Hospitality & Tourism

Master of Science (Tourism Management)

The Master of Science in Tourism Management is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in tourism planning, destination management, and hospitality administration. The programme combines tourism theory with management methodology and sustainable tourism practice.

Core areas include tourism planning, destination management, tourism policy, sustainable tourism, hospitality management, tourism economics, marketing management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both tourism theory and practical management application through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University and Maseno University. Both are public universities offering the programme over two academic years through full-time, part-time, and open-learning modes of study.

Students develop competencies in tourism planning, destination management, tourism policy, sustainable tourism, hospitality management, tourism economics, marketing management, and research methods. The programme includes coursework, examinations, and a research thesis or project.

KU charges KES 267,000/year (East Africans) or KES 333,750/year (non-East Africans). Maseno University fees not independently verified from official sources. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in tourism management or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as tourism managers, destination managers, tourism policy analysts, hospitality managers, tourism consultants, and lecturers in tourism management across tourism boards, hotels, government, NGOs, and universities.

Skills Required

Tourism Planning and Policy Development
Destination Management and Marketing
Sustainable Tourism Development
Hospitality Management and Operations
Tourism Economics and Analysis
Strategic Management for Hospitality Industry
Events and Conferences Management
Tourism Marketing and Product Development
Research Methods in Tourism
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Tourism Planning and Policy
Destination Management and Marketing
Sustainable Tourism Development
Hospitality Management Information Systems
Strategic Management for Global Hospitality Industry
Tourism Economics and Analysis
Quality Service Management in Hotel and Tourism Industry
Research Methods in Tourism
Events and Conferences Management
Thesis Research

Certifications

KTB Tourism Professional Certification
UNWTO Tourism Academy Certification

Specializations

Tourism Planning and Policy

Focuses on tourism planning, covering tourism policy, destination planning, tourism development, and managing tourism planning.

Destination Management

Examines destination management, covering destination marketing, destination development, destination competitiveness, and managing destinations.

Sustainable Tourism

Covers sustainable tourism, covering ecotourism, sustainable development, environmental management, and managing sustainable tourism.

Hospitality Management

Focuses on hospitality management, covering hotel operations, service management, hospitality strategy, and managing hospitality operations.

Tourism Economics

Examines tourism economics, covering economic impact, tourism demand, tourism investment, and managing tourism economics.

Events and Conferences Management

Covers events management, covering event planning, conference management, event marketing, and managing events and conferences.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 267,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Online
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Tourism Planning and Policy
Destination Management and Marketing
Sustainable Tourism Development
Hospitality Management Information Systems
Strategic Management for Global Hospitality Industry
Tourism Economics and Analysis
Quality Service Management in Hotel and Tourism Industry
Research Methods in Tourism
Events and Conferences Management
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Tourism Planning and Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines tourism policy, destination planning, tourism development, tourism strategy, and managing tourism planning.
Statistics for Tourism
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers statistical methods, data analysis, tourism statistics, research statistics, and managing tourism data analysis.
Research Methods in Tourism
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, ethical issues, and conducting tourism research, preparing students for their thesis.
Strategic Management for Global Hospitality Industry
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines strategic planning, competitive strategy, global hospitality, strategic analysis, and managing strategy in hospitality.
Destination Management and Marketing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers destination marketing, destination development, destination competitiveness, product development, and managing destinations.
Quality Service Management in Hotel and Tourism Industry
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines service quality, service management, customer satisfaction, service design, and managing quality service in tourism.
Tourism Economics and Analysis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers economic impact, tourism demand, tourism investment, tourism markets, and managing tourism economics.
Sustainable Tourism Development
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines ecotourism, sustainable development, environmental management, community tourism, and managing sustainable tourism.
Global Branding and Luxury Experience Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers branding, luxury management, experience design, brand strategy, and managing global branding in tourism.
Events and Conferences Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines event planning, conference management, event marketing, event operations, and managing events and conferences.
Hospitality Law
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers hospitality law, tourism law, regulatory compliance, contracts, and managing legal issues in hospitality and tourism.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a tourism management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and tourism knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Tourism Planning and Policy
Focuses on tourism planning, covering tourism policy, destination planning, tourism development, and managing tourism planning.
Destination Management
Examines destination management, covering destination marketing, destination development, destination competitiveness, and managing destinations.
Sustainable Tourism
Covers sustainable tourism, covering ecotourism, sustainable development, environmental management, and managing sustainable tourism.
Hospitality Management
Focuses on hospitality management, covering hotel operations, service management, hospitality strategy, and managing hospitality operations.
Tourism Economics
Examines tourism economics, covering economic impact, tourism demand, tourism investment, and managing tourism economics.
Events and Conferences Management
Covers events management, covering event planning, conference management, event marketing, and managing events and conferences.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Tourism Management programme combines lectures, case studies, seminars, field visits, and independent study. Sessions cover tourism planning, destination management, sustainable tourism, hospitality management, and tourism economics. Tourism planning sessions examine tourism policy, destination planning, tourism development, and managing tourism planning. Destination management sessions cover destination marketing, destination development, destination competitiveness, and managing destinations. Sustainable tourism sessions cover ecotourism, sustainable development, environmental management, and managing sustainable tourism. Hospitality management sessions cover hotel operations, service management, hospitality strategy, quality management, and managing hospitality operations. Tourism economics sessions cover economic impact, tourism demand, tourism investment, and managing tourism economics. Marketing management sessions cover tourism marketing, product development, branding, and managing tourism marketing. Strategic management sessions cover strategic planning, competitive strategy, global hospitality, and managing strategy in hospitality. Events management sessions cover event planning, conference management, event marketing, and managing events and conferences. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis or project, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Field visits provide practical experience with tourism destinations, hotels, and tourism operations. Seminars and case studies provide opportunities for debating current issues in tourism management. Guest lectures from experienced tourism managers, hospitality leaders, and policy makers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis or project on a tourism management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Tourism is a key sector in Kenya's economy with growing demand for qualified tourism management professionals.
Programme is offered by multiple universities (KU, Maseno), providing institutional choice.
Programme combines tourism management with sustainability, providing versatile skills for both tourism and environmental sectors.
KU offers the programme at multiple campuses (Main, Mombasa) and through open learning.

