Compass Travel Academy is a comprehensive educational program designed to expand your knowledge of the world around you and prepare you for a career in the travel industry.

The Compass Travel Academy program is completed online, allowing you to study at your convenience and complete the coursework from your own home. At the end of the program, you will be prepared to take the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) exam, a nationally recognized exam given by The Travel Institute in conjunction with Compass Travel Academy in an online format.

Compass Travel Academy’s unique online travel school program was built to truly prepare students for success on the TAP Test and for work in all segments of the travel industry.

Unlike many other travel schools, Compass Travel Academy utilizes practical application of travel agent concepts, in additional to traditional textbook learning procedures. Furthermore, the students of Compass Travel Academy will receive valuable support from experienced travel professionals who work in the travel industry and as a result, be set on a course for future success as a travel professional.

The Compass Travel Academy’s online training program is divided into three learning modules: Exploring the World, Travel Career Development, and Home-Based Agent. The Compass Travel Academy Portal is the website where you will access the course outlines, handouts, Compass Point exercises and assignments for each of the three learning modules.

The program has rolling enrollment, so you can start your coursework at any time throughout the year. The coursework is divided into weekly assignments that can be completed over the course of a year. You will have one year from your registration date to complete both the coursework and take the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) Test.

The cost of Compass Travel Academy’s self-paced training program is only 595.00. (Take advantage of our Full Payment Option and save $100. See FAQ for more details.). This fee covers course training, access to our online portal website, and all textbooks and workbooks needed for the program including shipping.

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The leaders of Compass Travel Academy are working, travel industry professionals with over 75 years of experience in the travel industry.

Rick Zimmerman
President, Compass Travel Academy
President & CEO, KHM Travel Group
Life has a way of taking us back to our roots, and that's certainly the case with Rick. He began in the travel industry fresh out of college where he worked as a travel agent for a small mom and pop agency in Cleveland, Ohio. Rick left the travel industry to follow his brother into the residential construction industry where he spent the next twenty-five years. In early 2002 he began to dabble in travel again. One thing led to another and KHM Travel Group was founded. The driving force behind the creation of Compass Travel Academy, Rick’s goal is for CTA to become the best travel school in the business.

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Terri Camsdale
Director of Studies, CompassTravelAcademy
Training Director, KHM Travel Group
Terri serves as Director of Studies for Compass Travel Academy. As KHM Travel Group’s resident agent educator she led the charge to create the Compass Travel Academy Program. Terri’s travel industry career began 26 years ago by attending the Travel and Tourism Program at Southeastern Travel Academy in Orlando, FL.  She moved up the ranks from working in a mom and pop travel agency in her hometown, to earning her Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) certificate and Destination Specialist designation for the South Pacific and Australia.  She has traveled extensively in the United States and the Caribbean, although one of her favorite destinations is Africa.  All this travel has enabled her to pursue two of her favorite hobbies, photography and target shooting.

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Lisa Morris
Program Administrator, CompassTravelAcademy
Project Coordinator, KHM Travel Group
Lisa’s experience literally spans the globe. She began her travel career 24 years ago as agency-based travel agent straight out of SoutheasternTravelAcademy in Florida, then transitioned into a corporate travel agent. Lisa also served as a travel and tourism instructor at a business college.  Then, the lure of warm weather and sunny beaches drew her to Miami where she worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Eventually Lisa took to the skies as a flight attendant, traveling to all the places across the globe to which she used to only send her clients. From New Zealand to Rio De Janiero to Paris, if you need travel guidance, Lisa’s probably been there.  But by far, after so many years of traveling, her favorite place to be is back home in Ohio with her family, continuing her career with CompassTravelAcademy and KHM Travel Group.

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Cyndi Hansen
Instructor, CompassTravelAcademy
Agent Trainer, KHM Travel Group
Cyndi's career in marketing began before she even finished college. At only 19, she began working in a competitive sales industry earning her trips, bonuses and awards. During this time, she finished up her marketing degree on an evening and weekend program. Over the past 20 years, she has had a career in sales, sales management, sales training, and marketing, and her most important role as "Mom." CCyndi also worked for Dale Carnegie Training where she was a training consultant. During her time with this company, she became a public speaker, assisted in the instruction of sales training, and sold Dale Carnegie Training programs to middle and upper lever management. Most recently, Cyndi has been a mom to her three kids and resides in Medina, OH. Since she is now sending her youngest off to Kindergarten, Cyndi has decided to re-enter the work force and become part of the team with KHM Travel. She is looking forward to working with each and every one of our agents to help make their business a success.

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Burt Kramer
Executive Director, Compass Travel Academy
Agency Director, KHM Travel Group
Burt's been travelling since before he started walking. He had a father that loved to take the family to places all over the United States and Canada. When Burt started his family, he wanted to share the same experiences with his wife and three sons. Travel just seems to be a natural part of Burt.

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