Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism

We’re home to the University’s courses and expertise in events, tourism and hospitality management. These three disciplines overlap to make up the wider 'visitor economy': the services and experiences that attract visitors to a destination.

A collaborative community

In this Centre, we are highly collaborative. Students and academics from across our event, tourism and hospitality management courses come together regularly to learn, experiment and create new products, services and experiences for customers.

This means that if you study with us, you’ll graduate with a wider skill set and a greater choice of career paths and further study options.

Top20for Hospitality, Event Management and TourismGuardian University Guide 2025
Top20for student satisfaction - Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage StudiesComplete University Guide 2026
Top10for Tourism, Transport and TravelThe Daily Mail University Guide 2026

We're recognised for what we do.

View more rankings

Business management for the 2020s and beyond

Our Centre is part of Derby International Business School, so our programmes focus on providing students with strong business acumen and commercial knowledge that they can apply to the events, hospitality and tourism industries. This includes understanding and predicting consumer requirements and behaviours. We give them both the operational management skills that they will need in their early career, and the strategic management skills they will need later if they want to become leaders in the sector.

An International Centre of Excellence

The Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism has been awarded accreditation as an International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education. The accreditation is for teaching, curriculum and student experience, so you can be assured that what you are learning is of the highest standard and centred around the skills employers are looking for. 

About our courses

Isobel Stockdale, Head of Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism, speaks about the courses we offer.

Isobel Stockdale, Head of Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism.

View Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism: Isobel Stockdale video transcript

Spa student on work placement talking to spa employee at reception desk

Work placements

Our hands-on approach to study, along with opportunities for internships, volunteering and placements, will ensure you're ready for the world of work upon graduating from your course.

Find out more about our work placementsFind out more about our work placements
Panoramic view of Budapest looking over the river

Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism fieldtrips

Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism students have the opportunity to go on fieldtrips in the UK, Europe and Overseas.

See where our students have visitedSee where our students have visited
Students talking to industry partners at an Industry Networking Day

Industry partners

We work closely with industry partners to ensure the skills we teach you meet industry demand, while also providing exciting opportunities for placements and projects.

Find out more about our industry partnersFind out more about our industry partners