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Studies & Degrees in Travel and Event Planning

Travel and event planning is the part of tourism and hospitality education that deals with organising trips and gatherings for other people: package tours and business travel on one side, and congresses, conventions, trade fairs, weddings and other events on the other.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the two occupations behind the subject. Meeting, convention and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings: they plan the scope of an event, including its time, location and cost, solicit bids from venues and service providers, and coordinate rooms, transport and food. Travel agents advise on destinations, plan itineraries and make travel arrangements for clients.

What students learn

The Spanish vocational diploma in this field, for example, has modules on the structure of the tourism market, protocol and public relations, tourism marketing, destinations and tourist resources, the management and sale of tourism products, and the management of travel intermediaries, plus professional English and a second foreign language. In the United States, the Event Planning and Management programme of Bucks County Community College combines a course in conference and business meeting planning with business law, marketing and a hospitality internship.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training in Spain. The Técnico Superior en Agencias de Viajes y Gestión de Eventos is a higher vocational training (FP) qualification of 2,000 hours in the Hostelería y Turismo family. It includes a training phase in a company. Applicants need the Spanish Bachiller, an equivalent or another accepted qualification, or must pass an entrance exam. CETT in Barcelona lists it as a two-year, on-campus programme taught in Spanish and Catalan.
  • Bachelor's degrees. Official Spanish bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits, at 60 credits per year. One example is the Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Events and Entertainment at CETT, an official degree of the Universitat de Barcelona (RUCT code 1500245): four years, 240 credits, taught in Spanish and Catalan, with a track in Event and Entertainment Project Management and two internship periods of at least 150 hours each.
  • Associate degrees. In the United States the subject is often taught at community colleges. The Bucks County Community College programme is an Associate of Arts degree of 62 credit hours.
  • Postgraduate study. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. CETT lists a Master's Degree in Event Management of one academic year, on campus, in Spanish and English. In Canada, Camosun College offers the Applied Tourism & Hospitality Management Post-Degree Diploma for students who already hold a bachelor's degree. It takes 16 months to 2 years, consists of 15 courses and a 4-month internship, and covers hotel operations, restaurant management and integrated event management.
  • Short courses and certifications. According to the BLS, some colleges offer continuing education courses in meeting and event planning, and a number of voluntary certifications exist for meeting and convention planners. They are not required to work in the field.

Not every programme leads to an official qualification. Ask each school what recognition its certificate or degree has before enrolling.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 7 active schools for travel and event planning: three in Spain, two in the United States, one in Canada and one in the United Kingdom. In Spain these are CETT and the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management Sant Ignasi, both in Barcelona, and the Escuela Superior de Gastronomía y Turismo Torremolinos-Costa del Sol. The others are Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Bellevue College in Washington state, Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia, and London Metropolitan University.

The language of instruction follows the country. At CETT the vocational diploma and the bachelor's degree are taught in Spanish and Catalan, and the master's in event management in Spanish and English. Languages are also part of the training itself: the bachelor's degree at CETT includes English up to level C1 and a second foreign language.

Careers

The Spanish Ministry of Education lists these roles for holders of the vocational diploma: travel agency office or department manager, travel agent, travel consultant, event organiser, and sales and booking staff. They work in travel agencies and in agencies that specialise in reception services and events.

The BLS figures for the United States show two different outlooks. Meeting, convention and event planners held about 172,100 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. Ten percent of them were self-employed. Travel agents held 61,500 jobs in 2025, and their employment is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a degree to work as an event planner?

It depends on the country and the employer. In the United States, the BLS states that meeting, convention and event planners typically need a bachelor's degree. In Spain, the two-year higher vocational diploma trains directly for roles such as event organiser and travel agent.

How long does it take to study travel and event planning?

The Spanish vocational diploma has 2,000 hours, taught over two years. An official Spanish bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. The associate degree at Bucks County Community College has 62 credit hours.

Do travel agents need a college qualification?

Not always. According to the BLS, travel agents in the United States typically need at least a high school diploma, but employers may prefer candidates who have a college degree or have taken courses related to the travel industry.