Travel and Tourism Management

Program Level:

Degrees, Certificates

Department:

Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts

Institute:

Business & Entrepreneurship

College:

SPC

What is the Travel and Tourism Management program?

The Mission of the Travel and Tourism Management program is to empower a diverse student population through educational achievement and career readiness, preparing them for supervisory positions in the global travel and tourism industry. Dedicated faculty deliver a comprehensive curriculum that develops expertise in front office operations, guest services, food and beverage, and management logistics, ensuring graduates are ready to contribute immediately to the thriving San Antonio hospitality industry.

Both concentration tracks offer unparalleled access to the industry through:

Professional Engagement: Regular interaction with industry leaders via panel discussions, guest speakers, and career fairs.
Experiential Learning: Extensive “on-property” and field experiences, including practicums and hands-on out-of-class assignments.
Community Impact: A strong tradition of service and professional networking through participation in industry golf tournaments, trade shows, and community functions.

Career Pathways

Hotel Management Concentration

Where you start: Guest Service Agent, Night Auditor, Reservations Agent, Housekeeping Supervisor, Sales Coordinator, Convention Services Coordinator

Where you are headed: Front Office Manager, Executive Housekeeper, Catering Sales Manager, Convention and Event Manager, and in time Director of Rooms or Hotel General Manager

Restaurant Management Concentration

Where you start: Restaurant Shift Supervisor, Banquet Captain, Assistant Kitchen Manager, Lead Line Cook

Where you are headed: Kitchen Manager, Bar Manager, Dining Room Manager, Corporate Dining Manager, and in time Restaurant General Manager or owner-operator.

Hotel Management Concentration

Rooms Division and Hotel Operations
Guest Service Agent → Front Desk or Housekeeping Supervisor (1 to 2 years) → Front Office Manager or Executive Housekeeper (2 to 4 years) → Director of Rooms or Assistant General Manager (5 to 8 years) → General Manager (8 to 12 years) → Regional Director of Operations

Food and Beverage
Server, Host, or Line Cook → Shift Supervisor or Banquet Captain (1 to 2 years) → Restaurant, Dining Room, or Banquet Manager (2 to 4 years) → Assistant Director of Food and Beverage (5 to 8 years) → Director of Food and Beverage (8 to 12 years) → Multi-unit Director or Owner-Operator

Sales, Catering, and Events
Sales Coordinator → Convention Services Coordinator (1 to 2 years) → Catering or Event Services Manager (2 to 4 years) → Senior Sales Manager or Director of Catering (5 to 8 years) → Director of Sales and Marketing (8 to 12 years) → Area or Regional Director of Sales

Restaurant Management Concentration

Restaurant Operations
Server or Host → Shift Supervisor (1 to 2 years) → Assistant General Manager (2 to 4 years) → Restaurant General Manager (4 to 7 years) → District or Multi-unit Manager (8 to 12 years) → Owner-Operator

Kitchen and Culinary Operations
Line Cook → Lead Line Cook or Sous Chef (1 to 3 years) → Kitchen Manager or Executive Sous Chef (3 to 5 years) → Executive Chef (5 to 8 years) → Corporate Chef or Director of Culinary Operations

Banquet, Catering, and Corporate Dining
Banquet Server or Prep Cook → Banquet Captain (1 to 2 years) → Banquet or Catering Manager (2 to 4 years) → Corporate Dining Manager or Director of Catering (4 to 7 years) → Regional Director, Food Service Operations

What helps you move faster
Being open to relocating or trying a new property. Brand management-in-training programs with companies like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. Industry certifications such as CHS, CHDM, CMP, and CGSP. And finishing your bachelor's degree, since most General Manager and Director-level postings at full-service and convention hotels list one as preferred or required. Our transfer agreements are built to make that next step a smooth one.

A note from us
These timelines are honest averages, not promises, and plenty of our graduates have moved faster than what you see here. San Antonio is one of the strongest hospitality markets in the country, and the people hiring in it are often the same people who sit on our advisory board and host our practicum students. You will not be job hunting alone.

What will I learn?

The competencies needed to be successfully employed in the Travel and Tourism industry.

What can I do with this course of study?

Students earning a degree in Tourism and Hospitality can explore career options across the industry. Opportunities exist in Lodging, Restaurants, Managed Services, Airlines, Cruise Ships, Theme Parks/Attractions, Gaming, Special Events, Car Rental, Rail, and Clubs.

Some of the roles available to the well-prepared graduate include General Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, Director of Operations, Sales Manager, and Theme Park Manager.

What's special about the program?

The Travel and Tourism Management program prepares students for careers in the visitor and hospitality industries that are vital to the San Antonio and South Texas economy. The industry has grown handsomely in the recent past and is currently the city's third-largest industry. Approximately 39 million people visit San Antonio per year, and the tourism industry has an estimated $21.5 billion impact on the city's economy. View economic impact.

The tourism industry has an estimated $21.5 billion impact on San Antonio's economy.

Learning Outcomes

Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). https://www.acpha-cahm.org/

Program Student Learning Outcomes include:

Identify and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for hospitality and tourism operations
• Overview of the hospitality industry, guest experience, and the profession
• Operations relative to lodging management
• Operations relative to food service management
• Relationship of tourism to hospitality management
• Field experience
Develop and integrate a core set of business skills necessary to successfully operate a hospitality and tourism organization
• Human resource management relative to business operations
• Marketing of goods and services relative to business operations
• Accounting procedures/practices relative to business operations
• Legal environment relative to business operations
• Economic environment relative to business operations
• Technology relative to business operations
• Organizational theory and foundations of management
Demonstrate competence in the communication skills necessary for hospitality and tourism management
• Written communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
• Oral communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
• Interpersonal communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
• Digital communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
Formulate business decisions in hospitality and tourism management
• Analytical skills required for hospitality and tourism management
• Critical thinking skills required for hospitality and tourism management
• Problem solving skills required for hospitality and tourism management
Evaluate leadership principles necessary in the diverse and global hospitality and tourism industry
• Leadership skills necessary to effectively manage in the hospitality industry
• Relationship between ethical leadership, culture, and performance
• Exposure to internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and cultures

Program Statistics

Institution: St. Philip's College
Nmae of Program: Hotel, Hospitality, and Restaurant Management
Date Completed: 5/19/2026

Program Enrollment - Major	3 years ago 2021-2022	2 years ago 2022-2023	1 year ago 2023-2024
Number of Students	47	45	34
Number of Graduates	32	19	30
Student/Faculty Ratio	9:4:1	9:1	7:1
Retention Rate % - Freshman to Sophomore (for all Programs)	55.6%	22.2%	54.55%
%Students employed in the hospitality industry or a related field i.e. Professional Placement within 90 days after graduation	56.25%	50%	49.7%***
%Students continuing their education within 90 days after graduation	25%	50%	36.1%***
Total Professional Placement and Continuing Education Rate	81.25%	100%	85.8%***

Program	Code	Employed	Additional Education	Both
Tourism and Travel Services Management	52090300	78.6%	21.4%	100%
Hotel/Motel Administration/Management	52090400	50%	33.3%	88.3%
Hospitality Administration/Management General	52090100	50%	50%	100%
Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager	12050400	20%	40%	60%