I am planning to apply for MBA in Tourism Management this year and not sure about which swiss schools to apply.

Please help me out in choosing the appropriate b-school for MBA in Tourism Management?
I would highly prefer Switzerland for MBA but I can consider other european destinations also provided they satisfy my requirements mentioned below.

I have a 3 years of experience in Software/IT industry and planning for a switch in Tourism industry. Also, I have budget constraint of 36000-37000 chf (swis francs) and hence I am not planning to apply to GLION and Les Roaches.

Recommendations please. Thanks in advance.

- Pradeep

Why Switzerland? Why take an MBA without international accreditation, which I guess most hotel MBAs will lack?

It seems that most people from IT wants to change their job .. and I m one of those.

Why Switzerland? Why take an MBA without international accreditation, which I guess most hotel MBAs will lack?

Tourism is one of the areas, like fashion, which are low paid but have a high supply of people. I don't think an MBA in hotel management gets you a real premium because an unaccredited MBA won't give you a really higher level of skills. The leading school are Cornell and nanyang http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/admissions/mmh/ and http://www.cni.ntu.edu.sg/ The second teir is this consortium: http://www.leadinghotelschools.com/

However, I would really suggest you take an internationally accredited general management MBA with an internship, so you can get some hotel experience. Hotels already know about hotels; what they lack is the serious MBA toolset: finance, HR; marketing -- you need a general management skills set.

PS If you want a specialist programme look for one from a top school: look at this RSM programme for example http://www.masterhospitalitymanagement.com/

Thanks Duncan. I am definately looking for MBA with an internship. Your information about Hotel schools is really an eye opener for me. Also, I am highly impressed with the RSM programme and would request you to suggest me some more such programmes for Hospitality /Tourism management.

I'd look through the other schools in the 'Leading Hotel Schools' consortium.

More broadly, I think some great programmes are, in more or less declining order:
Master in Hospitality Management - ESCP
International Master in Hospitality Management -EADA
MBA in Hospitality or International Hotel Management (M.Sc.) - Surrey
Hospitality and Tourism Management - ISCTE Lisbon
Tourism Management and Marketing - Nottingham
Strategic Event Management and Tourism Management -Skema
International Leisure, Sports and Tourism Management -Rennes
International Hotel and Tourism Management - Oxford Brookes
MBA in Hotel Marketing and Finance - UAB
International Hotel and Tourism Leadership - Stavanger

PS I should have put Stavanger higher ;-)

Thanks so much Duncan. Highly appreciate your effort in finding above listed colleges. I'll go through each and every college before deciding on anything.

Thanks again.

PS I should also have included MIB http://www.mib.edu/c/d/p/master_tourism_training_education.aspx