Certified in Hospitality Business Acumen (CHBA)
Now more than ever it is essential that you know what contributes to the bottom line of your business, not only from your perspective, but from all departments. You have to demonstrate business acumen.
The CHBA is an online course and professional certification in business acumen that is relevant and respected around the globe. Hospitality professionals in more than 40 countries have the CHBA certification.
This five-week course gives you an opportunity to practice all the concepts you learn. Via a robust online simulation, it places you in the seat of a hotel general manager making decisions on pricing, marketing and advertising, staffing, and capital investment in a live, simulated competitive set over a 12-month business cycle. Participants compete against each other for the most profitable hotel.
The course requires a time commitment of approximately four hours per week. Three of these hours are flexible, allowing participants to complete e-learning and simulation exercises at their convenience. The weekly live web conference is mandatory, as it plays a key role in ensuring your success in achieving certification.
At the end of the course, the applicant will take the online CHBA exam to earn the certification.
Upcoming Sessions for 2025:
- Every Wednesday from January 22nd – February 19th inclusive
- Every Wednesday from June 11th – July 9th inclusive
- Every Wednesday from September 10th – October 8th inclusive
Here’s why you should consider the CHBA
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I recently completed the Certified Hotel Business Acumen (CHBA) course, and it exceeded my expectations. The course was incredibly well-structured, and the simulations were a standout feature. They provided hands-on experience with real hotel business scenarios, allowing me to apply what I had learned and sharpen my problem-solving skills. The simulations were thoughtfully designed, offering practical experience without the pressure of real-world stakes. This approach significantly boosted my confidence and has prepared me to tackle challenges in the hospitality industry. Overall, the CHBA course was both valuable and rewarding. I’m confident that the skills and knowledge I gained will have a lasting impact on my career. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their expertise in the hospitality field.
Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, Director of Revenue
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The CHBA course provided a wealth of insights and information, helping me shift from a narrow revenue-focused perspective to a more comprehensive, 360-degree view of the hospitality business. It truly broadened my understanding and approach.
Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Regional Revenue Analyst, MEA & Africa
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Taking on the role of a General Manager provided invaluable insights of what truly team work means. The instructor's expertise and enthusiasm were inspiring. I gained a deeper understanding of how every team, from finance, to housekeeping to revenue and sales and marketing, plays a vital role in a hotel's success. This course has equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to excel in my career outside of my day-to-day responsibilities in the sales and marketing scope.
IHG ® Hotels & Resorts, Key Account Director Leisure – Global Sales
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Completing the CHBA program has been a transformative experience, greatly enhancing my skills and perspective in the hospitality industry. I am grateful to HSMAI ME for this valuable opportunity and highly recommend their programs to professionals seeking to elevate their expertise.
Director of Operations, Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel
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I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the wonderful experience I had during the course. Your extreme efforts to make the sessions joyful and helpful were highly appreciated. Thank you for your dedication and support throughout the program.
Director Of Sales & Marketing, Millennium Central Kuwait Downtown
Elevate your team’s performance with our globally recognized certification for hospitality professionals who are seeking to sharpen their hospitality business acumen.
The course enables participants to demonstrate their hospitality business acumen proficiency, upgrade their skills, and drives an elevated understanding of the hospitality industry and how it operates. It demonstrates to your employer and your professional community that you’re committed to advancing your knowledge, skillset, and expertise.
The CHBA certification is based on the online study provided with the course. Topic areas include:
– Targeting Business Priorities — Using financial statements to determine action
Provides complete competence in using the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement to target the business priorities that will produce business results. You will become financially fearless in putting financial information to use for you.
– Managing Business Priorities — Using lodging metrics that matter
You will have mastery of the STR metrics, terminology, and lodging calculations that assist you in turning business priorities into measurable business results. You will be competent in measuring both internal business results and indexing those results against the field of competitors.
– Leading Business Priorities — Communicating for results
Turning business priorities into business results means working through and with other people. Here you will learn your own communications characteristics and how to put them to best use in one-to-one and group communications that drive business results.
– Partnering in Owner Priorities — Partnering in ownership goals
While the goals of owners and managers are similar, their views, jargon, and calculations may be quite different. Here you will learn the owner’s side, enabling you to partner effectively with owners in areas of asset management, capital investment, contracts, and return on equity.
To be eligible for the CHBA program, candidates must:
– Have professional experience within the hospitality industry or currently be enrolled in a hospitality college or university program.
– Register and pay the certification program fee.
Note: This course is ideal for — but not limited to — sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and operations professionals.
The registration fee includes application processing, online study materials, a five-week course, and the exam.
Instructor-Led 5-week Class: Member/Non-member
Registration Fee: $625
Recertification Fee: $45
The five-week online course requires participants to commit to a minimum of four hours per week during which they will complete online study, work within the hotel simulation, and participate in a weekly web conference. The online study and simulation work can be completed at times of the participant’s choosing but must be completed by each weekly deadline. The course instructor provides guidance throughout the course and has more than 25 years of hospitality experience. Participants take the online exam at the conclusion of the five weeks.
CHBAs are not required to renew their certification, and no maintenance of certification is required.
Click here to download the CHBA Course Description.
