By Letta Kalamara

lkalamara@naftemporiki. gr

The Department of Tourism Studies at the University of Piraeus has announced the launch of a Master of Science (MSc) programme entitled "Digital Transformation and Innovation in Tourism", which will admit its first students for the academic year 2026–2027. According to the university, it is the first postgraduate programme worldwide with an exclusive and holistic focus on integrating new technologies into the tourism industry.

"The creation of this specific program comes to fill a clear gap in both higher education and the job market. Tourism is not just changing. It has already changed. Today, businesses and destinations need executives who can connect artificial intelligence, data and digital platforms with strategy, management, marketing, investments and the visitor experience", points out Georgia Zouni, Assistant Professor of Strategic Marketing of Tourist Destinations at the Department of Tourism Studies at the University of Piraeus.

Holistic approach

According to Ms. Zouni, "the main differentiation of the new MSc is that it does not treat digital transformation as another technological course or as a separate specialization. It treats it holistically, as a change in the way in which tourism businesses and destinations are designed, managed and operated. For this reason, the curriculum connects technology, data and AI with strategic management, human resources, marketing, investments, sustainability, innovation and new business models".

The program's international primacy is based on findings from a systematic comparative mapping of formal university postgraduate studies.

The research examined stand-alone Master's level programs (MSc/Level 7) and showed that the corresponding international programs usually focus on digital tourism, digitalization, hospitality technologies and smart destinations, or include digital transformation as a separate course or direction.

According to the university's comparative review, the University of Piraeus program is the only stand-alone academic postgraduate program worldwide, whose main title and the organizational core of the entire curriculum focus exclusively and holistically on "Digital Transformation and Innovation in Tourism", simultaneously covering strategy, organizational change, business operations, data, technology, human resources and new business models.

The program is designed for a wide range of stakeholders who seek continuous professional development. It is aimed at graduates of Tourism Studies, Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Information Technology and related fields, as well as professionals in digital marketing, technology and data analysis. In addition, it directly concerns executives of hotel businesses, travel agencies, DMCs, hospitality organizations, as well as executives of Regions, municipalities, chambers, public bodies and destination management organizations.

The program also addresses the needs of founders and executives of startups in tourism and technology, as well as professionals seeking a smooth transition or career development in the modern tourism ecosystem.