Who runs the scheme?  
The ATP scheme is operated by ABTA but works in association with the ITT, People 1st and a number of industry partners.

Does my company need to be a member of ABTA for me to join? 
No. 

Why should l join the ATP scheme?
For recognition as a travel professional by your customers, employer and colleagues.

What are the benefits to me of joining the scheme?
Recognition that you have the skills, knowledge and experience to give excellent service and are contributing to the success of your organisation. 

You will also qualify for an excellent benefits package which includes significant discounts on High Street products and services like clothes, food, entertainment, fitness clubs and meals.

ATP members also qualify for a 10% discount on ABTA seminars which translates to a significant saving.

Members will also have a record of all their training and development.

How do I know if I qualify to join?
If you have 2 years experience working in the travel industry or alternatively have one years experience and hold an NVQ at Level 2 in Travel and Tourism Services, it is highly likely that you can join straight away.  Dependent on your qualifications and experience, you will be eligible for one of three levels of membership.  Full details can be found on the Join Up area of the ATP website, at www.travelprofessional.co.uk

How much would it cost me to join?
Annual membership charges are £25.  The benefits on High Street products and services that membership will bring you will more than pay for your annual fees.  More details can be found on the ATP website, at www.travelprofessional.co.uk  Some companies will support their staff by contributing to this annual fee.  Check with your HR department.

How will people know I’m on the scheme?
You will be presented with an ATP member’s badge, bronze, silver or gold in colour to show your level of membership and once you are a member, you can download  a certificate from the website to display at your place of work.

How do l apply?
On-line through the ATP website, www.travelprofessional.co.uk.   It couldn’t be simpler.  You will either be able to join immediately or the ATP scheme administrator will contact you to sort out any queries. 

You will have to supply some information to gain membership.  Simply follow the joining instructions as you go along.

What will I receive if successful?
A badge which reflects your level of membership.  By wearing this and displaying your certificate (downloadable from the website) customers and colleagues will give you the recognition you deserve for your expertise as a travel industry professional.

What happens if I am not successful?
You will receive a message from the  ATP administrator, indicating why not.  We will always encourage you to re-apply and help you to do so.

What happens if I have worked for less than 2 years in the travel industry?
If you have an NVQ Level 2 in Travel and Tourism Services, you are probably eligible to join straight away.  If not, you won’t be eligible to join at the moment, but you can register your interest and we will contact you when you can apply.

How do I retain my membership?
By keeping your skills up to date through a range of activities, many of which you can undertake within your normal job role.  For each activity you undertake, you will be awarded points, towards an annual required total of 20 points.  For example, if you go on a FAM trip, you would earn points, particularly if you came back and briefed your colleagues on what you had seen and done.  Or, by participating in your weekly staff training, attending a trade exhibition like WTM or the Business Travel Show, or reading the trade press, you would earn points.  In-house training or taking professional qualifications would also boost your total points.  For all these activities, known as continuous professional development (CPD), you can update your points on-line.  See the ATP website, www.travelprofessional.co.uk for more information. 

When do I start collecting my 20 CPD points? 
As soon as you are successful in becoming a member of the ATP scheme.  From day 1, you can start counting up the points to retain your membership. You can claim some points retrospectively but only up to six months previously from the date of your validation. Any points that you try to claim that fall outside that period will not be accepted.

Do I need to collect points before I join?
No – joining is simply telling us what training and development, experience and qualifications you already have. 

What happens if the training I have completed is not listed on the ATP website?
There are a number of answers to this question! 
1. You can approach the supplier with whom you had the training and ask them if they have thought of supporting the ATP scheme.  Encourage them to contact Vicki Wolf at vwolf@abta.co.uk – once the training has been accredited, you can claim the allocated points.
2. If this does not happen, you can claim 1 point under the category “Non-ATP-accredited training”.  If at a later date this becomes accredited, click on Contact Administrator on your site and get help to add the extra points.
3. You can always contact the administrator for any advice.

If I join at one level of membership, can I progress to another level?
Yes.  By gaining more experience within the travel industry, by length of service, through job promotion and perhaps adding to your portfolio of qualifications – any of these would enable you to enhance your membership.  Visit the website www.travelprofessional.co.uk for more details.

Do I have to pay a registration fee annually, or is it just to be paid on joining?
These fees are due annually.

How do I renew my membership?
You will get a reminder when your membership needs renewing.  It’s simple and quick and all on-line through the ATP website.

Can the public, our customers, visit the ATP website?
Yes.  Anyone can visit the website provided they know the address, but entering information onto the website and access to the benefits scheme is for members only.

Could the public contact the ATP scheme and make a complaint about a member?
Yes, the public can contact the ATP scheme, but they will immediately be advised to contact the travel company with whom they have the complaint to sort the matter out directly with them.  The ATP scheme will not intervene between travel companies and their customers in any situation.

How do I get my queries answered?
By clicking on the administrator icon on the website and sending an email with your query

Does the scheme guarantee confidentiality?
Yes, we guarantee confidentiality.  You will have your own password to access your own information.  No one else will have this password unless you tell them.

I am a training provider.  Can I join the scheme?
No, not as a member.  However, you can submit your training programmes to be mapped against the national occupational standards for Travel and Tourism Services and members can then be awarded points for completing your courses.  There is normally a small charge for this mapping to be done. 

Why map your programmes?

Travel companies and training providers can have their training or events accredited so that industry professionals undertaking the training or attending the event can use it towards the CPD points they require for ATP membership.

Accredited training is “mapped” against the industry’s national occupational standards in Travel and Tourism Services (set by People 1st – the Sector Skills Council for the travel industry).  By comparing the content of the training with the content of the knowledge aspect of the standards, points are awarded, thus enabling ATP members to use this training towards the 20 points they need to obtain each year to stay in the scheme.  For management training, the mapping has been undertaken against the content of the ILM standards to reflect the more generic skills needed at supervisory and management levels.  ATP only accredits the knowledge aspect of the training. ATP accreditation is not an endorsement of the training as we do not assess the delivery of that training.

Accredited training is publicised to ATP members through the ATP website www.travelprofessional.co.uk. You will also be able to let members know about this training through our ATP newsletter and through ABTA Today - ABTA's biweekly e-bulletin.

You may be interested in sponsoring a competition for ATP members to publicise your training. A number of companies have run competitions for those ATP members that complete their training in a certain period.

There is a small fee for mapping which depends on the length of the programme. These cost vary from as little as £35 for a short online programme to £400 for a 2 day industry seminar. ABTA members and ABTA Travel Industry Partners (TIPs) receive a discounted rate. For more information on these fees and how to have your training accredited contact Vicki Wolf on 020 3117 0549 or email vwolf@abta.co.uk.

I work in a college.  Can I join the scheme?
If you are updating your industry expertise on a regular basis and have in the past worked in a travel agency or for a tour operator, you can make an application to join.

I provide services to the travel industry.  Can I join, even though I don’t actually work in travel?
No, this is just for people who work in the travel industry.