Best FREE Online Courses in Hotel Management, Hospitality & Hotel Marketing
Did you know that there are all kinds of online courses for hoteliers available right now? And a lot of them are completely free!
The travel industry is changing rapidly and hotels may never be the same. Hospitality needs strong, adaptable talent, now more than ever.
Truth is, you have access to more career-advancing skills than ever before!
In 2020, many college campuses around the world closed their doors to in-person learning. As a result, getting a hospitality management certificate or degree started to look a little different… Enter: Online courses!
Hospitality management careers also range from sales and marketing to F&B and operations. Having a varied skill set will only help your professional development.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
Frequently Asked Questions about hotel management careers
Free online hotel management courses and certificates
Free (and a few paid) sales, revenue, and hotel marketing courses
More free online courses that hospitality managers should consider
First, a few frequently asked career questions…
Even if you already have a hotel management degree, there’s always more to learn in this dynamic business.
Pre-2020, “distance learning” has been very much on the rise.
In the United States alone, many major universities closed their campuses in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. That included institutions with some of the top regionally accredited hospitality management programs like Michigan State University, Florida International University, Cornell, and others.
Still, taking a hotel management course online might feel a bit… odd.
Most of the time, hospitality students gain work experience through in-person internships or part-time job training. These days, virtual learning gives all hoteliers access to new opportunities, whether they’re just starting out or they’ve been in the business for decades.
OK, let’s get a few common hotel career questions out of the way!
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Some of the most successful hotel marketers started their career in other hospitality roles, like Front Desk Agent or in Food & Beverage. As with any industry, making the transition from a non-marketing role to a marketing position is possible – by growing your skills and advocating for yourself.
I’ve found that having experience in (and a passion for) the hospitality industry is always looked on favorably!
Hard skills can be taught. Soft skills, like a great attitude? Not so much.
If you’re looking to get into hotel marketing, my advice is this: Learn and network as much as possible.
What if you’re already working on-property in a different role? Seek out the Sales & Marketing leader you wish to work for or learn from and introduce yourself. Offer to help them. Offer to help capture content for social media. Offer to write a few blogs for your hotel website. Show interest and initiative.
And if you’re not working in a hotel at all? Well, the path could be a little different but you still have valuable experience to bring to the table, whether you’re still in school or working in a different industry!
Again, I’d say networking is key — as is demonstrating a passion for the industry. Start engaging with the company’s social content, read various hotel industry blogs, and even consider brushing up on some industry-specific hotels through an online course or certificate in hospitality.
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In a formal university setting, your hotel management degree may take up to four years to complete. There are also many certificate programs offered online which could only take a few months to complete.
The online courses I’m highlighting in this article are not full-length degree programs. Rather, these are short, go-at-your-own-pace learning opportunities that could still give you a leg up in your career.
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This one is a little trickier to answer. In the United States at least, it's generally a given that you need to complete some sort of formal, four-year degree to get hired and move up the corporate ladder – in pretty much every industry.
Personally, I've encountered many successful hoteliers who either didn't have a formal hotel management degree or never went to university at all.
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The free online courses I've highlighted below are all great ways to refresh your knowledge, learn valuable new skills, and make yourself a more marketable candidate.
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Online courses are typically structured as short video lessons or live training webinars, often with a corresponding workbook and practical “homework” assignments. Sometimes, they even include additional community support through an online chat or private Facebook group.
Online courses aren’t for everyone… But if you’re a self-starter who thrives in a self-paced learning environment, you could get a lot out of a free online hotel management course!
Many hiring managers would also say that real-world experience gets weighed more heavily than a piece of paper!
That being said, the many subjects covered by a hotel management degree could apply to other specializations like real estate or events, other roles in the tourism industry, and even marketing. As always, it's up to you what you make of it.
Best online hotel management courses with certificates (all free!)
1. Online Hospitality Management Courses — edX
EdX has partnered with international universities like Hong Kong Polytechnic to offer several free online hospitality courses with certificates available at an additional cost.
Courses for hospitality management from edX give students a broad understanding of the hospitality business using real-world examples.
You can also take more specific classes on restaurant management, human resources management, tourism management, and a few other disciplines to gain a well-rounded knowledge base.
The free course on sustainable tourism looks particularly interesting — you can definitely expect sustainability to be a major topic in the industry going forward.
2. Hospitality and Tourism Management Class — St. Petersburg College
As the land of beaches and Walt Disney World, tourism is one of the biggest industries in Florida. Now, St. Petersburg College offers a unique opportunity to sample their hospitality administration program.
The Pinellas County Hotel/Motel Association generously funded a scholarship that gives students access to a free online class from SPC.
Their Associate of Science (A.S.) degree program includes a number of certificate tracks that let you specialize in event management, food and beverage management, or the rooms division.
Apply for the scholarship to choose one of their free online classes in hospitality and tourism management.
3. Hotel Management Short Course — Brentwood Open Learning College
This entry level hotel management course is free and fully online.
From the syllabus, it looks like this course offers an overview or introduction to a few hospitality functions — including Operations, the Front Desk, and Housekeeping.
There’s a mailed course completion letter available and if you wish to extend your studies, Brentwood also offers certificates in hotel management, travel & tourism, and human resources (another key function of the hotel business).
4. Free Tourism and Hospitality Courses — alison
Offering one of the biggest collections of free tourism and hospitality classes I’ve seen, Alison looks like a great place to learn more about various functions of the business.
