The options for hospitality certifications are vast with opportunities, ranging from online courses and exams to in-person training and internships.
Not only can professionals earn industry-specific skills and experience, but many hospitality certification programs are hyper-focused on specific areas of business, such as revenue management, administration, analytics, destination management, and marketing.
To highlight some of the most compelling and relevant opportunities to level up, we’ve distilled five hospitality certifications that will help accelerate your professional career.
Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA)
The Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) is a rewarding program administered by the highly-regarded American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI). It’s a reputable certification for general managers, corporate executives, and owners/operators of lodging and hospitality companies.
Intended to recognize leadership and managerial skills, the CHA certification requires some level of experience:
- 2+ years of related higher education OR 3+ relevant work experience
- Completion of the online diagnostic assessment
- A passing score on the 200-question exam
The CHA certification provides a distinguished level-up for hospitality managers, directors, and executives seeking continuing education to manage their employees better and ensure the financial success of the property.
Learn more about the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) provided by AHLEI.
Certified Hospitality Revenue Management Executive (CRME)
The Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) certification is an extensive accolade offered by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), a globally recognized organization and resource for hospitality professionals.
This program, which is suitable for sales directors, directors of marketing, general managers, asset managers, and distribution professionals, takes a deep dive into the cross-disciplinary fundamentals and emerging elements impacting revenue optimization.
The CRME certification program is a two-part process that includes the following requirements:
- Application submission to demonstrate eligibility as a hospitality professional
- A minimum cumulative total of 50 points from the areas specified here
- Passing score on the online exam covering the functions performed in revenue management
For professionals in revenue optimization, the CRME certification provides tactical and strategic expertise in identifying business opportunities, maximizing profits, and driving growth.
Learn more about the Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) administered by HSMAI.
Certified Association Executive (CAE)
The Certified Association Executive (CAE) is a notable credential by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) that offers diversified credentials for hospitality executives.
The CAE certification is designed for industry leaders who exhibit high professional and personal standards and demonstrate a wide range of skills essential to managing an association in today’s competitive environment.
Eligibility for the Certified Association Executive (CAE) is based on the following criteria:
- Five years experience at the staff level OR 1 year employed as an executive at a qualifying organization
- A bachelor’s degree OR eight years of professional work experience
- Completion of a written exam before receiving the honor
Applicants must also complete 100 hours of qualifying professional development studies. However, the ASAE categories are quite varied and broad. The ASAE also generously counts any courses completed within the last five years of application date to go toward the 100 hours.
Learn more about the Certified Association Executive (CAE) through ASAE.
Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME)
Administered by Destinations International, the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) is a specialized credential recognized as one of the tourism industry’s highest individual educational achievements.
Ideal for senior-level destination marketing professionals or related tourism-focused specialists, the CDME program is focused on areas of vision development, leadership skills, productivity, and business strategy. The certification based on simple requirement criteria:
- Complete at least five classes about leadership, productivity, and business strategy
- Pass the final exam
- Recertification every four years
Learn more about the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) by Destinations International.
Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA)
The Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) is a specialty program administered by the AHLEI. It’s designed to provide specialized analytical skills to hotel industry professionals, such as revenue managers, general managers, corporate staff, and research specialists.
Unlike other hospitality certifications, the CHIA program has very low requirements and barrier to entry:
- The candidate must be employed in the hospitality industry
- Completion of the online course and exam for CHIA certification
- A passing score on the exam
This globally recognized hospitality-specific certification validates advanced knowledge in hotel industry analytics. Hotel professionals can better grasp foundational metrics, definitions, formulas, and methodologies.
Learn more about the AHLEI’s Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA).
Alongside related industries like tourism and travel, hospitality tops the charts as one of the leading service fields in today’s fast-paced world. These hospitality certifications are all from reputable institutions and will help hospitality professionals climb the ladders and actualize a more successful career.
