NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in Holland is to offer a new bachelor-level degree in Attractions and Theme Parks Management, in order to train students for managerial positions in the international tourist attractions market.

The English-taught degree has been designed to meet the growing demand of the worldwide attractions industry for highly qualified and commercially oriented managers.

The university has teamed up with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and a number of market operators, including Efteling and Walt Disney World Resort Orlando to put the course together.

“Last year alone, almost 206 million people visited the top 25 attraction parks in the world,” said Goof Lukken, one of the lecturers involved in the development of the course.

“In addition, of all the people in the world, more than 75 million visit a zoo every year. Visits to international water parks are also growing rapidly. Moreover, many of these attractions and zoos are also considering adding accommodation facilities or other forms of leisure experiences to their range of services.

“They are turning into multi-day resort destinations. It has truly become a serious business, which increasingly requires specialist managers with a broad orientation.”

The offering comes as a collaborative initiative between three NHTV academies: the Academy for Leisure, Academy for Tourism and the Academy for Hotel & Facility Management.

Opportunities for those looking to develop a career in the attractions industry are currently available, with a number of sources providing educational programmes.

For example, graduates looking to specialise in the field can gain a postgraduate degree in International Tourism and Attractions Management from the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, while a number of operators provide placement schemes for those educated to a degree level.

NHTV's new course is set to begin in September of this year, with potential students invited to attend open days to discuss the course's offerings.