All areas and dimensions of the hospitality industry are in permanent expansion. In accordance with each hotel group's strategy, both large and small chains are taking advantage of the growth in the market to expand, either by purchasing or by taking over the management of new hotels. This situation requires new expert staff with a high academic profile and experience in the industry.

This Postgraduate in Hospitality Marketing and Financing has been conceived with the aim of providing hotel chain department heads with the fundamental financing and marketing skills to address these new managerial challenges. The courses are imparted at university level and boast the quality guarantee of the UAB but are complemented by the experience of the best hotel managers at Hesperia, Barceló, Solmeliá, etc.

Knowledge of financing is focussed mainly on the analysis of the financial state of hospitality companies, the drawing up of financial strategies that are compatible with the rest of the companies' aims, negotiation with banking entities, the ideal choice in each case of banking facilities, cash flow provision, investment analysis, cost calculation for each product and service, the study of different cost attribution systems, budgeting in hotels and hotel chains, etc.

Knowledge of marketing and sales management should entail brand management, rate setting, revenue management, communication and the drawing up of a hospitality marketing plan.

In any type of company, but especially one in expansion, the departments of marketing and financing should undoubtedly be coordinated perfectly. In this sense, this Postgraduate in Hospitality Marketing and Financing features a thorough online case study which has been created and is tutored by the sales director at the hotel chain Barceló and a consultant in finances. This case study must be successfully completed in order to attain the postgraduate qualification.

Aims

The aim of this Postgraduate Course in Hospitality Marketing and Financing is to provide the specific knowledge, skills and techniques to enable practitioners to manage and administrate hotels and hotel groups innovatively, strategically and effectively.

The course coordinators believe that any learning process, but especially one dedicated to specialists in hospitality, should be flexible and engaging as well as interesting and rigorous.

Potential Participants

Hospitality specialists from any department interested in improving their knowledge of marketing and financing through high level education, which will enable them to fill better posts in hospitality groups and corporations.

Methodology

The classes will be imparted in Spanish and the course literature will consist of publications in different languages, mainly Spanish and English. The literature will be available in printed form and will also be delivered digitally through the postgraduate teaching platform.

This postgraduate programme makes use of blended learning, in which classroom-based techniques are combined with online distance learning for the case study.

Classroom-based sessions. Most of the course is imparted in the classroom and theoretical content will be combined with practical analysis. The theoretical sessions are held at the beginning of each subject and the practical component comprises case studies and role playing for decision-making.

Virtual Teaching Platform. Part of the contents is delivered via our virtual teaching platform with exclusive use for course participants. Distance learning guarantees permanent attention and communication between students, coordinators and lecturers, providing continuing education throughout the academic year. The platform will not only provide the participants with announcements, timetables, emails and thematic forums but also with supplementary documentation and practical examples.

Field trips. Several field trips to hotels and hotel chains will be organised so as to verify and contrast all the knowledge acquired during the course.

Obviously, one of the main actives of this programme is the wealth of experience provided by the participants. For this reason, the teaching staff will stimulate active participation and will encourage debate since student attitude and participation are crucial in order to favour the exchange of opinions and contrast on pertinent issues.

Qualifications

By taking this course participants can obtain

• The Postgraduate in Hospitality Marketing and Financing awarded by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona for those participants who complete the whole program, the period of stages and the final project.

• Attendance certificates awarded by the UAB Postgraduate School for those participants who take one or more specialised modules from the program.

• *Notice: People who haven't got any University diploma o degree but with enough accredited experience in the Tourism and Hotel Management industry, they only will able to obtain an attendance certificat awarded by the UAB Postgraduate School.