Tourism is a fascinating, complex and fast-growing sector, which interacts with various other areas of the economy and environmental and socio-cultural systems on an international scale and is professionally demanding. Educational institutions are therefore faced with the challenge of creating a quality training offer, capable of adapting to the sector’s fundamental needs and to constant changes in supply and consumption patterns.

The IPVC Tourism programme was the first to be created in public polytechnic education at national level and has been running since 1989. As a result of close coordination and consultation with the sector, the course offers solid, interdisciplinary training which is constantly updated and focuses on the development of technical and transferrable skills, which are decisive for the integration and recognition of our students in the labour market.

The course also has a strong commitment to internationalisation, through the mobility of students and teachers and the creation of opportunities for (extracurricular) internships in Portugal and abroad (in various European countries and in Florida, USA). This provides students with rich personal and academic experiences and the opportunity to understand the technical and human demands inherent to professional activity in different organisational areas.

In terms of career prospects, in addition to setting up their own business by creating competitive and innovative projects, tourism graduates can play a diverse range of roles in a wide variety of contexts throughout the tourism value chain, such as:

• Private companies and organisations in the tourism sector, including hotels and similar accommodation.
• Tour operators and travel agents.
• Airlines, cruise ships and other tourist transport.
• Theme parks; spas and wellness centres; tourist entertainment; companies organising events, adventure, sports, etc.
• Central, regional and local public tourism administration (city halls, regional tourism organisations, the Portuguese Tourist Board).
• Consultancy firms and study offices.
• Industry associations.
• Educational (various levels) and research institutions.

The school is affiliated to international organisations such as the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research (ATLAS) and the International Institute for Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism.