FRAMINGHAM, MA— The Travel Institute’s popular ‘Promote Your Professional’ campaign is back for the seventh consecutive year, giving travel agents the change to utilize scholarship funds to bolster their skills.
Since the program’s inception in 2014, the Travel Institute Fund has endowed US$460,000 in scholarships, benefitting more than 2,500 students across its flagship, three-tier certification programs.
To apply for a scholarship, agents must complete The Travel Institute’s scholarship form, available now through the end of July, and select from the Certified Travel Associate, CTA Certified Travel Counselor, CTC, or Certified Travel Industry Executive, CTIE programs. Each program is designed for a different career stage. Scholarship value is as high as $275, depending on certification level.
On the value of these programs, The Travel Institute’s president, Diane Petras, said: “Success starts with skills, which translate into capabilities and confidence. The knowledge gained from our certification programs gives agents the ability to demonstrate both. Now more than ever, astute travellers will be looking for agents who display confidence and expertise in handling the complexities of trip planning.”
Petras added that agent education is currently in high demand, with organizations and agents alike focused on professional advancement as they await the return of travel demand.
“Agent credentials will most certainly take centre stage in a ‘new normal’ as travellers will be more cautious and discerning about working with an expert,” she said. “Preparing for that will mean personal rebranding for many agents as they explore their strengths and weaknesses and make sure they are positioned to convey real value to the market.”
Supplementing these certification scholarships are free interactive webinars focused on developing agent professionalism. The webinar schedule is as follows:
- June 25, 2 pm EDT: Specialization—Finding Your Travel Industry Niche;Patty Noonan, CTC, The Travel Institute
- June 26, 2:30 pm EDT: Brand for Business;Patrick McGovern, director of business development, Ascedia
- June 29, 4 pm EDT: Ireland—Staying informed: Preparing today so you can start planning tomorrow; Evan McElligott, CTA, Independent Ireland
- July 9, 11 am EDT: The Dos and Don’ts of Emotional Branding;Alvin Adriano, CTA, chief executive officer, Travelwise International
- July 16, 1 pm EDT: First Impressions—Don’t blow your one shot!Anita Pagliasso, vice president, supplier relations, KHM Travel
- July 20, 2 pm EDT: Expanding Your Circle of Influence: Public Relations; Richard Earls, publisher, Travel Research Online
- July 28, 2 pm EDT: The Path to a Perfect Itinerary;Anne MacIntyre, owner, On the Map Travel
For more information on webinars go to https://www.thetravelinstitute.com/events/.
To apply for a scholarship go to https://www.thetravelinstitute.com/scholarship/.
