CDME Recertification Frequently Asked Questions

• You need to recertify every four years.

• Recertification happens in December for everyone, no matter your initial certification date. So, if you're recertifying for the first time, and you earned your credential in the summer, you will in essence have an additional five months in which to earn credits. 

• You need to earn 40 continuing education credits in order to submit your recertification application.

  • These continuing education activities must be travel and tourism industry-related.

  • Activities do not have to be sponsored by or pre-approved by Destinations International.

  • You should assess activities to be sure they qualify; if you are unsure of a certain activity, you may verify with Destinations International education staff.

  • Continuing education covers many categories and activities but should be travel and tourism industry related.

• You will not need provide documentation of your continuing education activities when you submit your recertification application.

  • You should keep supporting documents for two years, as Destinations International conducts periodic audits of recertification applications.

• Recertification credits are calculated based on the following guidelines.

  • You may earn any number of credits per year, earn all your credits in one year, or over the course of four years.

  • One (1) recertification credit is equivalent to 50 minutes (including question and answer sessions) of instruction in an eligible topic area.

  • Credits earned are to be reported in whole numbers and are never rounded up.

  • Only qualified educational activities in approved topics should be reported.

  • An activity should be listed exactly as the title appears on the printed materials for the event.

  • You do not need to forward documentation supporting your attendance or participation to Destinations International when filing your recertification credits, but you must maintain those records for two years in the event of an audit.

Example: a seminar running from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and includes a one-hour lunch and two fifteen-minute breaks. There are a total of 480 minutes in the day, minus 60 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for breaks, so there are 390 minutes of instruction. One recertification credit is earned for every 50 minutes of instruction, so 390 minutes divided by 50 equals 7.8. This seminar earned 7 credits (no rounding up).

Certificants evaluate their own recertification activities and determine the appropriate number of recertification credits based on the information outlined above. Destinations International does not review and approve recertification activities for certificants. Please review the Maintaining Your CDME Credential requirements to determine if an activity is eligible.

It is the responsibility of each CDME to maintain records documenting recertification activities for up to two years from the end of the recertification reporting cycle in the event they are selected for the random audit.

The documentation must contain the:

• Name of the sponsoring organization of the presentation or conference (e.g., Destinations International, ASAE, MPI, State CVB Association, etc.)

• Title of the activity or presentation (e.g., The Return of the Road Trip)

• Date of the activity (the date must fall within your four-year recertification cycle)

• Length of each educational session attended (minus breaks and meals).

• If the program is advertised by the organizer as being eligible for CDME credits, the attendance confirmation form distributed by the program provider for two years; it does not need to be submitted (NOTE: programs need not be pre-approved by Destinations International to be eligible for credits).

• Contact information for the program sponsor or event organizer who could verify your attendance if you are audited

1. Earn 40 recertification credits by December 31 of the year in which you are due to recertify.

2. Report your credits and complete the recertification form.

3. Submit the form to [email protected] and pay the recertification fee no later than December 31. You will be provided a link to pay the fee online via email once your form has been approved.

4. Destinations International staff will review and approve your form.

5. A Recertification Certificate will be sent within 2-4 weeks of approval.