Each full course will take between 20 and 30 hours to complete and may be done at your own pace. The following is part of your online course and is included in your registration fee: Instruction, Exams, Email Support, and Certificate of Completion. Quick Courses offer a specific topic and are only $19.95 each. They include Instruction and Email Support.

For those wishing an overview of the travel industry, we recommend the Taking Off In Travel Course. It is the perfect course to introduce you to a variety of travel products and careers in travel and tourism.

Courses and descriptions are listed below. Quick Courses may be accessed by clicking HERE.

Taking Off In Travel
This course provides an overview of the basics of the travel industry and career opportunities available. Enjoy a fun, realistic presentation of: air travel, car rentals, hotel accommodations, rail travel, tours, and cruises. Group travel, incentive travel, meetings and conventions, in-bound tourism, international travel and niche travel are also discussed. There will be opportunities for learning activities as well as exercises and thought-provoking case studies to aid in applying the principles presented.
     

ARC Documents ~ Prerequisite courses: Air Reservations and Air Fares U.S. Domestic
Here is your ticketing course. Your air traveler will need a ticket and boarding pass to board the aircraft at departure time. The airline tickets used for air travel in the United States are issued, controlled and processed through an Area Settlement Plan administered by the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC). Here you will cover the ticketing types, forms, policies and procedures per the ARC as well as forms of payment, refunds and exchanges.
     

Air Fares ~ Prerequisite course: Air Reservations
Learn the air fare terms, codes, fare construction principles and fare application rules necessary to find, interpret and apply the lowest applicable fare to your clients' air itinerary. Practice the interpretation of the multiple air transportation taxes and fees applicable to air travel. Air fares are historically difficult to interpret and apply. This course presents the basics in a simple format with many applications to allow you to become proficient.

     

Air Reservations
Gain the product knowledge and skills (with the exception of automated reservations) needed to research, plan and book air travel. You will learn the terminology, the policies and the procedures of airline travel and airline reservations. While the sale of air travel is no longer the major revenue producer for travel professionals, it is a vital part of the travel industry as the most used mode of transportation to business destinations and highly used mode to vacation/leisure destinations. Therefore, becoming an expert on the product, airline policies and procedures as well as reservations policies and procedures is essential to your success.
     

Automated Air Fares and Tickets ~ Prerequisite course: Automated Air Reservations
You will learn to find the lowest applicable fare for your client as you utilize the Computer Reservation System (CRS) Sabre® or Apollo© to display fares between city pairs. The Sabre® or Apollo© pricing systems will calculate the total fare, including fees and taxes for the simplest and most complex domestic air itineraries. You will be using RTS©, a hands on Computer Reservation System (CRS) simulation of Sabre® or Apollo© in conjunction with the online tutorial. Each lesson combines selections from proven Sabre® or Apollo© texts with helpful hints and instruction to most effectively use the realistic simulator, RTS© Sabre® or RTS© Apollo©. You will learn and practice the basic functions of Sabre® or Apollo© as used by travel professionals pricing air travel. Exercises and drills will improve your proficiency and speed. You will master the skills necessary to quote fares and price automated travel reservations. Available in U.S. or Canadian versions. Note: Each course requires a new software download. RTS© is only Windows compatible.
     

Automated Air Reservations
You will learn to book air reservations using RTS©, a hands on Computer Reservation System (CRS) simulation of Sabre® or Apollo© in conjunction with the online tutorial. Each lesson combines selections from a proven Sabre® or Apollo© text with helpful hints and instruction to most effectively use the realistic simulator, RTS© Sabre® or Apollo©. You will learn and practice the basic functions of Sabre® or Apollo© as used by travel professionals planning and booking air travel. Exercises and drills will improve your proficiency and speed. You will master the skills necessary to make, maintain, change, and cancel automated travel reservations. Available in U.S. or Canadian versions. Note: Each course requires a new software download. RTS© is only Windows compatible.
     

