New Sustainable Travel Specialist Course Available Through The Travel Institute

20 February 2010
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Sustainable Travel InternationalWellesley, MA / Boulder, CO - The Travel Institute announced the release of a new Lifestyle Specialist course for travel agents that’s focused on sustainable travel and tourism. This course joins eight other Lifestyle Specialist courses offered by The Travel Institute each one allowing travel professionals to test and earn an industry recognized credential.

The course, sponsored by Virtuoso, was created in partnership with Sustainable Travel International (STI), a non-profit organization that promotes responsible travel and supports sustainable development. This 5-module course teaches travel counselors how to identify the characteristics and benefits of sustainable travel, integrate "green" business practices into their existing business operations, choose travel suppliers who demonstrate a commitment to sustainable travel, and explores strategies for practicing sustainable travel and tourism.

“The travel agent community is in a unique position to both service and create demand for sustainable tourism while providing their clients with more authentic and rewarding travel experiences,” explained Brian T. Mullis, president of Sustainable Travel International. “We’re happy to provide them with a distance learning solution that will help them take advantage of the benefits of sustainable tourism.”

“Virtuoso was pleased to support the development of a sustainable travel course in collaboration with The Travel Institute and Sustainable Travel International,” says Mindy Exum, managing director of training & professional development at Virtuoso. “Global economists continue to forecast that international tourism is one of the world’s largest growing industries in the world, increasing three to six percent annually depending on location. We want to encourage awareness and the need for everyone in the travel business to take a responsible approach to tourism so that the world’s remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures are protected and preserved for generations to come.”

The interactive Sustainable Travel Specialist course is available online in The Travel Institute’s e-Learning Center as well as on disk. To learn more about all The Travel Institute’s Lifestyle Specialist courses, visit www.thetravelinstitute.com.

About The Travel Institute
Established in 1964, The Travel Institute serves as a community of knowledge and insight for all travel professionals. Through innovative education programs, professional certifications and customized learning solutions, The Institute fulfills its non-profit mission to promote a standard of industry knowledge and excellence. For more information about The Travel Institute, visit www.thetravelinstitute.com or call (800) 542-4282.

About Sustainable Travel International
Sustainable Travel International (STI) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable development through responsible travel by providing programs that help travelers, businesses and destinations protect the environment, preserve cultural heritage and promote economic development. STI is dedicated to taking a holistic approach to addressing sustainable development within the travel and tourism industries by providing solutions-oriented programs that generate tangible results and affect long-lasting change. For more information, visit www.sustainabletravelinternational.org or call (800) 276-7764.

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