Former Abta head of membership Danny Waine has helped set up a new training service for the trade.
The Elite Travel Academy aims to help travel businesses develop the skills of their sales teams.
The initiative comes from travel training provider Talent Vista, where Waine is travel lead.
The courses are available on a pay monthly basis, with a special offer of a waived admission fee for pre-payment of the course up front to support smaller travel businesses and those who are self-employed.
Talent Vista and the Elite Travel Academy has received endorsement from the Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT), after going through ITT’s accreditation process, reviewed by a panel of academics and industry experts.
The training is offered in two streams, one of which leads to a formal qualification.
Trainees can register for the Elite Travel Academy as an off-the-shelf product; while travel companies can access a bespoke version as a white-label product to incorporate into their in-house training programmes.
A nine-month programme aimed at individuals looking to develop their career in travel and seeking a formal qualification will have a minimum of three in-takes a year in January, April and September.
The total fee is £1,440 incorporating an admission fee of £99 and nine monthly payments of £149.
A six-month option programme, aimed at individuals looking to improve skills costs £693 made up of a £99 admission fee and six monthly payments of £99.
Course content covers the UK travel and tourism industry, customer service in travel and tourism, destinations, visitor attractions, tour operations, travel agency operations, marketing for travel and tourism, the cruise industry, responsible tourism, specialist tourism and business travel, amongst other units.
A Talent Vista coach is assigned to each learner and monthly industry masterclasses will be hosted to support learner development.
The masterclasses will include a mix of product training, from cruise, to air and land arrangements, through to business training, including social media, cash-flow and marketing.
Industry training, e-learning certificates from OTT, fam trips and attendance at events can all be used as evidence to upload to the Talent Vista portal, enhancing a learner’s portfolio.
Those successfully completing the programme will receive a complimentary 12-month introductory membership of the ITT.
Waine, who left Abta at the end of 2024 after four years to set up his Travel Nomads B2B consultancy business, said: “We’re excited to be launching a product for travel professionals by travel professionals.
“Those super-experienced travel salespeople can now upskill and receive the recognition their many years of travel experience deserves.
“Whilst those who are newer to the industry but have excelled as salespeople in other sectors, now have the opportunity to gain a formal travel qualification that fits around their work schedule and growing business.”
Talent Visat managing director Jo Roche added: “We are thrilled to launch the Elite Travel Academy, a game-changer for travel professionals.
“It provides a structured pathway to enhance their expertise and gain
industry-recognised credentials.
“Our mission is to elevate standards in the travel sector, ensuring that both individuals and businesses have the skills to thrive in a competitive market.”