Tourism and Destination Management - Diploma

TADM 120 Tourism for People, Place and Planet is an introductory course in which students explore how tourism influences and is influenced by its host communities, cultures and environments. Using environmental, cultural, social, and economic lenses, students investigate current trends, visitor motivations and the evolving impacts of tourism. With an emphasis on ethical decision-making and cultural awareness, students will acquire a deeper understanding of the core sectors, including industries, governments, rightsholders and community partners. Students will learn how these sectors work together to support resilient and responsible destinations. Through reflection, discussion and applied activities, learners will develop foundational knowledge, professional vocabulary, and learn about emerging career pathways as they begin to envision their role in a rapidly changing global tourism landscape.

TADM 125 Digital Applications supports students to gain digital confidence and practical technical skills and applications for success in the tourism workplace. From creating professional documents and spreadsheets to navigating digital communication platforms, students will build the digital literacy needed for today’s connected world that reflects both accessible and culturally respectful practices. Hands-on activities emphasize practical tools to manage projects, communicate effectively, and market tourism experiences.

TADM 130 Indigenous Rights and Tourism Sustainability provides students with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous perspectives, worldviews, rights and relationships to land through the lens of environmental management and tourism. With the support of guest speakers, students will learn how Indigenous knowledge systems, legal traditions, and cultural practices contribute to sustainable land, resource, and visitor stewardship. Through examining the impacts of colonization, emphasis is placed on building cultural awareness, honouring diverse voices, and fostering respectful engagement with Indigenous communities in tourism and hospitality contexts.

TADM 135 Professional Communication is a highly interactive course in which students develop their authentic voices for a broad range of audiences in tourism and hospitality settings. Through verbal, written and digital communications, students will deepen their intercultural awareness and learn to communicate with purpose, clarity and intention. Using various forms of media, students will collaborate with their peers and practice storytelling to convey inclusive and culturally aware professional communications.

TADM 140 Destination Marketing and Brand Management introduces students to the principles and practices of tourism marketing, emphasizing strategic planning, brand development and customer engagement. Students will learn how to respectfully identify target markets, design compelling marketing campaigns, and leverage digital and traditional channels to attract and retain visitors. Through case studies, experiential projects, and industry examples, students will apply marketing concepts to real-world tourism businesses, developing both practical skills and critical thinking required for a dynamic, sustainable and competitive global industry.

TADM 150 Financial Accounting provides students with a foundational understanding of introductory accounting principles as they apply to tourism operations. Students will learn how to record transactions, prepare financial statements, and make sense of financial data to support ethical and regulatory considerations relevant to tourism businesses. 

TADM 155 Leadership Perspectives: Voices from the Tourism Landscape allows students to engage directly with diverse tourism leaders—from Indigenous entrepreneurs and small ecotourism operators to resort managers and sustainability changemakers. Through guest speaker sessions, conversation, storytelling, interviews and reflective discussions, students will explore a range of leadership styles, business models and perspectives that shape the tourism industry today. Each voice offers a different lens on what it means to lead responsibly, inclusively, and ethically in today’s complex tourism landscape. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own leadership values, identify the kind of impact they want to have, and make meaningful connections between classroom learning and real-world stories.

TADM 160 Outdoor Recreation Operations and Management introduces students to the organizations, values and practices that shape recreation experiences across British Columbia. Through a focus on destination resilience and responsible land stewardship, students will explore how parks, protected areas, and outdoor recreation sites are designed, managed, evaluated, sustained and nurtured. The course integrates practical field skills—such as trail and campground layout, impact monitoring, and site planning—with analytical approaches that consider ecological, cultural, social and visitor-use dynamics. Learners will engage with real-world case studies, community and cultural perspectives, and interagency partnerships to understand how recreation decisions are made and how they influence the long-term sustainability of natural places and visitor experiences.

TADM 165 Food Systems and Sustainable Practices takes students into the world of sustainable food systems and culinary practices. Students explore how culinary practices connect to culture, community and environmental impact. This hands-on course introduces students to the fundamentals of food preparation, kitchen safety, and seasonal sourcing with an emphasis on sustainability and local food networks.

TADM 170 Field Studies: Relationships and Destination Immersion offers students an applied, place-based learning experience grounded in connection to community, culture, and environment. With an emphasis on ethical engagement and relationship-building, students will participate in immersive visits to various destinations and tourism organizations around the region. Learners will critically analyze the complexities of tourism development on the land, and explore how resilient, responsible, and culturally respectful tourism experiences are created and maintained. Field study hosts will provide multiple perspectives, where students will observe operations, meet industry and community leaders, and reflect on their own emerging professional identities while connecting classroom concepts to real-world practice.

