MSc in Tourism Strategic Consultancy
Course Overview
The MSc in Tourism Strategic Consultancy is a research-informed 12 to 18-month LSTITM postgraduate route for senior practitioners moving into consultancy or advisory practice. Sitting within the Travel Systems and Global Tourism department, the MSc is aligned with references from CMI, CIM, the Tourism Society and WTTC, and prepares graduates for principal-consultant, partner and independent advisory roles.
By graduation you will be able to run consultancy engagements from origination to close-out, sponsor advisory portfolios, defend a dissertation on tourism-consultancy practice, and step into partner-track roles at London and international consultancies. The dissertation is supervised by former consultancy partners and defended in an oral examination that treats the work at the standard of a partner-review session.
The MSc places heavy weight on the professional practices that distinguish consultants who make partner: origination discipline, engagement economics, quality assurance and the difficult conversations at close-out. Executive practice modules use anonymised recent engagements to give candidates rehearsed experience of the arc of a real consultancy assignment.
Key Features
- Research-informed MSc with consultancy practice modules and dissertation
- Alignment with CMI, CIM, Tourism Society and WTTC references
- Case studies from London-based tourism consultancy engagements
- Coaching on origination, proposal writing and engagement leadership
- Dissertation supervised by former tourism consultancy partners
- Access to LSTITM's London consultancy-partner network
What You Will Learn
- Run tourism consultancy engagements from origination to close-out
- Design proposals and statements of work at senior-consultant level
- Sponsor advisory portfolios across public and private tourism clients
- Manage engagement economics, staffing and quality assurance
- Follow professional-standards and independence frameworks
- Present findings to boards, investors and non-executive directors
- Defend a dissertation contributing to tourism consultancy practice
- Coach senior teams through consultancy routines and controls
Who This Course Is For
- Senior tourism managers moving into consultancy or advisory practice
- Consultancy staff preparing for principal-consultant or partner tracks
- DMO and tourism-board executives moving into independent advisory
- International applicants with 2:2 honours and senior tourism experience
Career Pathways
- Tourism Systems Consultant at principal-consultant level
- Distribution Systems Consultant at partner-track level
- Global Tourism Coordinator at engagement-lead level
- Airline Distribution Manager at consultancy-partner level
- OTA Account Manager at consultancy-partner level
- Booking Platform Manager at consultancy-partner level
LSTITM's careers service provides senior CV coaching, executive-search introductions and warm connections to London tourism consultancies and advisory firms for MSc candidates. Graduates progressing to independent-consultancy or non-executive-director positions continue to receive careers support and often build portfolio careers combining senior consultancy work with board and advisory appointments across UK and international tourism organisations. Assessment across the MSc in tourism strategic consultancy includes examined executive practice modules, a research-informed dissertation and an oral examination pitched at partner-review standard, demonstrating executive-ready consultancy capability to prospective firms. Optional intensives cover consultancy economics, business-development craft and the profile-building activities that shape credible partner progression. Candidates also present short work-in-progress talks each term to build executive-audience presentation craft alongside dissertation and applied consultancy technique for future partner-track interviews at UK and international tourism advisory firms.
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 of senior tourism or consultancy experience
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band under 6.0) or equivalent English proficiency
- A 500-word research statement on the applicant's chosen consultancy area
- Two academic or professional references and a short interview
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, BCS and UKHospitality.
MSc students are taught by former consultancy partners and dissertation supervisors, and every route is supported by LSTITM's careers service and its London consultancy network.
Consultancy Master's candidates on the LSTITM route benefit from a small-cohort model and access to LSTITM's partner-mentoring circle, which pairs candidates with practising tourism consultancy leaders on a structured, six-session engagement. This mentoring is regularly cited by graduates as the most valuable element of the MSc experience.
Candidates also receive coaching on partner-track career navigation, including the timing conversations, portfolio building and business-development habits that shape principal-consultant progression. Alumni-in-residence sessions extend the network by connecting current MSc candidates with recent graduates now serving as principal consultants and partners at London tourism consultancies and international advisory firms.
Apply for MSc in Tourism Strategic Consultancy
Applications for the MSc in Tourism Strategic Consultancy are reviewed on a rolling basis and cohorts start on scheduled intake dates. The LSTITM admissions team welcomes short pre-application interviews so senior candidates can align dissertation direction with a supervisor whose partner-level experience matches the intended engagement type. International candidates receive additional guidance on visa, English-language evidence and payment routes tailored to their country of residence, and pre-application interviews can be arranged in multiple time zones. Advance into executive tourism leadership with LSTITM by submitting your online application today. Enrol Now
