TRAVERSE CITY — Two Traverse City Tourism executives were recently recognized for achieving advanced education in the travel industry.

Destinations International, the global association for Destination Management Organizations announced Trevor Tkach and Whitney Waara earned their Certified Destination Management Executive certification at the annual convention recently held in Tampa, Florida.

The CDME program is the tourism industry’s highest individual educational achievement that targets destination management professionals. It’s designed to focus on vision and leadership when creating business strategies.

The two were among 68 people from around the country who earned the certification.

Tkach serves as the president of Traverse City Tourism and said hospitality in northern Michigan is dynamic and ever-changing.

“If we are going to have a positive impact on the communities in our region, we need to stay connected with trends and successful techniques to manage this evolving industry,” Tkach said.

Traverse City Tourism is an independent, not-for-profit destination organization that promotes the greater Traverse City area as a leisure and business destination.

Waara is the travel organization’s CEO and said the certification process is challenging but rewarding.

“The leadership skills from this training will play a critical role for (the) development of hospitality, both within our market and with our partners around the state,” Waara said.

CDME Board of Directors chair Brett Oetting said earning the CDME designation marks a significant professional milestone.

“It’s crucial that senior (travel) executives possess the strategic skills necessary to advance their communities and organizations,” Oetting said.

Destinations International is among the world’s largest resource for travel destinations with the goal of supporting education, leadership and providing resources for travel professionals.

More information about the organization is available at: www.destinationsinternational.org.