TADM 175 Reservations and Guest Service Management provides practical insight into accommodation and guest service management. With an emphasis on professional communication, cultural responsibility, and operational efficiency, students will learn how reservation processes, guest interactions, and revenue strategies influence profitability and sustainable tourism practices. Using industry-standard systems and tools, students will engage with case studies and simulations to apply service and management principles that foster guest satisfaction through responsible leadership.

TADM 220 BC Craft & Culture: Wine, Spirits, Cannabis and Beer explores the rich tapestry of British Columbia’s craft industries through a lens of culture, sustainability and responsible service. This course combines theory and hands-on learning to provide students with a deep understanding of wine, beer, spirits, and cannabis production, regulation and appreciation. Through guided tastings, mixology labs, and controlled practical exercises, students develop technical skills in beverage preparation while enhancing guest experience and hospitality practices. Students also gain Serving It Right certification, preparing them to deliver professional, responsible service in diverse tourism and hospitality settings.

TADM 225 Profit & Performance: Sustainable Cost Controls provides students with the opportunity to sharpen their financial fluency and operational insight through applied exploration of food and beverage cost control. Students will analyze real-world data to design efficient systems that promote profitability and sustainability in hospitality businesses. Through a sustainability and performance lens, topics explored include recipe and labour costing, menu engineering and inventory management. 

TADM 230 The Experience Lab: Hospitality and Events in Action offers students the opportunity to put skills into practice. In this immersive, hands-on course that brings hospitality to life, students design, deliver and evaluate live dining experiences and events, taking on real-world roles in service, planning, leadership and marketing. With a strong focus on welcoming and inclusive service, guest satisfaction, collaboration, and reflective learning, this course supports students to build confidence and competence in creating memorable tourism and hospitality experiences. 

TADM 235 Business Case: Business Planning and Entrepreneurship offers students the opportunity to think like an entrepreneur. Students bring their business ideas to life by developing comprehensive business plans that reflect sustainability, market trends, community impact and innovation. With a focus on creativity, critical thinking, social, cultural and environmental considerations, and applied financial planning, students assess their entrepreneurial skills in designing and planning a tourism and hospitality venture for real-world success. 

TADM 240 Emerging Leaders: Finding Your Voice and Style is a reflective and interactive course that helps students identify and strengthen their personal leadership styles while navigating team dynamics, motivation, conflict resolution, cultural awareness, and professional communication. With an emphasis on change leadership, time management, and decision making, students develop the mindset and tools to lead responsibly and with intention. Discover the leader within yourself.

TADM 250 Capstone is a culminating course in which students synthesize their learning into a self-directed project that reflects their career goals and contributions to sustainable tourism. Whether proposing a new venture, solving a real-world challenge, or conducting applied research, students showcase their leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills in a professional presentation to industry peers.

TADM 255 Simulation Lab: Business Strategy & Forecasting places students into the role of tourism decision-maker in this simulation-based lab. Students will design, test and adapt strategies using forecasting models, scenario analysis, systems thinking, and collaborative decision-making to evaluate and analyze complex scenarios in tourism enterprises. With an emphasis on adaptive leadership and responsible stewardship, students will integrate community perspectives to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of operations and discover how to gain a competitive edge in tourism management.

TADM 260 Hosting with Presence prepares students to coordinate large-scale conferences and special events with purpose and presence. With an emphasis on creating meaningful and memorable client experiences, this course equips students to confidently navigate multiple logistics in caring and grounded practices in event planning and hosting. Students will develop practical skills in preparing event proposals, banquet event orders, and detailed plans for food, lodging, transportation and audiovisual services. This course prepares students to respond in ethical, considerate and sustainable ways to the evolving conventions industry.

TADM 265 Liability & Risk Management examines the laws that shape Canada’s tourism and hospitality industry. Students analyze legal responsibilities and risk management strategies through the lens of responsible leadership practices to ensure safety, equity and operational integrity of those directly and indirectly associated with an operation. Through real-world case studies, students critique legal arguments and assess how operational policy supports or hinders culturally responsible tourism practices, with particular attention to the impacts on equity-recognized groups traditionally underserved in operations and communities.  

TADM 270 Human Resources Management begins with the premise that people are the heart of tourism and hospitality. This course examines inclusive human resource strategies that strengthen recruitment, training, performance management, and well-being in the sector. Students analyze relevant labour legislation, evaluate human resource practices through cultural competency and equity lenses, and explore strategies that foster employee retention, ethical leadership, and organizational success. Case studies and reflective practice emphasize reconciliation, decolonization, and fair treatment of equity-deserving groups traditionally underserved in the workplace.