Here is an explanation of the difference between the training course and the certification.
CERTIFICATE
The “Certificate of Revenue Management (Hospitality) is a 10-course online program for people in the hotel industry with less than 3 years experience in a revenue role, or for hoteliers new to the Revenue function. Participants receive the Certificate in Revenue Management (Hospitality) from HSMAI. The cost is US$350 for Members and US$500 for non-members. You will have access to all 10-courses for 12 months from your enrolment date so you can revisit sections of the course whenever you need to.
CRME
The CRME is a Certification meaning that HSMAI is Certifying that you are an experienced Revenue Manager capable of performing the set of functions that the global HSMAI Revenue Advisory Board has set out as being the standard for Revenue Managers. You also need experience managing revenue to qualify. So, it’s a combination of your work experience and a study guide with an online exam you need to pass to gain the Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) Status.
If you still can’t decide, please feel free to contact us at HSMAI Academy
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Courses and subscriptions purchased on the HSMAI Academy site are licensed for individual use only. If you would like to share the material, you can use the “Share” link to notify friends and colleagues that they might enjoy purchasing the class themselves. You may also consider purchasing a Group Plan for your team. For more information please contact us.
The Individual CHBA is a self-paced online certification and training in business acumen for hospitality. It includes e-learning and a hotel simulation in which you “manage” a virtual hotel and make decisions affecting its profitability, competing against a computer. There are no prerequisites and no application – you can register and pay online to begin. The Group CHBA requires at least 7 people to register and go through it together. It is not open enrollment – usually a company puts a group of employees through the certification. It is a 5-week commitment with approximately 4 hours of homework per week and mandatory weekly conferences with an instructor. The e-learning is the same as the Individual CHBA, and in the hotel simulation you compete against your colleagues instead of the computer.
CHBA: Certified in Hospitality Business Acumen (CHBA) | HSMAI Americas
For the CRME, the CHDM, the CHSL, and the CRMA, the fee covers the application, the study guide, and the exam. For the CHBA, it covers the online course and the exam.
All certification exams have 50 multiple-choice questions and are timed for 60 minutes. The questions for each exam are drawn at random from a large question bank, and no two exams are alike. They are closed-book – you may not consult the study guide. The exam can be taken from anywhere there is reliable internet, 24-7.
If you don’t pass the first time, you can take it a second time for a fee of $45.
You can purchase a printed version of any study guide or HSMAI publication on our bookstore. The PDF version is covered by your certification application fee, but you can buy a printed version for an extra fee.
Bookstore: Publications & Study Guides | HSMAI Americas
You can complete the recertification application and return it to kathy.tindell@hsmai.org. You will be sent instructions for payment. The cost is $150 for members and $200 for nonmembers. The CRME and the CHSL must be recertified by December 31 of the third year after earning the certification or last recertifying; the CHDM must be recertified by December 31 of the second year after earning the certification or last recertifying. You never have to take another exam. You will receive a copy of the current study guide for your files and a new e-certificate confirming your certification.
Yes. You do not need to take another exam. Complete the application for recertification and return it to kathy.tindell@hsmai.org.
The member or nonmember fee is determined by individual membership, not corporate membership. However, if a company has put a large volume of its employees through a certification, their employees do qualify for the member price. You can submit the certification application, and you will receive an email letting you know if your experience qualifies you to proceed with the certification and if you qualify to pay the member fee. You will then be able to pay an invoice online and will receive the study guide to prepare for the exam.
Yes, there are more than 3,000 CRMEs from 80 countries; more than 1,400 CHDMs from 40 countries; and more than 1,000 CHBAs from more than 50 countries. The CHSL was launched in June 2024.
HSMAI certifications are created for hoteliers by hoteliers. Earning your CRME, CHDM, CHSL, or CHBA demonstrates to yourself, your employer, your colleagues, and your peers that you are an experienced professional with tactical and strategic expertise in the field of revenue optimization, marketing, sales, or business acumen respectively.
If you’re having difficulty identifying enough points on your application to qualify for a certification from HSMAI, please contact Kathy Tindell for guidance.
HSMAI Academy offers a variety of self-paced, on-demand courses in several disciplines, including sales, revenue management, digital marketing, distribution, business acumen, and more.
Specific pricing for each course is outlined on the description page for each course.
Start by reviewing the self-paced courses available.
For groups of 10 or more, bulk discounts are available. Contact the HSMAI Academy team for details.
If you study an individual course, you will receive a certificate of completion. If you complete the Certificate in Revenue Management or the Certificate in Digital Marketing and need a replacement certificate, contact HSMAI Academy
For proof of CRME, CHBA, CHSL and CHDM certifications, please contact Kathy Tindell.
Yes! You will receive a certificate of completion for each course you complete. The certificate is available at the end of the course.
As soon as you log in to a course, go to your profile and complete your full name as you would like it to be printed on the certificate. You must do this before you complete the first course.
On completion of the course you will be provided with access to the relevant certificate.
When applyng for a certification, you can claim points for courses you take from the HSMAI Academy.
Yes! Each course has a symbol (similar to below) showing how many professional development points you qualify for when applying for an HSMAI certification.
Definitions of terms and acronyms used in the commercial disciplines in hotels (sales, marketing, revenue management, and distribution) are outlined in here:
If you applied for and paid for a self-paced course, you will receive an email from HSMAI.exceed.careers with your login and password details.
To access the courses go to https://HSMAI.exceed.careers and use the email address you enrolled with to sign in.
If you forgot your password, use the “Forgot Login Detail” link and you will be prompted to recover your password.
If you have already enrolled, you can access the courses here.
If you haven’t enrolled, please check out our range of courses here.
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- Then, once you have your password email, go through the process to set up your password.
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https://hsmai.exceed.careers/start