Introduction to the Tourism and Travel Services Management Program
Tourism and Travel Services Management Program
(Implemented under the Specialized Program Framework)
Overview
The Bachelor’s Program in Tourism and Travel Services Management is designed with a strong application-oriented focus and implemented under a specialized training framework. Its objective is to develop well-rounded professionals who are fully prepared to meet the practical demands of the travel and tourism industry.
The program was comprehensively updated in 2024 and benchmarked against advanced curricula offered by reputable universities in Vietnam, including the National Economics University and the School of Hospitality and Tourism – Hue University, as well as international institutions such as RMIT University and IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences in Austria. This benchmarking process ensures that the curriculum remains current, modern, and internationally oriented, enabling graduates to compete effectively in a global working environment.
Program Objectives
The program aims to develop graduates who demonstrate sound ethical qualities and professional responsibility, while possessing comprehensive knowledge of tourism business management and proficiency in key professional skills related to tour design, tour operations, and tour guiding.
Graduates are expected to work effectively in the dynamic travel and tourism business environment, undertake a wide range of operational and managerial positions, and potentially establish their own businesses. Specifically, the program focuses on developing the following competencies:
Travel and Tourism Professional Competence: Students are able to develop a complete tour product, from market research and destination surveys to working with service providers, tour costing, implementation, and actual tour operations.
Management and Business Competence: Students acquire a sound understanding of travel business management principles, including financial management, human resource management, marketing, sales, customer service, and risk management.
Tour Guiding Skills: Students develop proficiency in interpretation and presentation, group engagement, tour group management, handling unexpected situations, and effective communication, enabling them to serve as cultural ambassadors at tourism destinations.
Global Mindset and Sustainable Development: Students gain an understanding of emerging trends in the tourism industry, the ability to apply technology, develop responsible tourism products, and adapt effectively to multicultural working environments.
Curriculum and Study Pathway
The program is delivered over four years with a total of 122 credits, combining foundational theory with intensive practical training to ensure that students acquire a solid system of knowledge and professional skills.
Foundational Knowledge: Students are equipped with general knowledge in economics, management, law, and finance. Foundation courses such as Introduction to Tourism, Foundations of Vietnamese Culture, Tourism Service Quality Management, and Vietnam Tourism Routes and Destinations provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the tourism industry, including the country’s tourism resources, cultural assets, and tourism service system.
Disciplinary Knowledge: This stage provides the core knowledge required to operate a travel business effectively. Students study Tourism Marketing to understand how to promote tourism products, Human Resource Management to develop and manage personnel, Risk Management in Tourism to anticipate and respond to crises, Tourism Event Management to diversify tourism products, Tourism Destination Management to understand destination development, and Travel Business Management to develop an integrated perspective on travel enterprise operations.
Specialized Knowledge: Students receive advanced training in key professional areas.
Compulsory Courses: Tour Design and Operations enables students to transform ideas into feasible and competitive tour products. Tour Guiding Operations equips students with the essential skills required to successfully lead and manage tour groups.
Elective Courses: The program allows students to deepen their expertise in different areas and develop their own competitive advantages:
Group 1 – Event and Cultural Tourism: Courses such as Cultural Heritage and Tourism Festivals and MICE Tourism Management prepare students for careers involving tourism combined with meetings, conferences, exhibitions, and events.
Groups 2 & 3 – Restaurant and Hotel Services: Courses such as Restaurant Management and Hotel Business Management provide complementary knowledge of the core services involved in tourism programs, enabling students to work and coordinate more effectively with service providers and business partners.
Practical Training and Internship
The program places strong emphasis on practical experience. Practicum 1 & 2 are designed as field trips in which students directly undertake the roles of tour guides and tour operators while addressing real-world situations.
The Graduation Internship provides students with the opportunity to work in travel companies in a professional capacity, apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program, and gain valuable industry experience. For many students, this serves as an important stepping stone toward their future careers.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Tourism and Travel Services Management program have access to a broad and diverse range of career opportunities:
Travel and Tour Companies: Graduates may work as tour design specialists responsible for market research and product development, tour operators responsible for service arrangements and logistics coordination, tourism sales executives, or marketing and communications specialists.
Professional Tour Guides: Graduates may work independently or for travel companies, leading domestic and international tour groups while providing engaging interpretations of the culture, history, and heritage of destinations.
Government Tourism Authorities: Graduates may work for tourism departments and government agencies at central or local levels, contributing to policy development, tourism resource management, and tourism promotion.
Tourism, Culture, and Communications Departments: Graduates may work for heritage management boards, tourism attractions, destination management organizations, or non-governmental organizations involved in sustainable tourism development.
Researchers and Lecturers: Graduates may pursue academic careers in teaching and research at universities, colleges, and tourism research institutes.
Entrepreneurship: Graduates may establish and operate their own travel companies, travel agencies, or other innovative tourism service businesses.
Download the Detailed Curriculum here