↗
P · 01
Hospitality
Management
From front office to food & beverage. A full operational grounding for careers in luxury hotels, resorts and boutique properties.
Admissions Open · Travel Careers 2026 · Applications close 14 May · Live + Self-paced
Admissions 2026 · LiveRanked among India's top 5 travel & hospitality academies — Industry Survey 2025
Build a
career in
travel, tourism
& hospitality
with confidence.
Viva Career Academy prepares the next generation of travel professionals through trainer-led learning, industry discipline, and a modern AI-supported path into real travel careers.
Travel careers · Live academy
No. 01 / 04Travel planning, destination logic & career preparation
14yr
Shaping hospitality careers across five continents.
92%
Graduates placed within 90 days of convocation.
Hospitality Management /Travel Operations /Airline & Airport Services /Culinary Arts /Event Design /Cruise Line Operations /Luxury Brand Services /Hospitality Management /Travel Operations /Airline & Airport Services /Culinary Arts /Event Design /Cruise Line Operations /Luxury Brand Services /
§ 01 — Philosophy
Hospitality is a craft. We train for it like one.
For more than a decade, VIVA has built a curriculum rooted in the belief that service is an art, operations are a science, and careers in travel demand both. Our graduates run lobbies in Luzern, run kitchens in Colombo, and run tour desks on cruise ships that never stop moving.
The institute operates across three continents, in partnership with hotel groups, airlines and tourism boards — so what you learn on Monday, you apply on Friday.
i
Industry-embedded faculty
Former GMs, cabin leads, sommeliers and destination directors — not career academics. Every instructor has operated a floor you've walked across.
ii
Hybrid by design, not accident
Live cohorts meet three evenings a week over Zoom and in regional studios. Self-paced labs sit alongside — so working students and first-years move at the pace that suits them.
iii
Placement as a promise
Every programme ends in a paid industry rotation. Our placement desk has seated graduates at more than 240 employers across 26 countries.
§ 02 — Programs
Six career tracks. One unwavering standard.
Hospitality
↗
P · 02
Travel &
Tour Operations
Itinerary design, GDS systems, destination expertise and the business of moving travellers around the world.
↗
P · 03
Airline &
Airport Services
Ground operations, cabin crew preparation, terminal services and the protocols of international aviation.
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P · 04
Culinary
Arts
Classical technique, modern technique, kitchen leadership. In partnership with three five-star kitchens and two culinary academies abroad.
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P · 05
Event &
MICE Design
From destination weddings to corporate summits. A specialist track for the fastest-growing segment in Indian tourism.
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P · 06
Cruise Line
Operations
Maritime hospitality for the next generation of sea-going careers. Partnered with three global cruise operators.
↗
P · 07
Luxury Brand
Services
For those drawn to concierge, private aviation, yacht crew and ultra-high-net-worth hospitality.
↗
P · 08
Foundation
Semester
For fresh graduates still choosing their path. A 12-week immersion across every track, ending in specialisation.
§ 03 — Format
Learn the way professionals actually train.
Live Cohort
Three evenings. One room. Your cohort of 24.
Small-group classes taught live over video and in VIVA regional studios. Faculty know your name, critique your work in real time and introduce you to their networks.
- 24-student cohorts · Monday, Wednesday, Friday evenings
- Guest masterclasses from hotel GMs and destination leaders
- Industry site visits every month of the programme
- Dedicated career mentor from week one
₹ 1,85,000 / semester
Cohort Details ↗ Self-paced Track
At your rhythm. Same standard, same credential.
Purpose-built video modules, written casework and simulator labs you can complete around work or family. Join live sessions as you're able and graduate on your timeline.
- 120+ hours of studio-produced coursework
- Weekly office hours with programme faculty
- Peer study groups across 14 Indian cities
- Upgrade to a live cohort at any point
₹ 98,000 / semester
Self-paced Details ↗The institute's real résumé is its graduates.
Independently audited outcomes from the Class of 2024. Methodology and source roster available on request from the placements office.
92%
Placed in a paid role within 90 days of graduation.
₹ 4.8L
Median first-year compensation (domestic track).
26
Countries where VIVA alumni are currently employed.
240+
Partner employers, from boutique resorts to flag carriers.
Placement partners include
Taj HotelsOberoiMarriottAccorThomas CookEmiratesMakeMyTrip+ 232 more
§ 04 — Curriculum
A syllabus built alongside the industry.
