Name of course: Caribbean Travel Consultant Training.
Offered by: Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
Established: 1998.
Number of agents presently taking course: more than 300.
Number of graduates: 38 agents have reached bronze level and four silver level, but none have yet passed the gold level.
Experience agents need to participate: general awareness of the Caribbean region and an interest in widening their knowledge.
What the course involves: the three stages to the CTCT programme – bronze, silver and gold – are achieved according to how many points agents accumulate. Points are awarded for completion of quiz sheets and participation in training events, roadshows and educationals. The programme is open ended.
Cost: £35 plus VAT for the first year, £20 for additional years.
Benefits of taking the course: agents gain specialist knowledge of all 35 countries in the region. Those who reach the bronze level have their name registered on the CTO Web site as a Caribbean specialist. Agents who reach the gold level gain access to consumer sales leads and commission opportunities.
Comment by Peter Churnside, partner at CBT International Travel at Rossendale in Lancashire: “I am very pleased with the course. It covers every aspect of the Caribbean. It is an area that is becoming more easily accessible to holidaymakers and it is popular. However, the Caribbean has a wide variety of destinations and it is essential we should be capable of advising our clients which will be most interesting to them and which will be in their price range.”
Contact for more details: Anne McGonigle, 020-7222 4335.