Sustainable Tourism

As every industry is understanding the importance of sustainability, the Travel and Tourism sector holds greater potential in raising awareness towards biodiversity conservation amongst people travelling around the world. Sustainable tourism focuses on minimising the impact on the environment as well as the local culture along with providing employment opportunities for locals. It aims to ensure that travelling is a positive experience not only for tourists but also for tourism companies along with local people. For those wanting to build a career in travel and tourism, this lesser-known specialised field brings immense perks and exceptional career prospects. Through this blog, we will take a look what this field entails along with a varied range of Sustainable Tourism courses, top universities offering them as well as the scope they entail.

Sustainable Tourism Overview

It is a form of travel and tourism which is concerned with lessening the negative effects of tourism and ensuring that it is economically, socioculturally and environmentally sustainable. Studying a program in this field, you will get to learn about the varied methods and ways of raising awareness about environmental and cultural conservation. Further, As compared to mass tourism which is a term for those travelling to the same place in larger groups at the same time of the year, this particular field focuses on the authenticity of interacting with local people and culture and embracing it during one’s journey. Mass tourism is often referred to as package deal and concentrates mainly on generating income. On the other hand, focusing on sustainability, this form of tourism means travelling in a manner that can benefit the local people and communities along with minimising any harm to the environment. 

List of Sustainable Tourism Courses

There are a plethora of diploma, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs available in Sustainable Tourism. Here is a list of varied degrees, certificate and diploma courses offered in this field:

• Bachelor of Sustainable Tourism
• BA (Hons) in Sustainable Tourism Management
• MSc in Sustainability and Tourism
• Master in Sustainable Tourism Destinations and Regional Tourism Planning
• Master of Sustainable Tourism
• Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Tourism
• MBA/MAM in Sustainable Tourism Management
• Graduate Diploma in Environmental and Cultural Heritage Tourism
• Graduate Diploma in Responsible Tourism Management

Also Read: Travel and Tourism Course After 12th

Global Universities

A wide range of academic institutions across the globe offer an array of sustainable tourism programs, be it full-time degrees and diplomas or online courses. Take a look at the following list of universities and institutions that provide programs in this specialised field of study:

Name of University	QS World University Ranking 2023
Rhine Waal University of Applied Science, Germany	–
University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia	1001 – 1200
Falmouth University, UK	–
Monash University, Australia	57
Linnaeus University, Sweden	–
Leeds Beckett University, UK	1001 – 1200
Coventry University, UK	651 – 700
James Cook University, Australia	461
University of Tasmania, Australia	293
Colorado State University, US	408

Educational Eligibility Criteria

The basic criteria is as follows.

1. Student must have completed education at 10 + 2 level from a recognised board.
2. An undergraduate degree in a relevant field with qualifying percentage.
3. For students applying abroad, GMAT and GRE scores might be required, depending on the country and institution.
4. Further, students are also required to fulfil english language proficiency requirements and take tests such as IELTS and TOEFL.

Sustainable Tourism: Popular Topics

Some of the most popular topics that are discussed under a curriculum are mentioned below.

1. Social Economic and Cultural Impacts Maximizing Benefits
2. Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management
3. Managing Strategic Change
4. Engaging and Education Visitors in Sustainability Practices
5. Achieving Sustainability Balance: People, Planet and Profit

Scope

Emerging as a crucial field of study, it is filled with a multitude of career opportunities for those passionate about this specialised branch of Tourism and Environment Sustainability. Apart from the travel industry, those with a degree in this field can also explore prospects in the environment sector, event management, hospitality, interior design, real estate, architecture, amongst others.

Career Profiles

Below mentioned are some of the major career profiles that you can choose from:

• Urban Designer
• Compliance Managers
• Food Service Managers
• Green Marketers
• Meeting, Convention and Event Planners
• Travel Agents & Guides
• Development Officer

Note: The above-mentioned list is only for indicative purposes as there are plentiful specialised job roles that one can explore in their chosen industry.

Most Important Skills for Sustainable Tourism

The top areas that involve knowledge and skills are mentioned below.

1. Basics of developing and using a communication strategy
2. Reducing environment impact from industrial functioning
3. Creating sustainable transportation offers and alternatives
4. Monitoring the impact of tourism on environment and communities

FAQs

Hence, we hope that this blog has helped you understand what sustainable tourism means, the different programs offered as well as the scope it offers. Needless to say, confusions regarding selecting the right degree and university for your chosen field of interest can always occur. If you are planning to study a specialised branch of Tourism and don’t know where to begin, reach out to our study abroad consultants and we’ll help you find a suitable course and university to study abroad that can equip you with the necessary knowledge and exposure to build a thriving career in this field.