Darlene McLendon, President/CEO of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce, has earned certification as a Travel Marketing Professional from STS Marketing College. Certification is granted upon completion of a nationally recognized three year course of study as well as successful research and community presentation on two travel related projects.

The certification program is a project of Southeast Tourism Society, a 12-state professional association that promotes travel and tourism in the Southeast. The Class of 2017 was announced at the inaugural STS Connections conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mrs. McLendon was among 79 graduates in the Class of 2017. Since inception in 1992, STS Marketing College has graduated almost 1,100 TMPs. The program uses facilities at the University of North Georgia at Dahlonega to teach travel marketing for a week each summer.

“There is no other program like STS Marketing College in the country. Every TMP is marked as a person who is versed in travel industry knowledge and practicalities,” said Bill Hardman, STS president and CEO.

Instructors are travel industry professionals such as convention and visitors bureau executives, public relations practitioners, sales and marketing consultants, and research experts.

Study topics include special events marketing, media relations, tourism advertising, vacation research, crisis management, heritage tourism and community/rural tourism. In addition to classroom work, students also must complete two projects that relate to the travel/toursim industry.

Tourism ranks among the top three industries in all STS states, which stretch from Virginia to Louisiana.

When asked about the importance of this specialized training, Mrs. McLendon stated, “With the Chamber’s move into the downtown corridor of Perry, we have the privilege to serve our visitors in a way never before seen by the Chamber.  The timing of this certification couldn’t have been better.  We are already putting into practice some of the lessons learned and look forward to being part of the tourism success of Perry.”