A new survey of travel professionals who completed the Certified Travel Associate (CTA) program between 2016 and 2023 reveals the majority experienced measurable business improvements after earning their certification, according to findings released by The Travel Institute.
The CTA Graduate Insights survey, which collected responses from nearly 200 North American travel professionals, found that 81% of graduates reported measurable business growth after earning their CTA credentials.
Additional findings show that 85% of graduates consistently use their CTA knowledge and training in their daily work, while 86% recommend the program to other travel professionals. The survey also revealed that 91% of respondents expressed pride in completing their certification.
"We constantly emphasize that learning is never done for our students and, as educators, the same is true for us,” said Guida Botelho, senior director of education for The Travel Institute. “Development of our curriculum is never complete and so, as we ‘walk our own talk' striving to improve constantly, we also need to understand how we're doing. Our goal is to closely follow our graduates and ensure the CTA remains aligned with individual and industry needs; these results tell us we're doing very well."
The survey, which had a response rate of nearly 10% from more than 2,000 graduates contacted, also measured graduates' post-certification confidence and credibility. Results showed that 77% reported increased confidence in advising clients, 74% believe the program prepared them to effectively navigate real-world industry challenges and 72% found the certification increased their credibility with clients and suppliers.
"I've been doing this a long time and still, I doubled my sales after going through the CTA course," said Linda Luizza, industry veteran and travel advisor at Treasures in Travel. Luizza earned her certification in 2020.
To Diane Petras, president of The Travel Institute, these survey results emphasize the correlation between quality of education and success.
"It's clear the CTA specifically is making a measurable difference for those who put in the work to achieve it," Petras said.
The Travel Institute plans to conduct the CTA Graduate Insights survey at regular intervals. According to Botelho, the recent survey responses will be evaluated to identify potential program improvements.
