Educational tourism is a preferred course in the global tourism industry. Educational tourism refers to enriching oneself with knowledge and experience of certain topics. It means learning new things, learning about different cultures, studying tours, and applying learned skills. Educational tourism courses are provided by several universities across the world. Moreover, there are plenty of tourism courses that you can specialize in. Keep reading to learn more about the education tourism courses, colleges, benefits, and examples.
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History of Education Tourism
The history of education tourism can be traced back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Mainly ‘Grand Tour’ was considered the beginning of education tourism. Earlier, it was undertaken by the aristocratic British youth as a part of their education. Most of these scholars were from Germany and other European countries. Thus, several scholars began to travel in search of knowledge, to learn languages, and to learn from their peers. It was beyond tourism that was taken up for business or pleasure travel.
The new trend in tourism created opportunities for travelers and enabled them to gain new experiences and knowledge about a variety of topics. Every travel product aims to encourage the traveler to learn more about foreign cultures, learn new things, engage in study tours, and apply the skills learnt. Thus, the Education tourism industry developed.
Also read: What is Travel and Tourism Management?
Classification of Education Tourism
Educational tourism is tourism undertaken for educational learning. Over the years educational tourism has evolved. Hence, it can fall into several categories. There are several types of educational tourism from international research programs to student exchange programs. Some of them are listed below:
- Youth Travelling- For example, youth exchanges, school excursions, the purpose of camp learning environment, and tourism projects leading to destinations abroad
- Tourism Education- For example, full-time study program, and international exchange program
- International research programs- For example, students completing degrees in different countries
- Student Exchange Program-For example, sports competitions, internships, and summer school mobility.
- Workshop Travels- For example, seminars, and educational workshops
- Language schools- Learning foreign languages from language schools come under this category
Benefits of Education Tourism
Educational tourism has several benefits. They help in developing the infrastructure, encourages cultural exchanges, and in generating employment opportunities Some of these benefits are listed below:
- Educational tourism encourages people to invest. Thus, it helps in the development of the infrastructure of a place.
- It results in the creation of new training courses for students
- More employment opportunities and availability of skilled manpower
- Education tourism results in the exploration of hidden places
- It also results in entrepreneurship development
- Encourages cultural exchanges and other international collaborations
- Encourages individuals and companies to work for social welfare and development
- Education tourism also helps in the image-building/developing reputation of a region
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The tourism sector is a wide industry, Hence, there are a variety of courses available for students to choose from. Here are some of the popular courses students can take up in the tourism sector.
Bachelors | Masters | |
B.A. in Travel and Tourism Management | International Events, Leisure and Tourism Management MSc | Diploma in Tourism Management |
B.B.A in Tourism Management | International Business with Tourism and Hospitality (Professional Practice) MSc | Diploma in Social Science, Extended Tourism Management |
Advanced Diplomas in Travel and Tourism | MS in Travel and Tourism Management | |
International Hospitality and Tourism Management | International Hospitality and Tourism Management MSc | |
B.T.A (Bachelor of Tourism Administration) | Master of Arts in International Tourism | |
B.Sc. in Airlines, Tourism and Management | MBA in Travel and Tourism | |
Bachelor of Tourism Management | ||
B.H.M (Bachelor of Hotel Management) |
Also Read: Travel and Tourism Courses
Best Schools in the World
Education tourism management schools offer Bachelors, Master’s, and diploma courses to students. For example, B.A. in Travel and Tourism Management, MS in Travel and Tourism Management, and more. Here is a list of the top universities for education tourism courses.
QS WUR Ranking by Subject | Best Tourism Management Schools in the World |
2 | University of Nevada – Las Vegas (UNLV) |
5 | Glion Institute of Higher Education |
4 | Les Roches Global Hospitality Education |
7 | Hotel Institute Montreux – HIM |
7 | Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) |
9 | Hotelschool The Hague |
31 | Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) |
Examples of Education Tourism
Several organizations work towards educational tourism. These companies are involved in connecting the people who want to engage in educational tourism with the organizations that seek tourists. Here are a few real life examples of education tourism.
- GVI Company- The company aims to connect like-minded individuals and encourages them to collaborate on several social development projects. They have programs specially made for people interested in volunteering, studying, and internships.
- EF Tours- The company is popular among teachers and parents for creating different student tours.
- Global volunteers- The company brings several volunteering opportunities in the US, and abroad to people who want to bring about change. Volunteering opportunities include working in classrooms and clinics at childcare centers.
- ACIS Educational Tours- AICIS enables middle and high school students to take up educational trips. For example, culturally immersive tours, women’s leadership tours, and STEM-focused tours.
Also Read: Careers in Travel and Tourism
A. Educational tourism is important as it helps students to gain direct exposure to different cultures, natural landscapes, and historical places. Moreover, it helps students to develop their world understanding, and encourages them to think critically.
A. Edutoursim refers to an activity that is taken up by tourists. However, the main goal is education and learning.
A. Some examples of edutourism include school trips, study abroad experiences, seminar vacations, skill enhancement holidays, among others.
Education tourism is a part of the tourism industry in general. Educational tourism refers to tourism undertaken for the purpose of education. Educational tourism is extremely beneficial as it helps entrepreneurs to invest, results in employment opportunities, and even encourages individuals to work for social causes and development. Some of the popular courses in tourism include-International Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Bachelor of Tourism Management. To discover more articles like this one, visit the study abroad experts at Leverage Edu.