Travel agency business simulation in tourism education at Thomas More University

How a tourism lecturer in Belgium built a course around running a virtual travel agency

Q: Can other lecturers use the Revas Travel Agency simulation in their courses?

Yes, the simulation is available to other institutions and can be booked for a demo.

Country

Belgium

University

Thomas More University

Programme / Course

International Tourism and Leisure (Bachelor)

Simulation

Travel agency

Client

Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Flanders, Belgium, with campuses across the region including Antwerp and Mechelen. The university is known for its practice-oriented approach, preparing students for professional careers through applied learning, real-life projects and international study opportunities.

Revas Travel Agency Business Simulation is used by Inge Van Dooren, Lecturer at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, as part of the Leisure Travel Exploration course within the International Tourism and Leisure Bachelor programme.

Challenge

Teaching tourism business management isn’t only about explaining concepts like seasonality, product offer, marketing, pricing or competition, students also need to understand how these elements work together in practice. As Inge Van Dooren describes it, students learn about all the important aspects of running a tourism business in class, but it’s only when they apply this knowledge in a live simulation that they start to really understand it.

Inge needed a format that let students apply theory in a realistic, industry-specific environment: make decisions, see the results and adjust their strategy in the next round, without real-world risk.

Solution

Inge built her answer to this into the Leisure Travel Exploration course, using the Revas Travel Agency simulation as its practical core.

Students run virtual travel agencies over the course of the module: setting product offer, pricing and marketing, competing against other teams, and adjusting their approach round by round as they see how earlier decisions played out. Inge structured the course so the simulation isn’t just something students play, students have to pass both a practical part and a reflection report, so running the agency and analysing their own decisions both count toward the grade. That structure, and how it ties back into the rest of the tourism curriculum, is Inge’s own course design.

Results

Based on Inge’s feedback after running the course:

Student engagement compared to traditional teaching was rated much higher
Active participation in class: 5 out of 5
Likelihood of recommending Revas to other educators: 5 out of 5
Students showed more detailed reflection on business choices and a higher understanding of the impact of their decisions
The competitive element between teams kept engagement high throughout the simulation

As Inge put it: “The whole time there is high engagement and especially also the competition between teams.” And on the shift in how students approach decisions: “More detailed reflection on business choices and higher understanding of the impact of their decisions.”

Students have to pass both parts – so the simulation isn’t just played, it’s examined and reflected on.

Summary

At Thomas More, Inge Van Dooren built a course where tourism business education sits closer to practice, using the Revas Travel Agency simulation as one part of that design. Running virtual travel agencies, students apply theory, compete with other teams, analyse outcomes and reflect on their decisions in a final report, work that Inge assesses as part of the course itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Revas Travel Agency Business Simulation?

It’s a business simulation where students run a virtual travel agency, making decisions on product offer, pricing and marketing while competing against other teams in the same simulated market.

How does Inge Van Dooren use the simulation in her course?

It’s the practical core of the Leisure Travel Exploration course at Thomas More University. Students run virtual travel agencies over several rounds, adjusting their strategy each time based on how their previous decisions played out.

How are students graded on the simulation?

Students have to pass two parts: running the agency itself, and a reflection report analysing their own decisions. Both count toward the final grade, so the exercise is examined, not just played.

What results has the course seen since introducing the simulation?

Based on Inge’s feedback, active participation and the likelihood of recommending Revas to other educators were both rated 5 out of 5, and students showed more detailed reflection on their business choices than before.

Can other lecturers use the Revas Travel Agency simulation in their courses?

Yes, the simulation is available to other institutions. You can book a demo to see it from a student’s perspective.