This article offers a semester-by-semester look at the Tourism Management courses in Centennial College’s Cultural and Heritage Tourism offering.

1. Tourism Management Program by Semester
Centennial College offers a range of Tourism management programs in Canada. One
undertaking is training students for the culture and heritage tourism field, which, according to the
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is increasing by an
unprecedented 15 percent per year. The offering is aptly called Tourism Management – Cultural
and Heritage Tourism and takes two years to complete.
Here is a look at this Tourism Management program through its four semesters:
Semester One: The first semester Tourism Management courses set the pace for the rest of the
offering by throwing students right into vital topics. A solid foundation is offered by Introduction to
Cultural & Heritage Tourism and World Geography for Tourism. But more specific topics such as
Ontario Cultural & Heritage Tourism Product, Introduction to Hospitality Accounting and
Dimensions of Tourism round out the first semester Tourism Management courses. It is worth
noting that all topics in this offering employ a combination of theory and practice. The practical
application aspect includes the use of modern computer labs and other Progress Campus facilities
such as a fully functioning conference centre.
Semester Two: Moving into more specific Tourism Management courses, semester two focuses
on management aspects such as marketing, human resources and career planning, managing
cultural and heritage facilities, responsible tourism and more. A standout course of semester two
of the Tourism Management program is Managing Cultural and Heritage Facilities. Through
research, class discussions and projects, lectures from faculty and visiting professionals, and site
visits to local organizations, students use their knowledge to identify best practices in managing
arts, cultural and heritage facilities. They also deconstruct a local heritage organization using its
real life practices and challenges. In this living case study, information is compiled from classroom
activities and research then analyzed to assist the site in addressing future programs and capital
growth leading to increased attendance from new and diverse audiences. This in return, generates
new revenue to promote financial stability.
Semester Three: This third semester of Tourism Management courses focuses strictly on
management topics and foregoes all electives or liberal studies. Specific topics covered in this
semester include: Cross-Cultural Behavior in Tourism, Tour Planning and Management, Customer
Relationship Management, Meetings and Incentive Travel Management, Principles of Hospitality
Management and Festival Management.
Semester Four: To wrap up everything students have learned in their Tourism Management
courses, they spend the last semester of their studies off-campus in a field placement. This is an
opportunity for students to take all the theory and practice they received on-campus and apply it
to the real world. It also allows them to have an advantage over those who attended similar
programs at other colleges that didn’t offer a field placement.
After completing Tourism management courses, Centennial College grads work at museums,
art galleries, historic theme parks, heritage sites and arts festivals. Their roles as managers
involve a combination of promoting tourism products and services, promoting sustainable tourism,
offering travelers accurate product knowledge and destination information, developing strategies
to establish working relationships with clients and suppliers to maintain and strengthen their
loyalty to the organization, applying accounting and financial knowledge and skills, including cost
control techniques, to the operation of a tourism organization; and more.

2. For More Information Visit Centennialcollege.ca