Free Tourism Course Online

Enrolment, the supplied learning materials and the required assessment are free. If you successfully complete the course, you can decide whether to buy an optional certificate. You do not need to purchase a certificate to study or finish the course.

Explore the Travel & Tourism short course

This introductory Level 1 course is open to learners without prior tourism study. Its published syllabus has two topics:

• Introduction to Travel and Tourism: explore different types of tourism and some of the reasons people choose to travel.
• Managing Tour Operations: begin to understand how organised travel and tour services are planned and delivered.

You will gain a starting point for learning about the sector. As a short introduction, it does not cover every part of travel agency work, destination management, airline operations or tourism business management. View the course details and syllabus to decide whether its focus matches your interests.

Who is this course for?

You might find this free tourism course useful if you are exploring the subject for the first time, considering further study, returning to learning, or working in a related service role and wanting a basic introduction. The online format lets you organise your study around other commitments.

Tourism involves much more than an interest in travel. People working in the sector may need customer-service skills, current destination knowledge, commercial awareness, practical experience and training for the duties of a particular role. Completing this short course does not guarantee a job or qualify you for a specific occupation.

What is free, and what costs extra?

• Free: course enrolment, access to the supplied online materials and completion of the required assessment.
• Optional paid choice: a certificate after successful course completion. You can review the available QLS-endorsed and CPD-accredited certificate options on the course page.

Certificate options have different prices and purposes. Check the current certificate information and prices before ordering. Neither an optional certificate nor completion of this introductory course is an Ofqual-regulated qualification, a professional licence or a guarantee that an employer will accept it for a particular post.

Where can you go after the introduction?

If you want to compare study routes first, read our travel and tourism course guide. For more detailed, paid programmes, the travel and tourism course category currently lists a QLS Level 3 certificate and a longer QLS Level 5 advanced diploma. Open the individual programme page to check its syllabus, study hours, assessment, fee and certificate arrangements.

If you are more interested in hotels and guest operations than travel products and tours, compare our free hospitality courses. You can also browse the wider free course collection for other subjects.

Frequently asked questions

How many free tourism courses are available here?

You can enrol on our free Travel & Tourism short course from this page.

How long does the course take?

We recommend 20 hours of study. It is self-paced, so your actual completion time will depend on how you organise your study and complete the assessment.

Do I need tourism experience to enrol?

No. No. Our Level 1 short course is open to all, and you can enrol when you are ready.

Will I receive a free certificate?

No. Studying and completing the course are free, while available certificates are optional paid products after successful completion. Check the current options and prices before ordering.

Will this course qualify me to work as a travel agent?

No single introductory course guarantees employment or meets every employer’s requirements. It can help you learn the fundamentals, while particular roles may also require experience, systems training, language ability or other qualifications.

Is the free course the same as OHSC’s certificate and diploma programmes?

No. The free course is a 20-hour introduction. Our separate paid Level 3 and Level 5 programmes involve longer study and different syllabus depth and certification arrangements.

Start learning about tourism

Review the Travel & Tourism short course, check its two syllabus topics and enrol when you are ready. You can complete the learning without buying a certificate.