Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism

What Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism does

ESHTE is a Portuguese public polytechnic higher-education institution (legal name: Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril) operating under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, headquartered at Av. Condes de Barcelona n.º 808, 2769-510 Estoril, Cascais, Portugal. The institution specializes in hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts education and serves primarily domestic Portuguese students entering through the national access contest (DGES), with secondary segments for international students, mature students over 23, dual-certification holders, and post-graduate professionals. The portfolio comprises 5 undergraduate programs (Licenciatura) all UNWTO TedQual certified — Direção e Gestão Hoteleira, Gestão Turística, Gestão do Lazer e Animação Turística, Produção Alimentar em Restauração, and Informação Turística — plus 8 master's programs covering food design, hotel management, culinary innovation, gastronomy quality/safety, tourism communication, event management, destination management, and experience tourism innovation, and 1 joint doctoral program in Tourism with IGOT-ULisboa.

The technology layer consists primarily of standard off-the-shelf education platforms: the CSSnet web application for admissions management, the netPA portal for academic and administrative self-services, Moodle as the learning management system, and a virtual library platform. Revenue mechanics combine (a) tuition fees (€4,500/year for international students; domestic fees follow the regulated Portuguese public-polytechnic schedule), (b) one-time application fees (€75 standard, €25 for dual-certification applicants), and (c) public funding including a €6,772,000 PRR grant approved in 2021 for the Tourism International Academy (TIA) consortium project with Universidade Aberta, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and Turismo de Portugal. Go-to-market is direct, multi-channel admissions (national contest, special contests, international pathway, Erasmus+ mobility) supplemented by community engagement through ESHTEmprego (careers office) and event-driven activity including the annual International Forum on Management congress.

Governance is led by President Carlos Fernando Santiago Neto Brandão (re-elected June 30, 2026), Vice-President João Reis, and Pro-Presidents Catarina Nunes and Cátia Morgado, with operational units spanning Academic Services, HR, IT, Treasury, Internships, Social Services, Mobility, Library, and Legal. Research is delivered through CIDI and CiTUR Polo Estoril. Recent strategic activity includes a June 2026 partnership with Associação Portuguesa para a Qualidade (APQ) for a new postgraduate program in Quality Management for Hospitality and Tourism, and ongoing TIA project execution. A July 2, 2026 announcement notes the interruption and reconfiguration of the General Council electoral process, signaling governance transition risk.

Name

Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism

Legal name

Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril

Website

https://eshte.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism (ESHTE) is a Portuguese public polytechnic institution delivering UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts to domestic and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Hospitality and Tourism

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary (EDAGABAM)

Keywords

• Hospitality higher education
• Tourism management degrees
• Culinary arts programs
• Hotel management training
• Polytechnic institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Estoril

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - International Students: Annual tuition fee of 4500€ charged to international students admitted through the International Student application process
2. Application Fees: 75€ application fee for most programs; 25€ fee for double certification applicants. Fees are non-refundable unless program does not run
3. Government Funding (PRR): 6,772,000€ approved funding from Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) for Tourism International Academy project

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ESHTE delivers undergraduate (Licenciatura), master's (Mestrado), doctoral (Doutoramento), and postgraduate higher education programs in hospitality management, tourism management, culinary arts, and event/animation management at its Estoril campus. It also operates dedicated supporting programs such as the Tourism International Academy (TIA) under PRR funding and the student mental health program STUDENTWELL-Be, with all undergraduate degrees carrying UNWTO TedQual certification.

