A group of students can be seen in amongst greenery at the Eden project
Aerial view of an estuary with sandy beaches and fields
Aerial view of the Eden Project domes with fields and sky

Sustainable Tourism Management BA(Hons)

Shape future tourism on this innovative, sustainability-led course

Key details
Location
Penryn Campus
Course duration
3 years / 4 years
Attendance
Full-time / Professional Placement
UCAS code
N833/PY58

Course overview

Shape the tourism landscape of tomorrow on this innovative, sustainability-led course, designed in partnership with the visionary and pioneering Eden Project – a top UK visitor attraction. This tourism management degree offers a unique approach with sustainability at its core, offering you the opportunity to learn about the industry’s environmental, social and economic impacts. You’ll be encouraged to manage tourism in a more responsible manner and contribute to a more sustainable future. 

Through real-world projects, you’ll learn how to balance the needs of a business with the needs of sustainable practice; minimising the sector’s impact on delicate environmental and social ecosystems while also developing successful commercial and communication strategies. 

You will:

  • Develop a sustainable approach to management in the globally expanding tourism industry
  • Join a university that’s recognised by the Institute of Travel and Tourism
  • Explore the moral and political pressures of tourism and how to manage them sustainably 
  • Have the chance to work on a consultancy project at an international tourism destination, with a dedicated budget for travel and accommodation funded as part of the course  
  • Spend time working on live briefs at the Eden Project, a leading UK venue and host of the Eden Sessions 
  • Develop your ability to affect positive change that benefits tourism organisations, tourists, host communities, the environment and society 
  • Study on a course that’s accredited by A Greener Future, Attitude is Everything, and the Tourism Management Institute 

This Sustainable Tourism Management course is accredited by A Greener Future, Attitude is Everything, and the Tourism Management Institute:

Four logos in a row - Eden Project, Attitude is Everything, A Greener Future and TMI

Course details

Sustainable Tourism Management course video

On this Sustainable Tourism Management degree, you'll have the opportunity to gain a BA(Hons) degree over three years or study Sustainable Tourism Management BA(Hons) with a professional placement option.

You’ll explore the future of sustainable tourism management with a focus on understanding and managing tourism impacts, learning to design quality tourism experiences which are sustainable, accessible and inclusive.

You’ll study a range of topics in destination management, crisis management, wellbeing, destination storytelling and marketing and communication.

Through taking part in a number of live projects, you’ll develop project management and leadership skills that are essential for the fast-moving and ever-changing contemporary tourism industry.

During the first year of your degree, you’ll develop a knowledge of the nature, scope and scale of the tourism industry as well as the sustainability challenges the sector faces. You’ll explore the different experiences of tourists and understand the importance of wellbeing within the context of experience management. You’ll also gain key skills in marketing and communications. 

Modules

The Visitor Economy

You’ll choose an area of the tourism industry to focus on and identify trends within this specialist field. You’ll address the impact of sustainable issues within this area and identify best practices for sustainable tourism management. Through this exercise, you’ll also recognise the importance of your own development as a sustainable practitioner.

The Tourist Experience

In this module, you’ll explore a wide range of motivations for people wanting to travel as well as key factors that impact upon overall experience satisfaction. You’ll consider factors such as the online experience, functional physical environment, staff interaction, use of digital technologies and accommodation and attraction design. You’ll also evaluate how post-travel communication can impact upon lasting tourist perceptions. 

Niche Tourism

You’ll learn about the different ways a destination can be interpreted by a range of niche tourism groups. You’ll then develop a destination interpretation portfolio that highlights a multitude of ways a single designation can be packaged to respond to niche tourism sectors.

Wellbeing

Looking at how wellbeing is connected to experience management and wider aspects of customer satisfaction, you’ll explore ways to develop wellbeing as a customer offer while addressing its importance within an organisation. Crucially, you’ll reflect upon the value of wellbeing for your own personal and professional development.

Exploring Sustainability

You'll examine contemporary practices and positive responses across a range of sustainability topics including responsible consumption, production and economic development. You’ll also explore potential criticisms of the concept of sustainable development and ask whether it is truly the most appropriate way forward.

Promotional Communications

You’ll create a promotional communications campaign that is designed to respond to the needs of an identified client. Through the development of the campaign, you’ll explore concepts such as positioning and messaging, and focus on achieving high impact communications. 

You’ll gain more specialist, operational knowledge of sustainable tourism management and apply developed techniques to your practice. Working both individually and collaboratively with your peers, you’ll develop an innovate tourism product, building skills in problem solving, personal responsibility and decision-making. 

