Liverpool Hope University’s Department of Geography and Environmental Science is celebrating after three of its Tourism courses received professional accreditation.
Degrees in Tourism, Tourism Management and Environmental Change & Tourism have all been officially recognised by the Tourism Management Institute (TMI), the professional organisation for anyone working in tourism destination management.
And the new partnership brings with it some unique benefits to students when it comes to their professional development, as they get to engage with the TMI on an ongoing basis, including attending key conferences and entering competitions.
Dr Victoria Kennedy, Lecturer in Tourism and Tourism and Subject Lead, says: “Gaining professional accreditation from the Tourism Management Institute for our Tourism courses is a fantastic achievement and will open up some interesting opportunities for further development for staff and students in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science.
“We are happy to note that our fieldwork programme visiting local, national and international destinations has been highly commended. Fieldwork is a very important element of our curriculum and assists in developing our academic research and practical understanding of destination management.”
TMI is a network of professionals who promote and develop destinations across the UK, Europe and worldwide.
And Steve Fowler, Professional Tutor in Tourism, adds: “I am personally delighted that Hope has gained accreditation from the Tourism Management Institute for its Tourism courses. As a TMI member, who was involved in destination management for twenty years prior to joining Hope.
“I am only too aware of the organisation’s value to the tourism industry as a professional body, as well its support for Higher Education. The support, knowledge and networks available via TMI accreditation will provide a valuable addition to help us enhance our teaching provision and ensure that curriculum content will remain current and forward-looking.”
The TMI assessors praised the Hope degree offerings, saying, ‘the integrated curriculum across the three programmes with all course components being compulsory, delivers an excellent foundation in tourism and tourism management at levels 4 and 5 which is consolidated at level 6’.
It reserved special praise for covering topics such as ‘Vulnerability & Resilience of Destinations’, as well as the focus placed on ‘all aspects of destination management including competitiveness, resilience and governance as well as sustainable destinations and case studies on over-tourism’.
The assessor added: “It’s particularly welcome to see such a strong programme of local, regional, national and international field visits as well as visits to local organisations to give students so many opportunities to apply their knowledge to current business practice.
“The close partnership with local stakeholders in Liverpool is especially welcome, making the most of the city/region’s key role as a successful tourism destination.”