USATPCertified

USA Tour Pros Certification Takes Shape

USA Tour Pros has released our new USA Tour Pros Certified logo (above) which we will be issuing to both Tour Pros and USA businesses starting in November 2010. Individual Tour Pros will be able to gain city-specific Certification by passing a city test right here on usatourpros.com. The test will demonstrate the Tour Pro possess a sufficient knowledge of the city and its history. The Tour Pro will also need to obtain one recommendation from a Tour Operator who has used their services within the past year and were pleased with their performance as both a trustworthy and experienced professional. In the case of businesses, they must demonstrate they are both welcoming and accommodating to tour groups. All businesses earning our certification will first need to offer a group discount to qualify for the certification.

Certified USA Tour Pros will be issued a lapel pin and ID card which clearly identifies their status. This ID card will need to be shown to a USA Tour Pros Certified business to obtain the specific group discount. All Certified businesses will display a sticker near/on their front door to identify their standing.

By offering our new USATP Certifications, we hope to raise the professional image and awareness of our trained professionals, and all of the accommodating businesses, industry-wide. Too often we all have been in the company of a “professional” who has demonstrated less-than a firm understanding of a city and its history. Likewise, some businesses will tell you they welcome groups only to show you their true colors once you have the group in their doors and the orders are in. It’s time to hold both fellow Tour Pros and the businesses we frequent up to a higher standard.

We plan to begin offering our online city exams following the Fall Foliage tour season, most likely in November 2010. We will be soliciting USA Tour Pros ambassadors in cities across America to enroll local businesses at that time. If you’re interested in joining our team, or just would like to let me know what you think about our Certification program, email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Thanks for your interest and we’ll be in touch!
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And remember, USA Tour Pros is not just North America’s leading Tour Professional’s resource and social-networking Web site, but we are TOTALLY FREE for Tour Pros! So register today!

Tom Schoenewald President USA Tour Pros: Leading the Way.

From // The USATP Blog

Monday, August 16, 2010

USA Tour Pros releases THIRD Edition of NYC Study Pack

Image - USA Tour Pros releases THIRD Edition of NYC Study Pack

USA Tour Pros has completed a revision of our very well-received NYC Study Pack utilized by future Licensed NYC Tour Guides in their preparation for the exam. This is our THIRD Edition and is available to all in either an electronic or hard-copy version. We are proud to say that 100% of those who have used our NYC Study Pack have passed the NYC Sightseeing Exam, with 95% earning a star of distinction for their high score.

Daniel Minchew, who attended our Second NYC Training Session, said: “Whenever you plan to get the NYC license, I cannot recommend highly enough the prep course that Tom Schoenewald and Alice Devereaux at USA Tour Pros offer. While nothing is fully guaranteed, their students have a 100% pass rate. The study guide is brilliant!”

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Posted by Tom Schoenewald on Aug 16, 2010 – 11:10 AM
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Recent entries //

Checking In with our Tour Pros

An update to what we’ve been doing at USA Tour Pros.

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Posted by Tom Schoenewald on Jul 28, 2010 – 1:12 PM
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Ground Zero’s Shame: the Death Hawkers

Nothing is as moving in NYC as a visit to Ground Zero. Nothing is as nauseating as the profiteers of Ground Zero.

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Posted by Tom Schoenewald on Mar 19, 2010 – 5:13 PM
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Spotlight // Diane S. Mensch

Education: Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario M.Ed., B.A., B.Ed.
Prior to tour directing, I worked as a teacher both internationally and domestically, spending 15 years living in numerous African countries—Chad, Namibia, Tunisia, and South Africa—and exploring many others. Dual Canadian and American citizenships have allowed me to live and work in both the U.S. and Canada over the years, and I have travelled throughout Europe and Israel, and to many parts of North America and the Caribbean. I speak French fluently.

Abroad and at home I have organized events and gatherings of all shapes and sizes, but the ones I’m probably most proud of have been those involving youth and children, including arts and recreation, conferences, and summer schools. Community service has long been a pleasure.

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Spotlight // Mike Smith

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I am an ITMI-certified Tour Director looking to lead group tours both domestically and internationally. I have six years’ experience in the tourism industry and have traveled to more than 25 countries and lived in three. My areas of strong knowledge are New England, the Rocky Mountain States, and Southeast Asia, especially Thailand. I speak and read Thai and can get by in Spanish. I have over 20 years of business and customer-service background. In 2008 i added internatonal tours to my list of achievements, with tours to Russia and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam). A lot of fun with great groups!

I was born and raised in Massachusetts, halfway between Boston and Cape Cod. For the early part of my adult life, I managed my family’s heating/air conditioning/plumbing business. I also sold real estate in Boston for three years (paperwork and forms galore!!) and worked for an Internet banking software provider, downloading bank files onto our servers for Internet viewing. This job involved lots of problem-solving when computer glitches occurred (which we all know happens all too frequently).

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