Modules

Tourism Product Innovation

In this module, you’ll build on your understanding of the tourism business environment, including the economic impacts of tourism, the tourism product lifecycle, and corporate responsibilities. You’ll also explore the structural aspects of the tourism industry, including the relationship between suppliers, operators and the public sector.

Project Management

You’ll be taught a range of project management processes, including scope definition, objective setting, time planning, and evaluation methods. You’ll also examine alternative approaches to project management, including both waterfall and agile methodology, and learn how to apply these approaches to a variety of contexts. 

Research Methods

In this module, you’ll undertake a research project using ethically sound primary and secondary research methods. You’ll then present your project in the form of a poster presentation which will detail your methodology and findings.

Tourism Operations

You’ll engage with a range of tourism operations, including transport, hospitality, accommodation, activities, and attractions. You’ll explore key aspects of visitor management and how technology can be used to enhance the tourism offer. You’ll also learn about the role of human resource management within tourism operations and become aware of legal and regulatory considerations.

Financial Management

Developing an understanding of different financial concepts and processes, you’ll learn to analyse financial statements, engage in financial planning and explore sources of finance. You’ll then create a grant funding bid proposal that outlines a proposed project including financial statements and projections.

Collaborative Working

In this module, you’ll learn about the concept of ‘design thinking’. In multi-skilled teams you’ll work on a live brief and deliver a practical project, which you’ll then evaluate through a team performance review. 

You can choose to take an optional professional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the Employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your professional placement 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

In your final year, you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of leadership and crisis management. You’ll gain practical skills by taking part in a residential experience and explore destination storytelling in detail before developing your own sustainable destination strategy. You will continue to develop as a reflective, independent practitioner and further enhance your ability to communicate in a confident and persuasive style.

Modules

Crisis Management

In this module, you’ll develop your management capability to deal with complex crisis situations before being immersed in a live crisis scenario to test your skills. You’ll be assessed on your ability to respond to and evaluate this crisis scenario within a realistic multidisciplinary team situation.

Storytelling and Destination Image

You’ll explore the concept of destination storytelling as a tool to market a specific location. You’ll then devise your own destination story, creating an authentic image for an identified place.

Professional Development

Reflecting on your own professional development, you’ll build a portfolio that documents your skills and experience gained throughout this degree. Through this exercise, you’ll learn the value of using reflective practice to inform your own personal and professional development.

Strategic Destination Management

In this module, you’ll explore the complexities, nuances and interconnectivities of international destination management. You’ll complete a live practical consultancy project for an identified client and develop a cohesive strategy designed to shape the sustainable tourism future of that destination. 

Travel, accommodation and organised activities during the optional international residential trip are funded by your course fees, however you’re expected to pay for food and free-time activities. 

Futures Research

In the form of a research project, you’ll address the important aspects of a topic of your choice. Supported by a research supervision team, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to the theoretical and applied landscape within your field of interest.

Leadership

You’ll review a range of leadership models, styles and frameworks, building on your understanding of leadership practice and its impact on organisations. You then complete a leadership self-assessment, engaging in a comprehensive reflection and development process.

The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the Course Leader.

Eden Project individual on the zip line
Eden Project zip line

How you'll learn & be assessed

On top of lectures, seminars and tutorials, you’ll learn through field trips, independent study, live projects and inspiring talks from visiting professionals. You’ll also have the chance to work on a consultancy project at an international tourism destination, with your travel and accommodation expenses funded as part of the Sustainable Tourism Management degree. 

At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning & teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person, including seminars, tutorials and studio teaching, with some, more targeted elements, being online either live (synchronous) or pre-recorded (asynchronous). You can read more here.

100% of your assessment will be coursework. 

Assessment methods

  • Practical assessments include crisis management simulation, digital and in-person presentations, and the development of your own tourism destination strategy 
  • Coursework assignments that reflect real world outputs, including a portfolio of promotional communications, a grant funding bid and project initiation document (PID) 
  • Continuous assessment through visual, verbal and written assignments 

Facilities

You will have access to dedicated facilities that are designed to replicate a modern workplace environment. There are spaces for you to work independently or in groups and to take part in workshops and planning sessions.

  • Lecture theatres 
  • Seminar rooms 
  • Group working base room 
  • Subject librarian 
  • Libraries housing a collection of books and electronic and journal resources 
  • IT suites and software packages 
  • Excellent media facilities for producing promotional material and audio-visual content 
  • Activity within the Eden Project, including visits and learning experiences 

Staff

Our teaching team is made up of experienced tourism and hospitality practitioners and highly-regarded published academics. Our staff specialise in a range of areas within the tourism industry, including dark tourism, wellbeing, arts and music events, hospitality and food tourism as well as destination management and crisis management.

