BECOME A CERTIFIED AMBASSADOR

About the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) Program

Travel and tourism are big business. In Greater Columbus, visitors spend $7.6 billion each year and supports nearly 78,600 jobs like yours.

A positive visitor experience is critical to increasing the number of visitors to our city, how much they spend, and, most importantly, their desire to come back. The Greater Columbus Tourism Ambassador program was developed to foster a destination-wide culture of quality service and welcoming citizenry.

The Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA) program is a national certification and a respected professional achievement. Through this program, frontline employees, ambassadors, and volunteers will improve their knowledge of Greater Columbus, craft answers to frequently asked visitor questions, interact with peers, share best practices and develop a better understanding of their role in increasing tourism. CTAs will complete required reading and learning assignments, attend a half-day classroom session, and pass an open-book examination. When completed, participants will be a CTA and have the tools and knowledge to create a memorable visitor experience.

There is a one-time non-refundable, non-transferable application fee of $34 per person and an annual renewal fee of $20 per person.

You are invited to enroll in the Greater Columbus Tourism Ambassador program and join the area's 2,200+ CTAs and 45,000+ CTAs nationwide and in Bermuda who has earned this designation!

Upcoming CTA Classes:

Additional class dates to be announced soon. Please contact Marie Kuess with questions!

To learn more, contact:

Congratulations to Jeff Lafever, co-founder and tour coordinator for Columbus City Adventures, for being named the 2019 Greater Columbus CTA of the Year! Also, the Greater Columbus Convention Center was named the 2019 CTA Employer of the Year for the second year in a row! 

Pictured left to right: Michelle Wilson, Experience Columbus Jeff Lafever, Columbus City Adventures Mickey Schaeffer, The Experience Institute

Pictured left to right: Mickey Schaeffer, The Experience Institute Amy Huggins, Greater Columbus Convention Center Scott Keeton, Greater Columbus Convention Center Michelle Wilson, Experience Columbus

	2018 CTA of the Year Amanda Davis, Executive Director at Visit Grove City 2018 Employer of the Year Greater Columbus Convention Center
	2017 CTA of the Year Billy King, CTA, Security Administrative Supervisor at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 2017 Employer of the Year Visit Gahanna

2016 CTA of the Year Violet Mowry, CTA, Concierge at Columbus Hospitality Violet is also a CTA program facilitator.

2015 CTA of the Year Amy Huggins, CTA, CMP, Senior Customer and Guest Experience Manager for the Greater Columbus Convention Center Amy was also named the 2015 International CTA of the Year.