Tourism is a global phenomenon, estimated to be worth around £5.5 trillion to the world economy, and almost £127 billion to the economy of the United Kingdom. Locally, tourism is worth £4.1 billion per annum to the Liverpool City Region, employing over 50,000 people. Liverpool, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a hugely popular tourism destination with its unique mixture of heritage and modernity and ambitious growth plans are in place, including the re-emergence of Liverpool as a cruise ship terminal. This popularity is well recognised, with the city recently voted as number 3 in the top cities in the world to visit (Rough Guides 2014) and third best tourist destination in the UK by TripAdvisor (2016). The fast-growing tourism industry offers a range of career opportunities in various tourism-related sectors such as creative arts, heritage, tourism planning, hospitality, leisure, marketing and events.
By studying tourism at LJMU you will be engaged in a student-centred, internationally focussed course that is underpinned by current research. Our tourism team consists of staff who are both experienced teachers and established researchers, combining their diverse cultural backgrounds with considerable international experience. The programme covers a diverse range of tourism-related subjects such as culture, heritage, society, management, leadership, marketing and sustainability providing you with practical skills as well as intellectual knowledge to enable you to work in this dynamic and ever expanding industry.
Practical experience is an extremely important part of your studies. Field trips are a regular part of your programme. Recent trips outside Liverpool include visiting organisations involved in tourism and leisure in York, Amsterdam and Nice. In addition, visiting guest lecturers and industry professionals regularly provide an 'insider's view' of the sector on campus.
As well as participating in field trips, you will undertake a four-week work placement in industry. Plus you will have the opportunity to complete an optional year-long sandwich placement (after your second year) which will help you gain practical professional experience either in the UK or overseas. We are currently working with several organisations that offer students the opportunity to spend their placement year in the hospitality industry overseas, including the USA.