Against it

Only KU fees verified at KES 267,000/year, Maseno fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme name, limiting options.
Programme requires background in tourism or related field, which may limit access.
Tourism sector is vulnerable to external shocks (pandemics, security, economic downturns), which may affect career stability.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses

Public187k to 267k

187k at Moi University267k at Kenyatta University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 267,000/yr (mawese.com). Moi 187,200/yr. Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KU may offer postgraduate bursaries for eligible students. UNWTO may provide training support for tourism professionals. Some tourism boards and hospitality companies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KU Postgraduate Bursary
UNWTO Training Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KU Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
Kenyatta University offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
UNWTO Training Support
GrantKsh 250,000
UN World Tourism Organization provides training support for tourism professionals in developing countries.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in tourism management or related field. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case studies, seminar presentations, field reports, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering tourism planning, destination management, sustainable tourism, hospitality management, and tourism economics.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through field visits, case studies, tourism project design, destination analysis, and demonstrating tourism management skills.
Research Thesis or Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis or project on a tourism management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and tourism knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kenyatta University and Maseno University (both public) offer MSc in Tourism Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in tourism management. Graduates are eligible for KTB tourism professional certification and UNWTO Tourism Academy certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Kenyatta University and Maseno University (both public) offer MSc in Tourism Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in tourism management. Graduates are eligible for KTB tourism professional certification and UNWTO Tourism Academy certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Tourism Manager
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages tourism operations, overseeing tourism planning, destination management, tourism development, and managing tourism programmes.
Destination Manager
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages destinations, overseeing destination marketing, destination development, competitiveness, and managing destination operations.
Tourism Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Analyses tourism policy, overseeing policy analysis, policy advocacy, programme evaluation, and managing tourism policy.
Hospitality Manager
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages hospitality operations, overseeing hotel operations, service management, quality management, and managing hospitality operations.
Tourism Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Consults on tourism development, overseeing tourism planning, market analysis, sustainability assessment, and managing tourism consulting.
Tourism Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches tourism management at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, field supervision, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
SPSS statistical software for tourism research, covering data analysis, statistical tests, and managing research data.
Hospitality Management Information Systems
Software
HMIS for hospitality management, covering hotel operations, reservations, revenue management, and managing hospitality information systems.
GIS
Software
GIS for tourism planning, covering spatial analysis, destination mapping, tourism planning, and managing tourism spatial data.
Social Media Analytics
Software
Social media analytics for tourism marketing, covering social media monitoring, engagement analysis, and managing tourism digital marketing.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Tourism management is just about running tours.
Tourism management covers comprehensive management science including planning, policy, economics, sustainability, and destination management.
This programme is only for those working in hotels.
Tourism management skills are valuable in government, tourism boards, NGOs, consulting, research, and any organisation dealing with tourism and hospitality.
Tourism management has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Tourism is a key sector in Kenya's economy, and demand for qualified tourism management professionals is growing with sustainable tourism and ecotourism development.
This programme is the same as hospitality management.
Tourism management focuses on tourism planning, destinations, and policy, while hospitality management focuses on hotel and restaurant operations.
Sustainable tourism is just about nature conservation.
Sustainable tourism covers environmental, economic, and social sustainability, including community engagement, cultural preservation, and economic development.
Tourism research is not academic.
Tourism research involves rigorous methods including economic analysis, policy evaluation, social impact assessment, and environmental monitoring.