Tourism Management Option Full-time Diploma of Technology 630jdiplt

BCIT Tourism Management Diploma

The BCIT Tourism Management diploma program prepares students to promote major tourist attractions, local community events, and city and government tourism programs to national and international audiences. You will develop travel and tourism packages, create a marketing plan for a tourism business, and visit a number of Chambers of Commerce and BC tourism agencies. Graduates work at popular tourist attractions and vacation destinations, travel nationally and internationally, and build and improve the tourism industry.

BCIT Tourism Management students learn to:
  • Promote eco, adventure, destination, and sustainable tourism
  • Manage hotel and accommodation operations
  • Develop regional and community tourism marketing plans
  • Plan meetings, conferences, and events
  • Advertise to international markets and cultures
BCIT TOURISM MANAGEMENT DIPLOMA
BCIT Credential: BCIT Diploma of Technology
Program Length: 2 years, Full-time
Program Start: September
Number of Courses: 32 courses, 108 credits
Total Tuition/Cost: Learn about Tuition & Fees
Internship/Practicum: 10 weeks, 2 days a week
Industry Consulting Project: 16 weeks, 1 day a week
1st Year Entry: View Requirements
Advanced Placement: View Requirements
Laddering Options: Bachelor of Business
Administration BBA Degree

Tourism Practicum / Internship

Tourism Management students participate in a 10 week internship as part of a company’s internal sales and marketing team to learn on the job and develop business connections in the tourism industry. The internship provides valuable resume building experience and can even lead to a job offer from the sponsoring company.

Business Consulting Project

Tourism Management students undertake a 16 week Business Consulting Project in their final term. Students work in groups of 2-3 and spend one day a week developing a solution to a real business problem for a company. The student teams collect and analyze data, create recommendations, and present their findings to company management.

Tourism Jobs & Careers

Graduates of the Tourism Management diploma program have the necessary sales and marketing skills to start an exciting career in the tourism industry.

Entry-Level Positions:
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Meeting & Events Planner
  • Travel and Tour Coordinator
  • Corporate Sales Coordinator
Mid-Level Positions:
  • Marketing Manager
  • Hotel Sales Manager
  • Director of Operations
  • Public Relations Manager

Program Entry

Go ahead, apply now

If you think this program is for you, please begin the application process early to increase opportunities for acceptance. You can apply for the Marketing Tourism management program in October of each year.  This program is highly sought after and meeting the basic requirements is not a guarantee of entry.

Check for current Marketing Tourism program availability. Once accepted, your seat in the program will be reserved.

Entrance requirements

Admission into the Marketing Management program is highly competitive. BCIT does not accept applicants on a first come, first served basis and meeting minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee acceptance. BCIT reserves the right to accept those candidates it deems most likely to be successful. Minimum entrance requirements are:

Applicants are urged to attend an information session offered throughout the year. These are free of charge and are open to all to attend. Registration is requested, but not required. To register, or for further information, please call the Information Session line at 604-451-6735, or e-mail inforeg@bcit.ca.

It is strongly recommended that you assess your fundamental mathematical skills. The Mathematics Self-Diagnostic Test [PDF] is voluntary. If you find these problems difficult, we strongly recommend that you attend OPMT 0199. You should be able to do this exercise in about an hour, after which you should compare your answers with the correct ones supplied. If you scored less than 20 out of 26 correct, you should seriously consider upgrading your mathematical skills.

Advanced Placement

Entry into the middle of the first year or the start of the second year may be possible. View the Advanced Placement section for details.

Transfer credit

Transfer credit may be granted for courses completed at BCIT or another post-secondary institution where the learning outcomes duplicate those of the BCIT course. As per Admission Procedure 5003-PR1, the department reserves the right to determine the granting of credit where appropriate.

Applications will be accepted up to day 14 of the term; an official transcript and a course outline where appropriate must be provided (or be on file with BCIT) to process the request. A maximum of two courses per level are eligible for credit through this process.

BC provincial exams

Provincial exam marks are required for English 12, Communications 12, and Technical and Professional Communications 12. BCIT does not require provincial exams for Grade 12 Math and Science courses.

Apply to program

The two-year Marketing Management Diploma program shares a common first year of core business subjects. The second year of the program focuses on specific fields of marketing expertise.

Candidates who wish to apply to the Tourism Management option must declare this option/specialization at the time of application.

Submit an application: online or by mail [PDF].

You can check the status of your application online at any time using the Student Information System.

Scheduled intakes

September each year.

Application processing

November 15* of the previous year until the program fills.

Applications are considered for a specific intake.

*Or next business day

The process is competitive and space is limited. When more eligible students apply than there is space available, BCIT reserves the right to select those students considered to have the best chance for success in the program.

myCommunication

Within 2 to 3 weeks of applying to a program, you will be sent a letter in the mail confirming receipt of your application. The letter will identify your student number, BCIT e-mail address and instructions on how to login to your myBCIT account.

All official BCIT correspondence will be sent to your myBCIT account. Check myCommunication often during the application process and throughout your studies at BCIT.

