SMBG 2011 has ranked the MSc Strategic Event Management and Tourism Management second best Hospitality and Tourism Management programme with four stars ****
This programme is taught in English at the Sophia Antipolis campus (September intake).
This MSc is a full-time course taught over a twelve-month period. There are eight months of taught courses, followed by four to six months for the dissertation and internship.
Career opportunities
This MSc cuts across a number of disciplines, presented in two separate tracks: Strategic Event Management and Strategic Tourism Management. Graduates of this MSc find work in a broad range of supervisory, managerial and consulting positions in both public and private sector tourism or event organisations, often with a marketing and sales orientation.
Within a relatively short time span after graduating, Event Management alumni can be expected to go on to managerial posts within conference centres, international associations, professional conference organisers, destination management companies, convention bureaux, exhibition organisers etc. Similarly, Tourism Management graduates can go on to positions in destination, hotel, travel or distribution marketing and sales.
Some recent graduate examples include:
Product marketing for Amadeus
Senior vice-president at Jones Lang LaSalle, Hospitality –North Africa and the Middle East
Human resources management specialist for Singapore Airlines
Bid manager for American Express Business Travel
Event manager for the European Financial Management Association
Hotel network manager at Group Alain Ducasse
Revenue manager for Club Mediterranée
Operations manager at Marriott International, USA
Owner, HL Adventure Destination Management in Iceland
Junior project manager at Spice Up event agency
Charter & Incentive sales account manager for Silversea Cruises
Programme outline
The MSc in Strategic Event Management & Tourism Management gives students the tools, knowledge and attitudes to succeed in business events and tourism - global economic sectors of increasing importance.
The specific objectives of the course are to advance students’ leadership skills, to develop understanding of strategy, gain a thorough appreciation of the nature and characteristics of users of business events and of leisure visitors, and to provide students with the management, marketing and knowledge management tools so that they can lead the way in this rapidly changing environment.
The Strategic Events Management track is tailor-made for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions/Events) industry following extensive consultation with leading professionals in the field. The track profiles stakeholders within the industry (corporate, government and association clients, venues and event services and destinations) and follows market trends. It also focuses on teaching specialist strategic skills in the areas of management, finance, IT and sales and marketing in the events and meetings management profession.
The Strategic Tourism Management track is multidisciplinary rather than built around specific areas such as travel or hospitality. Global strategic tourism issues and techniques are focussed on, producing graduates who are able to choose from a variety of careers in, and related to, tourism management and marketing. Speciality areas cover tourism marketing, as well as the application of I.T. tools in leisure tourism marketing and management.
Why choose this programme
- Students learn from renowned, international faculty with excellent professional and academic experience, who work using "active learning" methods– the practical application of theory. SKEMA works closely with representatives from major organisations in the field (such as MPI, SITE and DMAI) and has a successful track record of placing interns within the industry. Students regularly meet, and are taught by, expert practising professionals who work locally and internationally.
- Nowhere is more appropriate to the study of event or tourism management than on the French Riviera, which has long been one of the world’s principal destinations. Students are able to use the location on the French Riviera –La Côte d’Azur– as a living laboratory while focussing on the regional strong points: event tourism, luxury tourism and the use of new technologies in event and tourism marketing.
In-company projects and assignments
Throughout the year and as part of some of their course assignments, students will be working on a number of practical event or tourism projects. Following the end of their academic studies, students are expected to carry out an internship of between 3-6 months; this internship is an integral part of the MSc.
In the past, Event Management students have had work placements in a variety of business event related companies such as Liberty Incentives and the Grimaldi Forum, where students helped to develop new markets and to organise and promote a flagship cultural event, respectively.
Tourism Management students have carried out internships in diverse institutions such as Shangri La Hotels (yield management), Deloitte Touche (tourism market researcher) and Aviatur (travel agency position).
Partner companies
- Amadeus
- American Express Business Travel
- Palais des Festivals, Cannes
- Silversea Cruises
- Grimaldi Forum, Monaco
- Palais de la Méditerranée, Nice
- Tourism Section of the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce
The MSc is guided by an Advisory Board of representatives from the following companies or institutions:
- Accor Hotels
- China National Convention Centre
- European Society of Cardiology
- Hatfield House
- HelmsBriscoe
- Leading Hotels of the World
- MCI
- Tourism Australia
- Tourism Vancouver
- TTC International
Ben Hainsworth, Director Congresses and Meetings Division at the European Society of Cardiology
“Event and meeting management promises an exciting, challenging and varied career. For those seriously considering the profession, SKEMA’s master of science has clearly identified employers’ requirements and has put them together in a way that literally defines the profile of tomorrow’s industry leaders. What better way than this to plan your entry into a business that distinguishes itself through the variety of skills and knowledge that it both demands and rewards? Gone are the days that graduates could enjoy the comfort of learning the ropes while acclimatising themselves to the realities of the workplace; tomorrow’s executives will be expected to be able to run with the ball upon landing.”
MSc Strategic Tourism Management Director
Mady Keup, MBA, has more than 20 years’ experience in international management and leisure and business tourism. She has lived and worked in six European countries and has travelled worldwide on business throughout her career. She is a firm believer in lifelong learning and in 2005 added an MBA to her marketing qualifications. She worked for more than 12 years with the British Tourist Authority (now: VisitBritain) in management positions in London, Madrid, Lisbon and Berlin. Other career highlights include five years as head of the London Convention Bureau and a stint as chief executive of the British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in Lisbon. A tourism consultant, lecturer and trainer, Mady speaks six languages fluently. She has worked with SKEMA for three years.