Processing Your TPN Application
TPN's mission is to
validate true professional travel agents by
verifying travel industry sales, knowledge
and immersion. Following are the steps
necessary to gain one of the TPN
designations. The very first thing that you
need to do is to complete the TPN
Application.
1.
Complete the TPN
Application.
You should take your time completing the TPN
application, as you will be required to
substantiate the points that you are
declaring. Then, submit your application
along with the $49.95 processing fee.
2.
Complete the TPN Test: Once you have
submitted an application, you will receive a
link and password to take the TPN test. You
will need to register for the test with your
first and last name and your e-mail address.
Be sure that this information matches the
information on your application.
The test is
based on contemporary issues travel
professionals should know. You will need to
achieve a minimum score of 80% correct to
pass the test. Once you have completed the
test, you will immediately be provided with
your score and a graded copy of your test
indicating those questions you answered
incorrectly. Remember, the
test is self-monitored and has been designed
as an educational tool. Therefore, if you do
not achieve a passing grade on the first try, you may take
the test again. So, note your mistakes, take
time to learn the correct answers and then
try again, if necessary.
3.
Submit Your Documentation: Submit your
verification of monthly gross sales and the
executed TPN Code of Ethics and Agreement.
Minimum Gross Sales: You should
provide a copy of your Schedule C (or most
recent tax form), income statement, or dated
sales statement from supplier(s) which
verifies the gross sales you are claiming
from a consecutive 12 month period within
the previous 24 months. If utilizing a W-2
or 1099 you must supply documentation, on
your host’s or employer’s letterhead,
verifying your commission split arrangement
as well as your gross sales.
Execute
a Copy of the TPN Code of Ethics and
Agreement: You need to include a copy of
the TPN Code of Ethics and Agreement with
your documentation. Click on this link to
open a one-page .pdf copy for submission.
Submit Your
Article or
White Paper:
If you are applying for your ATP or DTP
designations and wish to use points for
submitting an article (800 words, 5 points)
or white paper (2,400 words, 10
points) use the above links to do so.
Other
Documentation That May be Requested
If the application
processor questions any of the immersion
points that you have claimed, you may be
contacted for further documentation. Should
this happen, following is a list of what may
be requested to document the points in
question.
The
Travel Institute: You may be requested
to submit a
copy of the certification (s) that you hold to
document the points.
CLIA: You may be requested to submit a copy of the designation
that you have earned for the points that you
have claimed.
ARC: You may be requested to submit a copy of the ARC Specialist
award.
Supplier Designations: You may be
requested to submit a copy of
each diploma or designation that you are
declaring. A letter from the supplier in
lieu of a copy will suffice.
Industry Conventions and Trade Shows:
You may be requested to send proof of
attendance. If
you still have your name badges, send those.
Cancelled checks, registration packets or
any other items that will prove that you
were in attendance will suffice.
Personal Travel Experiences: You may be
requested to submit receipts,
copies of checks, or any other type to prove
that you have completed a personal travel
experience. This could be a city or port
visit, ship or property inspection, cruise,
tour or resort experience. Anything that
will validate your stated point count.
Industry Seminars: This could be cruise
seminars, fam trips, supplier seminars or
other seminars designed to train travel
professionals. Copies of checks paid for the
seminars, name badges or registration forms
are all forms of documentation. You may be
requested to validate that you actually
accomplished them.
Travel Industry Tenure: You might be
requested to validate your industry tenure. How many years
have you been in the travel industry? This
could be documented by past 1099s, W-2s or
any other way to demonstrate your tenure.
Travel School Graduate: You may be
requested to submit a copy of
your diploma.
AA
Degree in Travel and Tourism (or Related):
You may be requested to submit a copy of your degree (s).
BA
/ BS / MS in Travel and Tourism (or Related):
You may be requested to submit a copy of your degree (s)
Travel Industry Association Membership:
You may be requested to submit a copy of your membership card or
registration for each association
of
which you are a member.
Travel Industry Activism:
You may be
requested to submit a
description of your activist role for each
area
of
which you have been involved in a leadership
capacity.
Once you have completed all steps in the
application process and NEC Consultants has
determined you have fulfilled all the
requirements for earning your designation,
you will receive a congratulatory e-mail
along with a downloadable designee
certificate and TPN logo. If you prefer, a
parchment certificate, suitable for
framing, can be mailed to you at the
additional cost of $8.95.
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