Alison offers introductory level lessons on international tourism, as well as more advanced business administration courses.
There’s a wide range of topics covered, including food service safety and hygiene, marketing, and travel retail sales.
Free (and a few paid) sales, revenue, and hotel marketing courses
Pardon the quick interruption…
I promise, there are lots more FREE learning opportunities coming up in this article! But just in case you’re looking for something more advanced, here’s a fun way learn hotel digital marketing online:
5. Simple Hotel SEO — Five Star Content (Paid)
OK, I’m biased, but Simple Hotel SEO might just be best way to learn hotel SEO online. (Certainly more fun than sitting in a stuffy classroom.)
This industry-first hotel SEO course gives you a complete roadmap to ranking on Google and growing your revenue from organic search.
Simple Hotel SEO is a comprehensive, everything-you-need-to-know course about channeling the number-one driver of all website traffic (organic search). Learn the ins and outs, so you can sit back and watch the traffic and bookings roll in!
OK, shameless plug out of the way…
There are tons more FREE online courses for hospitality managers coming right up!
6. The Fundamentals of Revenue Management — Coursera
This online course is taught by ESSEC Business School professor Peter O’Connor, in partnership with Duetto, a hotel revenue management software.
The Fundamentals of Revenue Management course is hosted on a free learning platform called Coursera. The course includes over 11 hours of expert instruction and you’ll receive a shareable certificate upon completion. It’s entirely self-paced but spread out over 4 weeks of study.
Revenue management is a critical function of the hotel business.
If you’re looking to learn more about a desirable skill set within the industry, read my expert interview on hotel revenue generating ideas. Otherwise, hit the button below to check out the free hotel revenue management course.
7. The Fundamentals of Upselling — Oaky
This free upselling course from Oaky teaches you the in’s and out’s of driving incremental revenue through strategic add-ons and packaging.
Upselling is a powerful way to grow revenue, particularly during periods of low demand. Team Oaky packed years of experience and knowledge into this free fundamentals course, so you know it’s going to deliver value.
Oaky’s upselling fundamentals course also offers a certificate upon completion.
UPDATE: If you enjoy the free fundamentals course and want to take things a step further, Team Oaky was kind enough to offer my readers a discount on their paid program, Upselling In Depth!
Save 25% off Oaky’s “Upselling In Depth” course with promo code FIVESTARCONTENT25.
8. Free Hotel Social Media Copywriting Training — Five Star Content
Hey, sorry for the shameless plug, but I must mention my own free hotel social media class!
As a top luxury copywriter for hotels, I know a thing or two about using content to persuade people to take action.
This video workshop is a short but impactful lesson on using copywriting in your social media strategy. It was designed specifically for hotels and the hospitality industry, so rest assured, it’s super relevant to you and your business needs.
In just 20 minutes, you’ll learn a whole lot: The training walks you through every step of the online booking journey for hotels — and exactly how to use social media to engage the customer at each stage. I also give you my quick and easy storytelling formula to help you craft your next social media caption, as well as a few free marketing tools that just make social media management way easier.
You’ll also learn 14 specific phrases — yep, fourteen! — that get social media followers to take action on your posts.
Watch the 20-minute hotel social media training any time, for free.
Read Next: New To Marketing In A Hotel? Start Here.
More free online courses that hospitality managers should consider
9. Coronavirus Awareness For Hoteliers — eHotelier Academy
Created by eHotelier, this short but comprehensive online course covers how to prevent, control, manage and communicate during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Coronavirus Awareness is completely free and designed to speak to issues impacting the hospitality industry and hotels, specifically.
Given how the pandemic continues to reshape the tourism industry as we head into 2022, this is still one of the most relevant courses for hotel management right now.
10. Free Hospitality Industry Webinars — Cornell University
The Cornell School of Hotel Administration in New York offers one of the top hospitality programs in the country.
Now, students and hotel management professionals alike can learn from their expert instructors through various free hotel industry webinars every month.
Past webinars are also available to watch, if you’d like to binge such keynotes as “Women in Hospitality and Travel: Opportunities, Challenges, and Progress,” or “Here to Stay: COVID-19 Responses Transform Hospitality and Restaurant Operations,” or even, “A Green Slate: Building Smarter, Sustainable Hotels.”
The programming is multi-faceted and covers a wide range of valuable topics.
11. Various Hospitality Management Lessons — Typsy
Typsy is an online learning platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry.
Most of the courses on Typsy require a paid membership, but hoteliers can also access 30 short hospitality industry video trainings through their website for free.
You’ll find a wide variety of topics covered, from diversity and inclusion for hospitality professionals to lessons on COVID-19 cleaning and hygiene standards.
Typsy offers all sorts of hotel management short courses online. Many video lessons are just 5 minutes or less, so it’s great for busy professionals on the go!
As a hotel marketer, I personally enjoyed the culinary and beverage lessons the most. I think it’s important to learn about hotel operations as that side of the business is least familiar to me. And who doesn’t want to learn how to properly order whisky or mix a better cocktail? 😉
Final Thoughts
While there are many bachelor degree programs and paid certificates out there, taking any of these hospitality management courses online can still give you a major leg-up in your career.
No matter how long it’s been since your school days, smart hotel professionals never stop learning and keeping an eye on hotel trends in the industry.
Have you done an online hospitality management course before? Do you have another suggestion for this list? Let me know in the comments below!
You can also take your online learning a whole lot further with my industry-specific hotel marketing course, Simple Hotel SEO.