Automated Car Rental and Hotel Accommodations ~ Prerequisite course: Automated Air Reservations
You will learn to research, select and book car rentals and hotel rooms using RTS©, a hands on Computer Reservation System (CRS) simulation available for Sabre® or Apollo© in conjunction with the online tutorial. Each lesson combines selections from proven Sabre® or Apollo© texts with helpful hints and instruction to most effectively use the realistic simulator, RTS© Sabre® or RTS© Apollo©. You will learn and practice the basic functions of Sabre® or Apollo© as used by travel professionals booking car and hotel arrangements. Exercises and drills will improve your proficiency and speed. You will master the skills necessary to make, maintain, change, and cancel automated car and hotel reservations. Available in U.S. or Canadian versions. Note: Each course requires a new software download. RTS© is only Windows compatible.
     

Destination Geography
This course presents the travel and tourism destinations that are regularly top sellers, according to the American Society of Travel Agents. These are the states of Florida, Nevada, New York, Hawaii, California, Washington D.C., Alaska and Illinois; the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec in Canada; and the countries of England, France, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and Australia. Maps are presented with an orientation to location of each destination. The course treats physical, locational and cultural geography as a travel sales product. A good world atlas can greatly aid you in your study of Destination Geography.
     

Developing Specialty Vacation Packages
This timely course is designed to assist you, the travel professional, in preparing a sellable niche market vacation package. Think about the possibilities when you can provide your clients with a product that will help them live out their dreams and restore their mind, body and spirit. Not to mention how much fun designing a vacation package can be, especially when you have a passion for the destination. Being enthusiastic about your own product is a natural marketing and sales tool.
     

Destination Geography ~ Europe
This course presents the travel and tourism destinations that are in Europe. These include England, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia and Austria. Maps are presented with an orientation to location of each destination. The course treats physical, locational and cultural geography as a travel sales product. Interactivity included in the course — video clips, self-correcting quizzes, map games and audio clips — provides additional learning activities.
     

Fares and Tickets International ~ Prerequisite courses: Air Reservations and Air Fares
International air travel has expanded exponentially in the past decade and promises to continue to grow. This course will provide you with the skills required to meet the needs of your international air travelers. These skills include an understanding of the two basic international faring systems, mileage and routing as well as currency procedures, including the use of the fictitious currency, Neutral Units of Construction. You will learn to interpret all the data found in the faring and pricing information in the CRSs and as printed on international tickets. This includes international fare basis codes, base fares, taxes, surcharges, currency codes and mileage principle coding as applicable.
     

Front Desk Agent Participants are guided through the historical context, terminology, telephone techniques, room reservations, check-in and check-out procedures, guest inquiries, complaints, accounting administrative tasks performed by hotel front desk agents. Participants will experience the physical stamina required as a front desk agent multi tasks and trouble shoots each client contact.
     

Ground Transportation
You will find car rental a relatively simple product to sell and book and commissions are reasonable. Some seventy percent of North Americans travel by car while vacationing. Learn the basics of the product, policies, procedures, codes, pricing and distribution. Rail travel recaptures the image of a different time and appeals to many leisure travelers. This study focuses on Amtrak, VIA Rail, BritRail and Eurail, the types of train accommodations, services and fare structure.
     

Hotels and Lodging
Earn great commissions by booking your clients' hotel accommodations. Learn the basics of the hotel product, rate structure, property and room classifications, codes, published and automated resources and non-automated reservations procedures. Identify your guests' preferences, learn the variables that affect prices, select the right hotel for any given client.
     

International Travel
International travel is becoming more and more commonplace as businesses become more global. No longer is it the seasoned travel professional that handles international travel bookings. Gain the knowledge needed to research, plan and prepare to travel internationally. You will learn the terminology, the policies and the procedures of international travel. This includes determining documentation needed, currency and exchange rates, time zones, health concerns, safety issues, and what to expect upon return. Opportunities for application of knowledge are provided throughout the course.
     

