Tourism, Events, Festivals & Arts Production

Kick-start your career in international tourism and events, or festivals and arts production.

Welcome to the Festival State – could there be any better environment to learn Tourism and Events, or Festivals and Arts Production in?

Flinders University offers a strong suite of tourism, events and creative industries degrees. Whether you are looking for a career in international or domestic tourism and events, seeking exciting employment opportunities in the dynamic festivals and arts sector, or would like to study tourism in combination with another degree, Flinders offers several options to choose from.

Your career could take you all over the world, including working on major international music or film festivals, designing new tourist or event experiences, or developing sustainable tourism destinations that help protect our diverse cultures and unique natural environments, or contributing to the growth and development of a strong arts and culture sector.

In these degrees, you’ll work alongside international educators and researchers, as well as industry leaders and innovators. You’ll also combine practice-based learning with theory, and discover unique and challenging opportunities to engage in cultural experiences through international exchange and field schools.

At Flinders, we will ensure that you are best-equipped to work – and eventually lead – in one of Australia’s most dynamic and vibrant industries.

⬆︎
10.7%

Conference and Event Organisers

^{*National Skills Commission, 2021 Employment projections for the five years to 2026}

No.1 in SA
in Tourism, Hospitality, Sport & Leisure for full-time employment and skills development.

The Good Universities Guide 2022 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities only)

No.1 in SA
in Tourism, Hospitality, Sport & Leisure for overall educational experience and teaching quality.

The Good Universities Guide 2022 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities only)

No.1 in SA
in Tourism, Hospitality, Sport & Leisure for learner engagement, learning resources, student support.

The Good Universities Guide 2022 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities only)

Study Options

Bachelor of Tourism and Events Management*

An industry-focused degree, the Bachelor of Tourism & Events prepares you for employment nationally and internationally with employers such as tourism companies, event centres, festival organisations or zoos.

Bachelor of Creative Industries (Festivals and Arts Production)*

Find your niche in the arts industry in Australia. You'll be learning about marketing, production and strategic skills in arts management, government policy in the arts and festival curation.

*Available at Festival Plaza from 2024.

Study at our new city campus in 2024.
Flinders at Festival Plaza – Where potential meets possibility.

More information

Careers

Tourism and Events, and Festivals and Arts production are industry-focused degrees that prepare you for employment in a variety of positions in a highly dynamic and diverse international industry.

Potential occupations

Studying Tourism and Events or Festivals and Arts Production can lead to a variety of jobs. These include tourism development and planning officer, wildlife/ecotourism manager, festivals and events coordinator, tourism marketing manager, tourism policy and project manager, producer, logistics coordinator and grant administrator.

Potential employers

Whether you are looking for local, interstate or international employment, your skills will be highly sought after by tour companies, museums and heritage sites, event management consultancies, art galleries and exhibition centres, festival organisations, local and state government organisations, youth arts organisations or freelance work and independent productions.

Why study Tourism, Events, Festivals & Arts Production at Flinders?

Become part of the knowledge and skills-base for leading the future of the tourism, events, festivals and arts production sectors
Learn how to develop tourism and events as part of Australia’s sustainable future
Develop the essential entrepreneurial and business skills needed to succeed in the tourism, events and festivals industries
Connect and directly work on ‘real world’ challenges with industry leaders and innovators
Take your study global with a semester exchange and international field school opportunities
Be mentored by industry-connected teaching staff that have worked across Australia and internationally
Gain practical, work-integrated and project-based learning experiences with industry partners
Take part in industry projects (would recommend removing this and combined as above)
Develop critical skills and knowledge of the latest evidence-based practices in the tourism, events and festivals industries.

Hear from our students

“My degree in tourism and events at Flinders has really given me the opportunity to get that hands-on experience and to gain industry knowledge before stepping outside of university.”

Celeste Ryan, Bachelor of Tourism and Events

“

I loved getting to travel on our international study tour to Malaysia and going on exchange to Manchester. Both of these opportunities allowed me to gain international perspectives on our industry outside of the classroom.

Georgia Cosercas, Bachelor of Tourism and Events graduate

”

Where can your degree take you

Learn more about our anniversary

Shaun de Bruyn

2000 Alumnus / CEO, Tourism Industry Council of South Australia (TiCSA)

Flinders helped me build myself as a person and it stretched me - in a positive way - and allowed me in a safe environment to develop vital skills, to be vulnerable and to push myself.

My Tourism degree was very well tailored. There was a great diversity of subjects, but also some specific, tangible things like how to do a PnL or how to understand contract law.

Both the formal education and the informal networks and friendships I’ve made, will stick with me for the rest of my life.

I had a great time at Flinders, I really believe in the institution. And I don’t think you can overstate how great the campus is. You can connect with nature while you are at uni. The campus is undeniably the best campus in this state.

Lee Cumberlidge

2000 Alumnus / Co-Founder & Creative Director, Illuminate Adelaide

Before I studied at Flinders, I wasn’t aware that directing arts events was even a viable possibility, as I have never been an artist myself. What I learned at uni was quickly put into action, and I found that I really enjoyed the creative process. I came to understand the depth of the industry – where business and creativity work together to create strong, sustainable events that benefit so many different stakeholders.

Studying Flinders Cultural Tourism degree, we had opportunities to go on field trips to various tourism businesses and operators. One of my placements was with WOMADelaide / Arts Projects Australia (APA). It was just a fantastic experience, being around so many amazing artists - musicians from around the world and such a great team of people; a really great place to learn. In fact, I went on to work for APA before starting my own business, and have now returned to Adelaide as a Co-Director of APA as well as Co-Founder and Creative Director of Illuminate Adelaide.

Get inspired

Creating opportunities with Tourism and Events' TiCSA partnership

Learn how you'll benefit from the TiCSA partnership and succeed in the tourism and events industry.

Take your study global with a semester exchange at one of 70+ partner universities

Why wait until you graduate to see the world? Let our program offer you the educational adventure of a lifetime.

Teaching staff

Our incredible teaching and research staff are experts in their professions and well-connected to industry.

Senior Lecturer Dr Gareth Butler

Gareth is a lecturer in a variety of tourism management topics focusing mainly on sustainable tourism development and community engagement strategies. He is the current coordinator for the department's overseas research project topic (TOUR3000) which typically involves travel to a destination in SE Asia (Malaysia or Cambodia).

He presently holds the additional title of Senior Research Affiliate at the University of Johannesburg and has worked on funded tourism development research projects in rural South Africa. He has previously taught at universities in the UK and Malaysia.

Marion Weck

Marion is a lecturer in Tourism and Events and the topic coordinator for WIL (Work integrated learning).

She has international experience and expertise in various industry sectors having lived and worked in Germany, Canada, Sri Lanka and Dominican Republic.

Marion's extensive industry experience is reflected in her teaching methodologies. She is passionate about engaging students in their chosen industry from the commencement of their academic career through a variety of projects, to ensure they are work ready when graduating.

Dr Eliza Kitchen

Eliza is a lecturer in Tourism and Events, teaching Introduction to Tourism Studies, Interpretation for Tourism and Event Design and Management topics.

She has previously worked at Leeds Beckett University, UK teaching event management topics and conducting industry projects with associations such as Meetings Professionals International (MPI).