Tourism professionals looking to advance their careers should consider the Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification from the Southern Tourism Association. Classes for the three-year certification program are held each summer for one week at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, Georgia.
Founded in 1983, the Southeast Tourism Association is an organization established to promote tourism within 11 Southeastern, non-profit groups representing (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia). In 1992, the Society established the first College of Marketing and every year since then, attendance has grown over the previous year. To date, 315 tourism professionals have earned the Travel Marketing Professionals certification.
This year, 225 tourism professionals descended on the town of Dahlonega to expand their knowledge. Attendees are mainly from the South United, state and regional airlines presenting services, resorts, attractions and other parts roads and industries. However, anyone looking at the United States tourism industry is invited to pay attention to a deeper understanding of tourism marketing. The instructors are active professionals working in the tourism industry, volunteering their time and educating the next generation of tourism leaders.
During the one-week program, students learn various aspects of tourism marketing while sitting in a college classroom. Coursework depends on the year the student is in the program, but ranges from product marking to basic sales skills and public relations to elements of customer service . The first classes take marketing basics to the next level and include: conducting research, developing marketing strategies to promote and create rural tourism crisis public relations strategy.
When the Southern Tourism Association takes over the University Marketing College campus, students are invited to sleep in one of the dormitories. The rooms are private while the bathrooms in the hall are shared. Like a college dorm room, it contains the basics: bed, dresser, table, chair and armoire. Students staying in the dormitory should arrive with their towels, bed and pillow; Towels; toilet amenities (toilet-paper are provided) and any other home comforts. Wal-Mart is close to picking up the forgotten essentials.
For those professional travelers who don’t want to live the whole college experience, there are some hotels, hostels and B&B’s nearby.
North Georgia College & The state university is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. According to the Times College of Marketing, young cadets can be on campus and it is common for tourism professionals to start the day with the noise of “Reveille” and end the day with “Taps”. There is also a common dining hall sharing breakfast and lunch.
Access to the knowledge and experience of tourism industry professionals is invaluable. So it is with peers in the tourism industry. Most of the classes rely on marketing programs for students to share their accounts. From these discussions, ideas, concepts and camaraderie come.
Activities and free time on campus in Dahlonega are planned throughout the week. These are excellent opportunities for tourism professionals to exchange ideas and build professional and personal relationships in a low-key setting.
Sitting atop the North Georgia Mountains, Dahlonega is a literal ear of history. It is the location of the eastern United States gold rush. The center in the center of town is the Dahlonega Golden Museum, sitting in the middle of the town square. Wood-paneled and red-late buildings line the streets. Similar to yesterday’s business, independent shop owners sell vintage, Georgian-made, antiques, art and other treasures. Slow food restaurants sprinkle the historic city and four-way-stops traffic control, not lights.
Students are treated to a sunset on the mountain reception on Sunday at Dahlonega Wolf Mountain Winery. On Monday evening, a family dinner with fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, fried okra, sweet tea and shortcake strawberries are shared at the historic Smith House. Wednesday afternoon is a break from class and tourism professionals are invited to go down the river in an inner tube, golf, canoe, shop or just relax (and check in the office). The evening is the last organized social function of the week. One of the Southeast Tourism Association executives graciously hosts the entire fleet at their Southern Living model home in the Dahlonega Mountains.
Dahlonega’s tourism experts can taste students on Tuesday and Thursday nights. On Thursday evening everyone gathered privately at Dahlonega Brewing Company (also called Caruso Italian Restaurant) to say goodbye and sing a round or two of karaoke.
The week ends late Friday morning with final classes. Graduates of the first and second year programs are presented with certificates of achievement. Third-year participants do not graduate from the program until they have completed at least two seminars related to the tourism industry, using what the Southeast Tourism Association has taught them. These tourism marketing seminars must be completed within four months of completion of the College of Marketing. Upon completion, tourism professionals then receive professional Tourism Marketing certification through graduation at the Southeast Tourism Association’s annual spring meeting.
The fee to attend the 2006 Marketing College was $825 for Southeast Tourism Association members staying on campus and $975 for non-members. There are a few products available. These letters have been generously donated by the members of the Society or for the sake of money since the third year of the class.
It is worth the financial and time investment at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College. The hands-on work taught in school and networking with peers outside the confines of the classroom will advance the tourism professional career.
Report:
- Register to attend the 17th annual Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College: www.southeasttourism.org
