"California Expert", an online training programme for Indian travel agents located at www.californiaexpert.in, was launched in September 2011 during the U.S. Travel Association’s India Trade Mission. The objective of the online training programme is to educate and increase awareness of the diverse California destination among travel agents who receive certification upon completion. To date, the "California Expert" programme has registered an impressive 1,121 travel agents which has been completed by 514 travel agents.
"Visit California is committed to building a long term relationship with the Indian traveler, and travel professionals are instrumental in establishing that connection," said Leona Reed, Visit California’s Senior Director of International Marketing. "We customized our online training programme for India’s travel trade to help them become California Experts and better serve their clients interested in experiencing everything the Golden State has to offer. The response to the programme has been phenomenal so far, and we look forward to welcoming increasing numbers of visitors from India thanks to these newly credentialed California Experts."
The first one hundred travel professionals to complete the programme were eligible to participate in a prize drawing through which two lucky agents were awarded a VIP trip to California. The winners - Nikunj Jain of Paras Holidays, New Delhi and Anaita Elavia of Vacations Exotica, Mumbai - each received a trip to California which includes return airfare, accommodation in Los Angeles and San Francisco, sight-seeing with CityPASS and shopping discounts at Macy’s.