Local Tour Guide
This course will teach you the background of local tour guiding and the many roles of a tour guide. You will create a personal file with tour commentary for a local tour destination of your choice. You will develop the ability to create files and commentary for other tour destinations. In addition you will learn the administrative tasks for a local tour and then deliver the tour commentary you've created.
     

Selling Vacation Packages and Tours
Earn great commissions by booking vacation packages and tours, one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. Learn the basics of the tour product, components of tours, tour destinations, types of vacation packages and tours, print and electronic resources and non-automated tour booking procedures. Understand the function of tour operators and wholesalers. Identify your clients' needs and preferences, and book the right vacation package for any given client.
     

Small Group Tour Leadership
This timely course is designed to assist you, the travel professional, in becoming a small group tour leader. Determine if you have the skills, knowledge, abilities and traits you need to be an effective tour leader. Study tour leader roles and responsibilities. Learn conflict-resolution skills and prepare to manage a tour group. See how to polish your resume and market yourself to find a tour leader position within the industry and become a "Leader of the Pack."
     

The Cruise Market
Earn great commissions by booking cruises, one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. Learn the basics of the cruise product, cruise classifications, destinations, types of cruises, print resources and non-automated reservations procedures. Identify your clients' needs and preferences, learn the variables that are available in cruising and select and book the right cruise for any given client.
     

Travel Sales and Trends
Enjoy expected as well as surprising sales techniques and new approaches as you explore and practice them. Included you will find telephone business manners, listening skills, and tools for targeting the traveler. Discover successful sales steps for telephone reservations agents as well as for the travel professional working with clients one on one. Trends in the industry include the use of the Web for a variety of travel resources as well as current information on possible careers in the industry. This is an excellent introduction to the program.
     

Intro to Event & Meeting Planning EVNT 1010
This introductory course acquaints learners with the common components of well executed meetings and events. Course introduces site selection, food/beverage, audio visual, contracts, industry overview and career possibilities.
     

Site Selection/Negotiation/Law EVNT 1100
This course outlines the key elements to successful site selection, negotiation issues/techniques, contract provisions/analysis & diverse industry contracts. Legal issues unique to the meeting industry will be identified.
     

Transportation & Housing EVNT 1200
The logistics of air and ground transportation and hotel arrangements will be discussed. Learners will learn trade strategies to make informed decisions leading to a successful meeting experience.
     

Event Registration EVNT 1300
This course will introduce learners to various registration systems and keys to selecting the best registration method. Learners will learn the process to make informed decisions.
     

Food & Beverage Management EVNT 1400
Learn a systematic approach to evaluating meeting objectives and group needs as they relate to menu design, pricing structures, guarantee strategies, negotiation items and overall information about food and beverage services.
     

Hotel Sales & Operations EVNT 1500
Learners will be introduced to the principles and procedures of hotel sales and operations by taking part in "learn by doing" activities. Networking, building internal & external relationships and selling techniques will also be taught.
     

Special Events EVNT 1600
Learners will be provided with the tools needed to hold effective special events. Venues including meetings, conferences, exhibits, fairs, trade shows, international events, weddings, etc. will be addressed.
     

Non-Profit Event Planning EVNT 1700
Course will focus on planning successful special events for non-profit organizations. Course will explore fund-raising breakfasts, black tie galas, festivals, auctions, golf tournaments, fashion shows, concerts and soirees.
     

Money Management for Event Planners EVNT 1800
Course will introduce essential tools needed to prepare a budget for events of all sizes, information gathering, analyzing goals/objectives and preparing and communicating presentations to clients.
     

Social Media for the Travel Industry
This three module course is geared towards travel professionals wanting to learn more about Social Media / Social Networking / Social Selling and how to use it in their business, but may not have a large budget or time to get to grips with just what this new phenomenon is. Social Media is the fastest growing selling tool in any company's marketing arsenal, the travel industry is no exception.