Foundations of Service & Hospitality
The first semester grounds every cohort in the shared vocabulary of the industry: service standards, front-of-house operations, communication, and the ethics of a guest-facing career.
M · 01
Introduction to the Hospitality Industry
40 hrs
M · 02
Front Office Management & Guest Relations
60 hrs
M · 03
Food & Beverage Service Foundations
50 hrs
M · 04
Professional Communication & Etiquette
30 hrs
M · 05
World Geography & Destination Studies I
40 hrs
M · 06
Studio: Service Simulation & Role-Play Labs
25 hrs
§ 05 — Faculty
Taught by the people who run the industry.
F · 01
Vikas Khanduri
Faculty Head, Co-Founder
Travel Entrepreneur · Hospitality Studies
Thirty years with large travel companies. Leads VIVA institute's flagship Hospitality Management programme.
Cox & KingsKuoniSOTC
F · 02
Dr Ashish Gautam
Guiding Mentor
Fondly known as Ashish Bhaiya
He has dedicated some of the best years of his life serving the untouched, needy and the poor.
Read Ashish Bhaiya's MissionCM
Faculty Lead
F · 03
Chef Marco Tessier
Director · Culinary Arts
Former Executive Sous Chef at two Michelin-starred kitchens in Lyon. Founding chair of the VIVA culinary track and curator of the institute's visiting-chef series.
MichelinLe Cordon BleuICCA
PM
Faculty Lead
F · 04
Priya Menon
Lead · Travel & Operations
Fifteen years in tour operations across Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Designs the institute's GDS and destination studies modules.
Thomas CookAmadeus Cert.
DK
Faculty Lead
F · 05
Daniyal Kapoor
Lead · Events & MICE
Produced over 400 luxury destination weddings and corporate summits. Leads the institute's event-production studio and industry showcases.
WeddingSutraIIFA
F · 06
Narayan Mallapur
Leadership
Operations & Growth
Supports Viva Career Academy across operations, growth, and launch execution as the platform scales into its next chapter.
AdmissionsOperationsGrowth
Alumni Story
Muscat · Guest Relations Track
§ 06 — Voices from the field
VIVA didn't just teach me how to run a lobby. It taught me how to read a room — and after two years with a five-star group in Muscat, I can tell you: that's the job.
Riya ThomasFront Office Manager · Jumeirah Group · Class of 2023
Placed via VIVA Mumbai
§ 07 — Admissions 2026
Your career begins with one application.
The Monsoon 2026 cohort closes applications on 14 May. We review every file personally — no aptitude test, no ranked entrance exam. We're looking for character, curiosity and commitment.
01
Submit your application
A 15-minute form — background, interests and one short written response.
15 min
02
Admissions conversation
A 30-minute online interview with a member of the admissions team.
Within 7 days
03
Offer letter & scholarship review
Merit- and need-based scholarships reviewed alongside every accepted applicant.
Within 14 days
04
Welcome to VIVA
Pre-cohort reading, studio kit and your assigned career mentor.
4 weeks pre-start
§ 08 — Questions
Before you apply.
The questions we hear most often, answered in brief. For anything not covered here, our admissions team replies personally — usually within the same working day.
Talk to Admissions ↗Do I need a background in travel or hospitality to apply?+
No. Most of our incoming cohort are fresh college graduates with no prior industry exposure. The Foundation Semester is designed precisely for students choosing their path — we start at first principles and move quickly.
How does the hybrid format actually work?+
Live cohorts meet on Zoom and in regional VIVA studios in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Goa three evenings a week. Self-paced students follow the same syllabus on demand and can join any live session. You can switch modes mid-programme.
Is the paid industry rotation guaranteed?+
Yes. Every full programme concludes with a paid rotation at a partner employer. Our placement desk has worked with more than 240 employers across 26 countries. Rotations are matched, not applied for.
What does a semester cost, and are scholarships available?+
Live cohort fees start at ₹1,85,000 per semester; self-paced at ₹98,000. Roughly 38% of incoming students receive merit or need-based scholarships ranging from 15% to full tuition.
What's the admissions timeline for Monsoon 2026?+
Applications close 14 May 2026. Admissions conversations happen on a rolling basis. Offers are issued within 14 days of interview. The cohort begins 11 August 2026.
Will I receive a recognised certification?+
All programmes conclude in a VIVA Diploma, co-signed by our industry advisory board. Several tracks carry additional certifications from IATA, Amadeus and partner culinary academies.