Graduate Certificate of Business (Tourism and Hospitality Marketing)

The Graduate Certificate of Business (Tourism and Hospitality Marketing) is a short postgraduate qualification for people who want to work in marketing inside hotels, resorts, tourism operators, event businesses and hospitality groups. It runs for 35 weeks, so it is usually completed in about two trimesters of full-time study. You study units of business and marketing at postgraduate level, with the content pointed at the tourism and hospitality sectors rather than general marketing. Expect to work on consumer behaviour in travel and leisure, destination and brand marketing, digital channels, revenue and pricing decisions, and the service experience that hospitality businesses sell. Assessment is a mix of reports, campaign plans, case analysis and presentations, and you build credit points as you pass each unit.

How the qualification is structured

As a graduate certificate, this sits at AQF level 8, above a bachelor degree, below a master's. It is made up of a small set of postgraduate units, each worth credit points, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. Some institutions build in a work-integrated learning or industry project unit where you apply your marketing skills to a real tourism or hospitality business; check the official course page to confirm whether that applies to your intake. If you later want to continue studying, the credit points you earn here may count towards a related master's degree, subject to the receiving institution's rules.

Skills you come away with

You learn to read a market and make a case for a campaign. That means segmenting travellers and diners, researching what drives their choices, setting objectives, choosing channels, budgeting, and measuring whether the activity worked. You also practise the commercial side of hospitality marketing: how room rates, menus, packages and seasonality affect demand, and how to market an experience rather than a product. Group work and presentations sharpen the communication skills you need when you are briefing a general manager, an owner or a regional tourism body.

Who it suits

This qualification fits people who already hold a bachelor degree and want a postgraduate credential in marketing without committing to a full master's. It also suits hospitality and tourism professionals moving from operations into marketing, sales or revenue roles, and international students who want an Australian postgraduate qualification in a short timeframe. English proficiency is required for international applicants, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common coursework-postgraduate standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institution's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While studying, a student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 103143F. Confirm entry requirements, unit lists and fees on the official page before you apply.

• Marketing coordinator or marketing assistant in hotels, resorts and hospitality groups
• Digital marketing and social media roles for tourism operators, destinations and event businesses
• Sales and promotions roles with tour companies, attractions and travel retailers
• Revenue or reservations analyst roles in accommodation
• Guest experience and loyalty programme roles
• Conference, incentive and event marketing roles
• Marketing roles with regional tourism organisations and visitor economy bodies
• Food and beverage or restaurant brand marketing
• Pathway into a related master's degree, with credit for completed units where the receiving institution allows it

Hiring industries include accommodation, food and beverage, travel and tourism operators, events and conferences, aviation and transport, tourism marketing agencies, and government tourism bodies.