The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has launched what it says is the very first professional certification for the business travel industry, it announced last week. Offered through GBTA's educational arm, the GBTA Academy, the certification — known as the Global Travel Professional (GTP) certification — includes strategic meetings management (SMM) as one of 34 competencies that business travel professionals must demonstrate in order to be certified.
"Education makes all the difference in today's economy and the travel professional industry is no exception," said GBTA Executive Director and COO Michael W. McCormick. "The newly launched GTP certification will become the standard for the industry. For people who want to advance their careers or business leaders wanting to ensure their employees are the best equipped, the GBTA Academy's GTP will be the most efficient and effective way to help travel professionals excel in their field."
According to GBTA, the GTP certification is designed to "raise industry standards, enhance work performance and recognize individuals who demonstrate core competencies essential to the business travel management discipline." To be certified, business travel professionals must pass an exam consisting of 150 multiple choice questions based on the results of an industry job survey of knowledge and skills needed for the business travel professional.
Specifically, questions will focus on 34 tasks in four domains: Strategic Business Planning, Buyer/Supplier Relations, Travel Program Administration and Data/Analytics/Finance. One of the tasks within the Strategic Business Planning portion of the exam is "evaluate the need for additional strategic projects such as strategic meetings management program."
In addition, the GTP exam will test 45 different knowledge areas — one of which is "strategic meetings management principles."
The first GTP examination will be administered prior to the 2012 GBTA Convention in Boston on July 22, 2012. All information on the GTP certification, including the test content outline and preparation tools for the exam, are available online at www.gbta.org/certification.