Paul Russell

Course Leader - Sustainable Tourism Management and Sustainable Festival Management

Paul Russell started his career in the hospitality, tourism and events sectors after achieving under...

Paul Russell

Dr Donna Poade

Senior Lecturer in Experience Design (Tourism)

Donna is Senior Lecturer in Experience Design (Tourism) at Cornwall Business School and joined in Au...

Dr Donna Poade

Natalie Semley

Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Tourism Management

Growing up in a traditional seaside resort on the North coast of Cornwall, Natalie Semley has a deta...

Natalie Semley

Adrian Bossey

Head of Business & Experience Design

Adrian Bossey is Head of Subject at the Cornwall Business School, Falmouth University and a former a...

Adrian Bossey

Helen Worthington

Senior Lecturer, Experience Design, Cornwall Business School

Helen Worthington is a Senior Lecturer at Falmouth University in the Faculty of Business & Exper...

Helen Worthington

Dr Sam Bleakley

Associate Lecturer Tourism

Sam is a geographer (with a specialism in sustainable tourism, surf communities and cultural exchang...

Dr Sam Bleakley
Sam Jones headshot

Sam Jones

Lecturer in Management

I am an educator, creative producer & music consultant based in Cornwall. I work internationally...

Sam Jones

Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every staff member who teaches on the course.

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Careers

As a Sustainable Tourism Management graduate, you could work in the following sectors:

  • Destination management organisations 
  • Tour operators 
  • Venue and attraction operators 
  • Marketing agencies 
  • Public agencies and local authorities 
  • Governmental departments and policy makers 
  • The cruise sector 
  • Airports and airline management 
  • Accessible tourism organisations 

The jobs market within the tourism sector is also varied and offers opportunities to work in a range of roles including: 

  • Travel Consultant 
  • Visitor Information Manager 
  • Tour Guide 
  • Travel Operations Manager 
  • Sales and Marketing Consultant 
  • Travel Writer 
  • Volunteer Coordinator 
  • Resilience Manager 

How to apply

Ready to join us? You can apply for September 2024 through UCAS. You'll need to reference the course and University code (F33).

Apply via UCAS

Course route UCAS code
Sustainable Tourism Management BA(Hons) three year degree N833
Sustainable Tourism Management BA(Hons) with professional placement PY58

All applications are considered on their individual merit and we welcome applications from all subject backgrounds including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the arts or humanities.

Course route Entry requirements
BA/BSc(Hons) three year degree 104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points
BA/BSc(Hons) four year degree with professional placement 104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points
   

Check the title of your course to see if it's a BA or BSc award. UCAS Tariff points will primarily be from Level 3 qualifications such as but not limited to A-levels, T Levels, a BTEC/UAL Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma.

Check how many points your qualifications are worth

For applicants whose first language is English we require you to have or be working towards GCSE English Language Grade 4 (C), or equivalent. 

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the same standard which is equivalent to the IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with at least 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. We accept a range of in country equivalencies and approved tests.  

If you need a student visa to study in the UK, you may need to take a recognised language test. You can read our English Language Requirements for more information.

For starting your studies in 2024

UK applications: 31 January 2024 (for equal consideration)

Applications after the 31 January will be considered on a first-come, first-served as long as there are places available. Apply for this course now.

International fee payers

International fee payers can apply throughout the year. But we recommend applying as early as possible, to make time for visa and travel arrangements.

Fees, costs & funding

Tuition fees for September 2024 entry

Annual tuition fee Student
£9,250 per year Full-time UK
£17,950 per year Full-time EU/international
£1,850 per professional placement year Full-Time UK and EU/international

Tuition fees for September 2025 will be confirmed in summer 2024.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. 

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs

Typical course costs

  • To engage in the digital learning activity, although you will be able to access IT suites on campus, you will benefit from a laptop to access the platforms and tools we use. You do not need to use any specialist software for this course so any reasonable laptop will be suitable. 

Optional study trips

The Sustainable Tourism Management course involves a number of destination visits, including a live consultancy project at an international tourism destination – all of which are included within the course fees. You will be required to pay for your own food, drink and refreshments during visits, and fund any free time activities that you may choose to engage in.

If you need to bring equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.

Ask a student

What better way to find out about life at Falmouth University than by asking our current students?

From course details and academic support, to the social scene and settling in, our students are ready and available to answer any questions you might have. Simply set up your account, send them a question and they'll get back to you within 24 hours.

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