Tourism Business Management Schools and Programs in Spain

Tourism Business Management Studies in Spain

Tourism business management prepares students to run hotels, travel and events companies and tourist destinations. In Spain it is taught mainly through the official bachelor's degree in tourism (Grado en Turismo) and related degrees in hotel management, followed by specialised master's degrees. Vocational training (FP) offers a shorter, more practical route.

How the studies are organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120. The Grado en Turismo at the Universidad de La Laguna, for example, is an official degree of 240 ECTS credits over four years, taught on campus at its Facultad de Economía, Empresa y Turismo. The university describes the degree as covering the analysis, management and planning of tourism businesses and destinations.

Several variants are registered in the ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT). Besides the general Grado en Turismo there are degrees such as:

• Dirección Hotelera (hotel management), for example at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
• Dirección Hotelera Internacional and Negocio Digital e Innovación en Turismo at the Universitat de Barcelona
• Gestión en Turismo y Hotelería at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Some of these degrees are taught at centres attached to a university. The tourism and hotel management school of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona belongs to its Escola FUAB Formació, and the CETT in Barcelona awards degrees of the Universitat de Barcelona and runs a teaching hotel, the Hotel Universitario Alimara. In Murcia, The Open Faculty offers an official degree in tourism and an official master's in hotel management.

Vocational training

For a shorter and more hands-on route, the Hostelería y Turismo family of vocational training includes higher-level cycles (grado superior) such as Técnico Superior en Gestión de Alojamientos Turísticos (accommodation management), Técnico Superior en Agencias de Viajes y Gestión de Eventos (travel agencies and events) and Técnico Superior en Guía, Información y Asistencias Turísticas (guiding and tourist information). The CETT, for example, offers intermediate and higher vocational cycles alongside its university degrees.

Admission and language

Students who completed secondary school outside Spain usually apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed to enter a Spanish bachelor's degree. Documents must be legalised and translated, and the application for admission is then made to each university within its own deadlines.

Languages matter in this field. Teaching is mostly in Spanish, but tourism degrees also include foreign languages: the Universidad de La Laguna expects new students to start with at least an intermediate level of English and basic German. Some programmes are taught in English: the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has a degree in Tourism in English, the CETT offers university degrees in English, and the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos registers its tourism degree as a Bachelor in Tourism. The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona also offers an international double degree with FH Salzburg in Austria.

Where to study tourism management in Spain

Barcelona and Madrid have the most schools in our directory for this subject. In Barcelona they include the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona's tourism and hotel management school, the CETT, the online Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and E.U.T. Euroaula; in Madrid, the Universidad Europea de Madrid and several business schools. Elsewhere there are the Universidad de La Laguna in Tenerife, the Universidad de Extremadura, the Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes in Valladolid and The Open Faculty in Murcia.

At master's level, examples include the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona's official master's in cultural heritage tourism management and The Open Faculty's official master's in hotel management.

Recognition of the qualification

Tourism is not a regulated profession in Spain, so a foreign tourism degree cannot be homologated. Holders can instead ask the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for a declaration of equivalence, which certifies the academic level of the degree (bachelor's or master's).

Careers

The Universidad de La Laguna lists the main professional areas for tourism graduates:

• accommodation
• restaurants and catering
• intermediation of tourism services, such as travel agencies
• transport and logistics
• public planning and management of destinations
• tourism products and activities
• training, research and consultancy

Frequently asked questions

How long does a tourism degree take in Spain?

Four years. The Grado en Turismo has 240 ECTS credits, as at the Universidad de La Laguna. Official master's degrees add 60 to 120 credits.

Can I study tourism in English in Spain?

Yes, at some schools. The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona offers a degree in Tourism in English, the CETT has university degrees in English and the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos registers a Bachelor in Tourism.

Is there a shorter alternative to a university degree?

Yes. Higher vocational training cycles in the Hostelería y Turismo family, such as accommodation management or travel agencies and events, are a practical route into the sector.

Can I get a foreign tourism degree recognised in Spain?

Tourism is not a regulated profession, so homologation does not apply. You can apply for a declaration of equivalence, which certifies the academic level of your degree.