Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM)
Start anytime
Study anywhere
Practical skills
Be job ready
Affordable from US$520*
Pathway to Digital Master program
12 Months Access
Globally recognised
Benefits of the CHDM designation
This is the certification for hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue management professionals who want to:
- demonstrate their proficiency globally
- expand their current role or move into a digital role
- upskill and become more proficient
- better understand how digital marketing intersects with and impacts their areas of responsibility
Today’s CHDMs carry many titles including:
- Director of eCommerce
- Director of Sales & Marketing
- Director of Revenue Management
- Corporate & regional hotel marketer
- Agency employees who want to upskill on the digital field in hospitality
- General Manager
- Asset Manager
- Owner
4 Reasons why you should get certified now!
This course was created by the HSMAI Digital Marketing Council. The leaders in hotels around the globe have worked together to create a curriculum for people looking to grow their careers in Digital Marketing.
Check the PDF for the list of people involved in developing this edition.
HSMAI Members US$520- Non-members US$645
Includes:
- The CHDM Study Guide Hospitality Digital Marketing Essentials: A Field Guide for Navigating Today’s Digital Landscape (see the study guide table of contents for an overview)
- 1-year to complete the exam
- Certification Syllabus
- Globally recognised certification
- The right to use the designation CHDM designation after your name.
How to get Certified
-
Apply
Download and complete the application form including your work experience
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Payment
Once your application is accepted by HSMAI, then you'll need to pay the fee for Certification
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Start
Once your application has been approved and payment is received, you will receive a digital copy of the study guide
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Exam
When you feel ready to take the exam, you may take the exam online at any time, 24/7
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Get Your Certification
Once you pass the exam, you will recieve your certification and will be entitled to use the CHDM letters after your name
Get Started!
To apply for the CHDM designation you must complete the CHDM application form through HSMAI to demonstrate your eligibility. Directions for where to send the application and payment are in the form. Eligibility is determined by four main areas. To qualify, you must have a minimum of 50 points:
Download the relevant application form to apply.
For Asia Pacific Residents, download the application form to apply.
For Marriott and Associates and Franchisees, download the application form to apply. Select the Marriott International CHDM Application. By doing so, you will be given the HSMAI-Marriott International version of the study course and exams, as well as special pricing as detailed in the application:
For Best Western and Associates and Franchisees, download the application form to apply. Select the Marriott International CHDM Application. By doing so, you will be given the HSMAI-Marriott International version of the study course and exams, as well as special pricing as detailed in the application
- The current state of Online Distribution
- The Digital Marketing funnel
- The Customer Journey
The next sections divides media in 3 areas to make it easier to understand.
This is any media that is directly controlled by you. The most obvious is your website but can also include social sites, database/email marketing, blogs, and so on.
- The Hotel Website
- Content & Merchandising
- Mobile Websites & Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for hotels
- Rich Media
- Voice Search & Chatbots
- Email Marketing
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Loyalty & Recognition
- Digital for Pre-stay, On-site and Post-stay
It is called “earned” media because it often requires effort and know-how to get it; you can’t buy it — you must earn it. In a traditional sense it might be PR or word of mouth advertising but in the digital world this becomes mentions in blogs, posts, websites, review sites, and so on. While it takes effort (and sometimes cost) to garner earned media, it is often among the most powerful because it is deemed by consumers as “unbiased” information.
- Social Media
- Public Relations
- Reviews & Reputation Management
This includes any media that requires that you pay the “publisher” for that media unit. This includes paid search, display advertising, social media advertising (including “boosting posts”), subscription services (e.g., Trip Advisor Business Listing), and the myriad of other paid advertising vehicles.
- Paid Search
- Programmatic Display Media
- Affiliate Marketing
- Metasearch
- Social Media & Native
- Advertising
- OTA Paid Media
- Online Travel Agents
- Group Intermediaries
- Location based marketing
- Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality & 360 views
- Artificial Intelligence
- Website Analytics
- Analytics & Attribution modelling
- Vendor Management
Payment should only be made after you have been approved by HSMAI.
Payment can be made by Paypal or Credit Card in US Dollars. Please check the instructions on your specific application form.
For groups of 5 or more, an invoice can be issued for payment by bank transfer if requested.
For groups of 10 or more, bulk discounts can be provided. (See Contact us)
Questions about any of our certifications can be directed to:
Certifications expire on December 31, two years from the year a person originally certified (e.g., if you certified in 2017, regardless of which month of the year, your certification is due for renewal by December 31, 2019).
To be recertified, no exam is required; however, CHDMs must participate in a minimum of 20 hours of digital marketing training. Training can include, but is not limited to, conferences, webinars and e-learning, college or graduate level courses, etc. All training points claimed must have been earned since the date of initial CHDM certification or last renewal. Therefore it is important that you keep track of all your education and training activities each year even after receiving the CHDM.
Annual recertification notices are sent as a courtesy in the first quarter of the year in which the individual is due for renewal and additional reminders are sent throughout the year. With that notice, CHDMs receive information regarding the recertification process and instructions to access the recertification application form and guidelines.
The completed application and recertification fee is due October 15. A late fee will be applied to applications received between October 16 and December 31. It is the CHDM’s responsibility to make a note of their recertification date, which is provided on the CHDM certificate mailed after successful completion of the examination. Adhering to all deadlines is the responsibility of the CHDM.
Hoteliers explain why you should get Certified!
“Having taken the CHDM certification myself and then being part of a team of industry experts to help update the 2018 Certification, it has become clear to me that that knowledge and understanding of the key topics covered in the certification will benefit everyone; from digital marketers to GM’s and everyone in between as it gives a broad overview of what is required to be a successful for a hotel (or hotelier) in the digital age.”
— Dan Wacksman, CHDM,
SVP, Marketing and Distribution,
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts
“When I review resumes for openings or am interviewing candidates with similar backgrounds, I feel more confident in choosing applicants with their CHDM certification. I feel like they have taken the time to understand the fundamentals of the industry and how it applies to our hotels, and thus will hit the ground running with a leg up on other candidates.”
— Jay Hubbs,
SVP E-Commerce,
Remington Hotels
“When we consider the convergence of multiple disciplines within our industry, revenue management and eCommerce are increasingly finding areas of overlap within the complexity of digital echo system. It is for this reason that revenue managers with CHDM’s become an integral part of an organization due to their ability to improve the discourse as it relates to the digital conversation.”
– John Jimenez,
Director of eCommerce,
Noble Investment Group
