The MBA – Tourism and Hospitality Leadership at Kaplan Business School (KBS) is an AQF Level 9 Master of Business Administration designed for professionals seeking strategic leadership skills specifically for tourism and hospitality. KBS states that the specialisation focuses on influencing and inspiring organisations, developing tourism regions, and making strategic decisions that support successful tourism and hospitality workforces.

Key benefits include:

• Develop advanced strategic management and leadership capabilities.
• Build specialist knowledge of tourism and hospitality management.
• Learn to make strategic decisions for tourism and hospitality organisations.
• Develop the ability to guide and enhance tourism products, resources and infrastructure.
• Build knowledge relevant to managing service-based businesses and visitor destinations.
• Develop leadership skills applicable to tourism, hospitality and events environments.
• Gain exposure to contemporary business areas including leadership, governance, sustainability, finance and consumer behaviour.
• Potentially undertake an academic internship as an elective.
• Study at multiple Australian campus locations or online. 

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Tourism and Hospitality Leadership MBA follows KBS's one-specialisation structure:

• 6 core subjects
• 3 directed Tourism and Hospitality Leadership subjects
• 3 electives
• 12 subjects in total.

Core subjects:

1. MBA401 – People, Culture and Contemporary Leadership
2. MBA402 – Governance, Ethics and Sustainability
3. MBA403 – Financial and Economic Interpretation and Communication
4. MBA404 – Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Psychology
5. MBA502 – Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence and Diversity
6. MBA600 – MBA Capstone: Strategy.

Directed Tourism and Hospitality Leadership subjects:

1. MBA651 – Managing in Service-based Industries
2. MBA652 – Strategy and Leadership in Tourism and Hospitality
3. MBA653 – Destination and Visitor Management.

The MBA600 Capstone must be completed in the final or penultimate trimester.

Electives can be selected from KBS's approved MBA offerings. Current examples include:

• MBA501 – Dynamic Strategy and Disruptive Innovation
• MBA507 – Internship 1
• MBA508 – Internship 2
• MBA601 – Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
• MBA602 – Small Business Administration
• MBA603 – New Venture Capital Raising
• MBA611 – International Strategy
• MBA612 – International Business and Finance
• MBA613 – Organisational Change and Innovation
• MBA631 – Digital Marketing and Communication
• MBA632 – Knowledge Management
• MBA633 – Real-world Business Analytics and Management
• MBA641 – Strategic Project Management
• MBA642 – Project Initiation, Planning and Execution
• MBA643 – Project Risk, Finance and Monitoring
• MBA661 – Gendered Workplace Environments
• MBA662 – Personal Growth and Empowerment
• MBA663 – Communication, Persuasion and Influence
• MBA671 – Strategic Value of Analytics
• MBA672 – Data-driven Design Thinking
• MBA673 – Business Analytics Life Cycle.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The selected specialisation is Tourism and Hospitality Leadership.

The specialisation covers three main directed areas:

• Service-based industry management
• Tourism and hospitality strategy and leadership
• Destination and visitor management.

KBS describes the specialisation as developing the ability to guide and enhance tourism products, resources and infrastructure and to make strategic decisions for tourism and hospitality workforces.

KBS currently lists eight MBA specialisations overall:

• Project Management
• Health Services Management
• Tourism and Hospitality Leadership
• Digital Management
• Entrepreneurship
• International Leadership
• Women in Leadership
• Data-driven Leadership. 

Programme Highlights

• AQF Level 9 MBA.
• CRICOS code 078565G.
• Standard duration of 2 years.
• 12 subjects across 6 trimesters.
• One-specialisation structure: 6 core + 3 directed specialisation + 3 elective subjects.
• Tourism and Hospitality Leadership specialist subjects at Level 600.
• Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney locations.
• Online study available.
• March, May, July, September and November start months listed.
• Accelerated study available depending on subject options.
• Internship subjects available as MBA electives.
• MBA Capstone provides a final strategic-management component.
• Programme focuses on tourism, hospitality, service industries and destination management.

Career Outcomes

KBS specifically lists the following career outcomes for this specialisation:

• Tourism executive
• Hotel general manager
• Events planner.

The programme's specialist knowledge may also support roles in:

• Tourism and hospitality management
• Destination management
• Visitor management
• Hospitality operations
• Tourism strategy
• Events management
• Service-industry management.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The latest KBS subject-offerings document was updated in June 2026. It confirms that MBA specialisation subjects are offered on a rotating basis and that details can change.

Important current points include:

• MBA600 must be taken in the final or penultimate trimester.
• MBA508 Internship 2 requires MBA507 Internship 1.
• Specialisation subjects are offered on a rotating basis, so students should check availability before selecting their study plan.
• Students may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning for previously completed academic work, subject to KBS assessment.
• The MBA is available online, but students intending to study on an Australian Student visa should confirm the face-to-face study requirements applicable to their enrolment.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students normally require an Australian Student visa (subclass 500) for an eligible on-campus programme.

KBS's application process requires international students to:

1. Complete the KBS application.
2. Submit the required certified documents.
3. Receive an Offer of Admission.
4. Meet any conditions attached to the offer.
5. Accept the offer and make the required payment.
6. Receive an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE).
7. Use the eCoE when proceeding with the Australian Student visa application.

Under the current Department of Home Affairs rules, Student visa holders can generally:

• Study an eligible course in Australia.
• Travel in and out of Australia.
• Work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session.

Key visa requirements include:

• A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the required period.
• Genuine Student requirement.
• Health requirements.
• Character requirements.
• Australian Values Statement for applicants aged 18 or over.
• Financial capacity evidence where requested/required.
• English-language evidence where required by the Department of Home Affairs.