You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within 2 to 8 weeks.

Costs & Supplies

Tuition fees

Please see the Fees, Payments and Refunds section of the website for more information on full-time tuition fees.

Books and supplies

Level 1: $775; Level 2: $500; Level 3: $700; Level 4: $600
(General estimated cost, and subject to change)

Financial assistance

Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.

Courses

In the first year, all Marketing Management students complete the same course of studies, which covers general business and economic principles. This foundation year provides all marketing students with fundamental business skills in marketing, economics, statistics, and organizational behavior. Examples and case studies used in the classroom focus on many different industries, not just tourism. We believe this provides students with a better balanced educational experience.

The second year offers specialization on advanced marketing concepts and the tourism industry. Specialized courses include areas such as: event management, convention management, hotel sales, leisure travel marketing, and international marketing provide the student with an overview of marketing within the tourism industry globally. Additionally, students take other core marketing and business management courses such as: market research, internet marketing, competitive intelligence, and business law. The goal is to provide a dynamic and practical business education.

Special emphasis is being placed on how e-business is impacting these industries, and integrating the Internet and e-commerce concepts within the broader discipline of marketing.

Program matrix

Level 1 (15 weeks)
Credits
  BLAW 3100 Business Law 4.0
  BSYS 1000 Business Information Systems 3.0
  COMM 1100 Business Communication 1 3.0
  ECON 2100 Microeconomics 3.0
  MKTG 1102 Essentials of Marketing 3.0
  OPMT 1110 Business Mathematics* 4.0
  ORGB 1100 Organizational Behaviour 3.0

* Note: During the first week of OPMT 1110 Business Mathematics, an assessment test will be administered to all students. Based on the outcome, students may be required to attend a weekly Business Math Success Workshop.

 
Level 2 (20 weeks) Credits
  BSYS 2070 Business Information Systems 2 for MKTG* 2.0
  BUSA 2100 Principles of Management* 2.0
  COMM 2200 Business Communication 2 4.0
  ECON 2200 Macroeconomics 4.0
  FMGT 2152 Accounting for Management 5.5
  MKTG 2202 Introduction to Marketing Communications 4.0
  MKTG 2243 Sales Skills 4.0
  OPMT 1130 Business Statistics 5.5
* denotes a half-term course
 
Level 3 (15 weeks) Credits
  FMGT 3222 Managerial Finance (MKTG) 4.0
  MKTG 3301 Computer Applications in Marketing 3.0
  MKTG 3306 Business Planning Principles 4.0
  MKTG 3309 Marketing Research 4.0
  TOUR 2302 Travel and Tour Management 3.0
  TOUR 2900 Regional Tourism Field Study 2.0
  TOUR 3324 Strategic Planning in Tourism 4.0
  TOUR 3410 Event Management 3.0
 
Level 4 (20 weeks) Credits
  MKTG 3409 Applied Marketing Intelligence* 2.0
  MKTG 4418 Business Consulting Projects 8.0
  MKTG 4431 Internet Marketing Applications 4.0
  TOUR 3320 Meetings, Conventions and Incentive Travel 2.0
  TOUR 3416 Hotel Sales and Marketing* 2.5
  TOUR 3452 International Tourism Marketing and Sales* 2.5
  TOUR 4401 Sustainable Destination Development 4.0
  TOUR 4410 Tourism Industry Practicum 6.0
* denotes a half-term course
 
Total Credits: 112.0

Note: This program is completing a curriculum assessment. Some courses may be revised, added or deleted during the academic year.

Transfer credit

Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.

Program Details

The course load of the Marketing - Tourism Management program is heavy. Learning at BCIT comes mainly in four ways:

Lectures

Lectures are used to provide instruction in the principles of business. Most courses will have a one or two hour lecture per week. Most BCIT lecture halls are "smart learning spaces" and feature Internet conductivity as well as advanced audio and visual equipment. As we are a school of business attendance at lectures is mandatory.

Labs

In lab sessions, students work in small groups to master the skills taught in the lecture, by working on real-life business problems. This "learn by doing" concept is one of the key strengths of the marketing education at BCIT.

Teamwork

It is often joked by BCIT business students that BCIT stands for "being crammed into teams". It is true that we value the teamwork approach to business problem- solving. Most assignments you complete will be team based.. We believe in the teamwork model as it provides the student with a solid grounding in the delegation, goal setting, and leadership skills required of business managers. Many students have remarked that some of their most profound learning came from the group work.

Industry linkage

BCIT is renowned for providing "job ready" graduates. We partner with industry to provide our students with the real life learning experiences. Our instructors come from industry, and classroom examples are real-life. Students get the chance through directed studies and practicum to work with industry directly solving real issues. This gives the student confidence in their education and direct experience with organizations they may choose to work for in the future.

