MBA in International
Hotel and Tourism Management

The Vatel hotel management master’s is the MBA in International Hotel and Tourism Management, a 120-ECTS master’s aligned with the European Higher Education Area. The programme combines intensive training in strategy, finance, revenue management, marketing and leadership with 10 months of internships at assistant-manager level in luxury hotels. It is taught on the Vatel Madrid campus, full-time, with two complete tracks to choose from: 100% in Spanish or 100% in English.

The Vatel Madrid hotel management master’s is worth 120 ECTS. The programme combines academic training with 10 months of professional internships — over 1,500 hours — at management level in luxury hotels. The total length lets students complete both the academic part and the internship as an assistant manager in key departments: Rooms Division, Operations, Marketing and Sales, Administration and Finance, or F&B.

Yes. At Vatel, the MBA in International Hotel and Tourism Management is the full name of the hotel management master’s. «Hospitality MBA», «hotel management master’s» and «hospitality management master’s» are equivalent terms for the same kind of programme: a professional master’s aimed at the strategic management of hotels, chains and tourism companies. Vatel’s stands out for its 120 ECTS and its 10 months of internships at assistant-manager level.

The Vatel bachelor’s in hotel management is a 3-year degree for students who have just finished high school. The hotel management master’s (MBA) is aimed at people who already hold a university degree and want to specialise in management. The key difference: the MBA focuses on strategic management, revenue, finance and team leadership, and the internship is done at assistant-manager level — not junior. The master’s is the fast track for profiles who want to move straight into hotel management roles.

Vatel Madrid offers one of the most internationally recognised hotel management master’s degrees in Spain. The MBA in International Hotel and Tourism Management is part of the Vatel Group, present in more than 50 countries with 45 years of experience training hotel managers. What sets it apart from other hotel management master’s degrees: 10 months of real management-level internships, 120 ECTS, a choice of two specialisations (Finance or Marketing) and the option to take it 100% in English.

Vatel hotel management master’s graduates move into management-level roles from their first year after graduating: General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Revenue Manager, Director of F&B, Director of Operations, Director of Hotel Marketing, Hotel Asset Manager. The Vatel network is active in 50+ countries and connects directly with groups such as Marriott, Four Seasons, InterContinental, Hyatt, Meliá and NH.

The MBA in International Hotel and Tourism Management’s 10 months of internships amount to over 1,500 hours of work in selected luxury hotels, at assistant-manager level. Students rotate through management functions in key departments: Rooms Division, Operations, Marketing and Sales, Administration and Finance, F&B. The idea isn’t to do operational or junior work — it’s to step straight into the hotel management track with real, demonstrable experience.

The main requirement to join the Vatel hotel management master’s is a prior university degree (any field). No specific qualification in hospitality or tourism is required: we welcome profiles from business administration, communication, engineering, marketing and any university field with a management calling in the hotel industry. The admissions process includes a review of academic records and a personal interview with the Vatel Madrid admissions team.