Product overview

Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism (ESHTE) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate (Licenciatura), master's (Mestrado), and doctoral (Doutoramento) programs in tourism, hospitality, and culinary arts. The institution's educational offerings include 5 undergraduate programs (Direction and Hotel Management, Tourism Management, Leisure and Tourist Animation, Food Production in Restoration, Tourist Information), 8 master's programs (covering Food Design, Hotel Management, Culinary Innovation, Quality/Safety in Gastronomy, Tourism and Communication, Strategic Event Management, Strategic Destination Management, and Experience Tourism Innovation), and 1 doctoral program in Tourism offered jointly with IGOT-ULisboa. ESHTE also operates supporting digital platforms including CSSnet (admissions portal), netPA (academic services portal), and Moodle (learning management system). The institution has received UNWTO TedQual certification for all its degree programs and hosts research centers CIDI and CiTUR Estoril. A notable recent development is the Tourism International Academy (TIA) project, a 6.7 million euro initiative under Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan focusing on digital transformation and innovation in tourism and hospitality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROJETO TIA - Tourism International Academy: Tourism International Academy project under PRR funding focused on education, training, research and innovation in Tourism and Hospitality sectors.
• STUDENTWELL-Be

Products and services

• Licenciatura em Direção e Gestão Hoteleira UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate degree program in Hotel Direction and Management that prepares students for management roles in the hospitality industry, taught at the ESHTE Estoril campus.
• Licenciatura em Gestão Turística UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate degree program in Tourism Management that develops competencies for the tourism sector.
• Licenciatura em Gestão do Lazer e Animação Turística UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate degree program in Leisure Management and Tourist Animation (future name: Tourist Animation and Events Management).
• Licenciatura em Produção Alimentar em Restauração UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate degree program in Food Production in Restoration (future name: Food Sciences in Culinary Arts), focused on culinary arts and food production.
• Licenciatura em Informação Turística UNWTO TedQual-certified undergraduate degree program in Tourist Information that trains professionals for tourism information services.
• Mestrado em Food Design Master's degree focusing on food design, combining culinary arts with design principles and innovation.
• Mestrado em Gestão Hoteleira Master's degree in Hotel Management providing advanced studies in hospitality management and operations.
• Mestrado em Inovação em Artes e Ciências Culinárias Master's degree in Innovation in Culinary Arts and Sciences, focusing on culinary innovation and scientific approaches to food.
• Mestrado em Qualidade, Segurança e Saúde em Gastronomia Master's degree in Quality, Safety and Health in Gastronomy, addressing food safety and quality management in gastronomy.
• Mestrado em Turismo e Comunicação Joint master's degree (ESHTE + IGOT) in Tourism and Communication, combining tourism studies with communication strategies.
• Mestrado em Turismo: Gestão Estratégica de Eventos Master's degree in Tourism: Strategic Event Management, focusing on planning and managing events in tourism contexts.
• Mestrado em Turismo: Gestão Estratégica de Destinos Turísticos Master's degree in Tourism: Strategic Management of Tourist Destinations, addressing destination development and management.
• Mestrado em Turismo: Inovação em Turismo de Experiências Master's degree in Tourism: Innovation in Experience Tourism, focused on developing innovative tourism experiences.
• Doutoramento em Turismo Doctoral program in Tourism offered jointly by IGOT-ULisboa with ESHTE collaboration, registered under R1B-CR 241/2009 and established by Despacho n.º 12240/2014, with Prof. Jorge Umbelino serving as Scientific Coordinator.
• Tourism International Academy (TIA) PRR-funded training and qualification project (€6,772,000) under PROGRAMA IMPULSO JOVENS STEAM E IMPULSO ADULTOS delivering specialized courses in tourism and hospitality for youth and adults, both online and face-to-face, in partnership with Universidade Aberta, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and Turismo de Portugal.
• Pós-Graduação em Gestão da Qualidade para a Hotelaria e o Turismo Postgraduate program in Quality Management for Hospitality and Tourism, established through partnership with APQ (Associação Portuguesa para a Qualidade).