A day in the life of a Tourism Marketing student:

  • Meet with your study group to review your presentation to be given later that day.
  • Attend a lecture and hear from a guest speaker about current e-marketing strategies for international destinations.
  • Have a meeting with your industry client for your major directed studies project with your group.
  • Participate in the weekly meeting of the BCIT chapter of a Professional Convention Management Association.
  • Have a causal meeting with your industry mentor and discuss interviewing skills and resumes.
  • Study!
  • In class, review the critical path for your event management term project, with your instructor and team.

You can also build on your in-class learning by participating in extracurricular activities on campus, including:

Program length

Two years, full-time

Grading

Continuation in the Marketing Management Program Year 2

In order to be eligible to continue into the second year of the marketing management program a student must have successfully completed all required first year courses or equivalencies.

  1. At the end of first year students failing: MKTG 2202, MKTG 2243 and/or any 3 or more courses not in Marketing, will not be allowed to proceed in the program. If students wish to re-enter the program they must complete the outstanding courses and re-apply to the program.

  2. At the end of the first year of the program, students having failed one course not in Marketing may continue in the program. Their program option will be held if the failed course is successfully completed at BCIT, 10 days prior to the next term start up. If they are completing the courses at another institution then the students must provide proof of registration for the outstanding course no later than 60 calendar days prior to the term start date. An official transcript with the final grade must also be submitted before acceptance into the program option is granted.

  3. Students having failed two courses not in Marketing may continue in the program but their program option seat will not be held. If the failed courses are successfully completed at BCIT before term start up, the student can re-apply to their preferred option. If completing the courses at another institution students must provide proof of registration for the outstanding course(s) no later than 60 calendar days prior to the term start date. An official transcript with the final grade(s) must also be submitted before acceptance into the program option is granted.

Students required to reapply for a program option seat in the Marketing Management Program will be competing for a limited number of seats available and are not guaranteed their first option choice.

Program location

Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC

Continue your education

Degree Completion

Marketing Management graduates can obtain transfer credit toward Business degree programs at a number of universities both within and outside the province. As well, graduates may pursue degree completion through BCIT's Bachelor of Business Administration program.

Graduating & Jobs

Job Opportunities

Upon graduation, students from the Marketing Tourism Management Program can find employment in nearly every sector of the tourism economy. You can choose to work in the hotel industry, event management, destination marketing, and other related fields.

Many students wish to work in a marketing or sales role within an organization. Some prefer to work in operations as opposed to marketing. The tourism management program is well suited to both goals.

Graduates from our programs are working all over the world for leading organizations. The education and skills learned at BCIT will allow you to apply learning right here at home or to capitalize on the international scope of the tourism business.

Theo found the internship of his dreams

Graduate employment outcomes

The following link takes you to graduate outcome survey results containing mostly labour market results from the 2010-2012 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2009-2011 Graduates.
Note: The survey results will be displayed in a separate browser window. To view these results, you need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.

Advanced Placement

Do you have a degree, diploma, or completed a substantial amount of post-secondary courses? You may qualify for advanced placement into the Marketing Management - Tourism Management program. Students that qualify for advanced placement can enter the program in the middle of first year or the beginning of the second year depending on the number of transfer credits received.

Acceptance into advanced placement is dependent on a number of factors including: seat availability, course transfer credits, and the number of applications received. Most applicants are required to complete additional course work before entering their desired program. Early application is strongly recommended.

Entry into the middle of Year 1 (January)

  • Application process opens on February 1st

Entry into the start of Year 2 (September)

  • Application process opens on November 15th

For more information about eligibility requirements and the application process, please download the Marketing Management - Tourism Management Advanced Placement Guide [PDF].

Business Consulting Project

A BCIT Business Consulting Project provides second year Tourism students the opportunity to work over a 16 week period with an organization to conduct extensive market research and prepare a marketing plan or business plan. Students work in a team of two or three to identify potential opportunities, conduct research, and recommend effective solutions. Students complete a comprehensive written report and present an oral presentation to the sponsoring organization outlining the student team’s marketing recommendations and solutions.

Business Consulting Projects are different from traditional co-op and internship programs. Students are not assigned to actual positions, but rather fill a consulting role for businesses and organizations. Each project has a BCIT faculty member that serves as an advisor for the student consulting team. Exit surveys from participating companies show that the completed strategic business solutions have a value that far surpassed their expectations.

View a complete list of past Business Consulting Projects students have completed in a wide variety of industries.

Faculty, Advisors & Staff

School of Business faculty at BCIT are industry experts that treat teaching as their primary mission. You will learn in the classroom directly from these experienced professionals.  All lectures and labs are facilitated by experienced professionals.  We do not use teaching assistants. 

The core courses in the marketing tourism management program are taught by subject matter experts. Students have consistently remarked about the availability and commitment of the instructors at BCIT.

Advisory committee

  • Joe Matheson (Chair), City Passports
  • Murray Atherton, Eaglecliff Hospitality Group Limited
  • Andrew Clark, Canadian Tourism Commission
  • Barbara Hicks, Loden Hotel
  • Donna Koop, Tourism Vancouver
  • Doug McCandless, Capliano Group of Companies
  • Claire Smith, Claire Smith Solutions

Contact Us

David Tikkanen
Program Head
604-412-7503

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