regional Tourism Director
- Head of Tourism Development
- Tourism Strategy Consultant (executive)
- Tourism Consultancy Partner
- Global Tourism Manager (executive)
- Tourism Programme Director
- Chief Tourism Officer
- Non-Executive Director (Tourism Board)
- Advisory Partner (Destination Consultancy)
The LSTITM careers service supports MSc students with executive-role coaching, portfolio review and warm introductions to DMOs, tourism boards and consultancy partners across the London region.
The careers team also runs non-executive board readiness coaching, with introductions to tourism board director recruitment cycles across the London and wider UK region.
Recent MSc cohorts have moved into executive destination director roles at UK tourism boards, DMO chief executive tracks and destination consultancy senior partner promotion cycles across London.
Entry Requirements
- A UK 2:2 (Lower Second Class) 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 (no band under 6.0) or equivalent English proficiency
- A 500-word research statement on the applicant's chosen area of tourism specialisation
- Two academic or professional references and a short interview
MSc candidates on this route also receive termly executive briefings from London tourism board CEOs and DMO chairs, keeping every module linked to live UK destination executive practice at the board level.
Why Study at LSTITM
LSTITM is the London School of Tourism and International Travel Management, a division of Harold International College of London focused on destination, business, systems and strategic tourism disciplines. Every route is aligned with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, WTTC, CMI, CIM and UKHospitality.
The MSc in Tourism Destination Management is delivered by lecturers drawn from destination consultancy directorships, DMO chief executive backgrounds and tourism board leadership, plus a dedicated careers team.
The MSc in Tourism Destination Management sits alongside sister LSTITM Master's routes in industry leadership and destination management, giving postgraduates a rich peer network drawn from senior tourism practice.
MSc students also access monthly executive briefings from London tourism board CEOs, DMO chiefs and destination consultancy partners, so their study translates directly into executive practice.
Apply for MSc in Tourism Destination Management
The MSc in Tourism Destination Management is a strong executive route into UK-anchored destination leadership work in London. Applications open on a rolling basis across all delivery modes. Advance into executive tourism leadership with LSTITM. Enrol Now.