Quantifiable outcome

• UNWTO TedQual certification maintained for all five undergraduate programs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Associação Portuguesa para a Qualidade (APQ)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026ESHTE and APQ established partnership on June 26, 2026, to define foundations for new Post-Graduation in Quality Management for Hospitality and Tourism.
• Universidade AbertacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership in PRR-funded Tourism International Academy (TIA) project. ESHTE leads consortium with Universidade Aberta, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and Turismo de Portugal to develop specialized training courses for youth and adults in tourism and hospitality.
• Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strategic partner in Tourism International Academy project under PRR. Jointly developing courses in digital transformation, innovation, and multidisciplinary approaches to tourism challenges.
• Turismo de PortugalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Government tourism authority partner in TIA project. Supporting qualification and innovation initiatives for tourism sector development nationally and internationally.
• NOVA Turismo e HospitalidademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Tech & Tourism Pitch initiative that challenged ESHTE students to develop innovative tourism solutions. Students were recognized with awards.
• Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa (ESEL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for STUDENTWELL-Be mental health program. Joint initiative applying for DGES Promotion of Mental Health in Higher Education Program.
• Instituto Politécnico de SetúbalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of IFM 2024 (International Forum on Management) congress alongside ESHTE and other Portuguese universities.
• Universidade AbertaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in IFM 2024 congress hosting, representing Portuguese higher education institutions in management research forum.
• Universidade do AlgarveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in IFM 2024 congress alongside ESHTE and other Portuguese institutions in the management field.
• Universidade de ÉvoraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in IFM 2024 congress representing Alentejo region higher education in management research forum.
• IGOT - Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território (ULisboa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint doctoral program in Tourism (Doutoramento em Turismo) with IGOT-ULisboa. ESHTE provides co-coordination through Prof. Jorge Umbelino. Course registered under R1B-CR 241/2009.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean mobility program enabling student and staff exchanges. ESHTE participates in Erasmus+ providing international exposure and cross-border academic collaboration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Instituto Politécnico do Porto: Portuguese public polytechnic with hospitality and tourism programs under the same national higher education framework; ESHTE's most direct domestic counterpart as both target Portuguese students through the DGES national contest and offer UN-style applied degrees in tourism.
• Universidade do Algarve: Portuguese public university with an Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo offering undergraduate programs in tourism and hospitality in the Algarve tourism region; directly comparable subject mix and public-institution funding model.
• ISAG - European Business School: Portuguese private higher education institution offering hospitality and tourism degree programs; competes with ESHTE for the same Lisbon-region student pool but operates under a private funding model.
• Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra: Portuguese public polytechnic offering tourism and hospitality programs under the same national polytechnic framework as ESHTE; competes for similar domestic applicants and shares the public funding model.
• Universidade de Évora: Portuguese public university offering tourism degree programs; ESHTE lists it as an IFM 2024 partner and the two compete for tourism students across central/southern Portugal.

Emerging players

• NOVA SBE (Nova Tourism and Hospitality): Newly launched tourism and hospitality initiative by Nova School of Business and Economics; overlaps with ESHTE on subject matter but draws on NOVA's stronger business-school brand and research capacity, posing an upscale competitive threat.

Regional players

• Hotelschool The Hague: Dutch independent hospitality school specializing in hotel management with strong international student base; competes with ESHTE for European and international applicants seeking hospitality degrees outside Portugal.
• Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS): Swiss hospitality school offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in hotel management and culinary arts; targets similar international student segments as ESHTE but operates in a higher-priced premium destination.

Broad incumbents

• Les Roches International School of Hotel Management: Globally recognized Swiss-based hospitality school with multiple campuses and a strong brand in luxury hospitality education; sets the upper benchmark for international hospitality credentials that ESHTE's UNWTO certification competes against.
• Glion Institute of Higher Education: Swiss-based hospitality school under wider education group, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in hospitality, luxury, and event management; competes with ESHTE's premium postgraduate offerings and benefits from broader group resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ESHTEstoril
• Facebookfacebook.com/ESHTESTORIL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eshte
• Instagraminstagram.com/eshte_estoril_oficial
• Xx.com/eshtestoril

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Estoril Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism