Baltimore’s tourism industry is investing in one of its most important assets: the people who shape a visitor’s experience of the city.

Through Charm City Certified, the Visit Baltimore Education and Training Foundation is providing free, self-paced training to hospitality workers, volunteers, students and residents who want to become more knowledgeable and confident ambassadors for Baltimore.

Launched in June 2025, Charm City Certified is the first course offered through Visit Baltimore’s Tourism Academy, an online learning platform designed to strengthen the city’s tourism and hospitality workforce. The approximately one-hour course combines tourism fundamentals, Baltimore-specific knowledge and practical guidance for creating authentic, welcoming and memorable visitor experiences.

The program is designed to be accessible. Participants can complete the mobile-friendly course from a phone, tablet or computer, working at their own pace and pausing or returning to the training as needed.

Just as important, the Foundation has built measurement into the program from the beginning. Rather than simply tracking how many people enroll, Charm City Certified examines completion rates, participant confidence and demonstrated knowledge.

Early data from the program shows promising results. During its first year, 551 people representing 144 partner organizations enrolled in Charm City Certified, with 338 completing the program. That translates to a 61 percent completion rate, compared with an industry benchmark cited by the Foundation of roughly 20 to 30 percent for voluntary training programs.

The program has also produced measurable gains in participants’ confidence. Among those completing pre- and post-training assessments, the general participant cohort reported a 1.94-point increase on a five-point scale in confidence in their ability to represent Baltimore as a destination. A separate cohort of volunteers associated with CIAA activities recorded a 1.66-point increase.

Participants also demonstrated a strong understanding of Baltimore and the surrounding community. General participants averaged 91.5 percent on community knowledge assessments, while the CIAA cohort averaged 88.1 percent. More than 95 percent of the general cohort scored above the program’s 75 percent mastery threshold.

Those early results support the program’s larger goal: establishing a shared standard for how Baltimore welcomes visitors.

Charm City Certified is increasingly becoming part of the city’s broader workforce development infrastructure. The credential is being incorporated among industry credentials available through Baltimore City Public Schools Career and Technical Education programming, expanding its reach to students preparing for careers in hospitality and related industries.

In September 2025, the program was also adopted by the Baltimore Workforce Development Board, creating additional connections between tourism, education and the city’s workforce development system.

Hospitality employers are beginning to use the certification as a workforce tool as well. Early program data indicates that partners have incorporated Charm City Certified into employee onboarding, with hospitality employers reporting benefits that include more confident staff interactions and stronger visitor experiences.

The concept is straightforward: Baltimore’s reputation as a destination is shaped not only by its attractions, restaurants, hotels and major events, but also by the everyday interactions visitors have with the people who live and work here.

“My hope is that visitors feel it the moment they arrive, that someone’s first impression of Baltimore, at a hotel desk, at an event, at a table, is warmth and readiness, not uncertainty,” said Mia Blom, senior director of government and community affairs and executive director of the Visit Baltimore Education & Training Foundation.

Participants who complete Charm City Certified also receive access to an Insider Pass, which includes special offers and discounts at participating Baltimore restaurants, attractions and businesses. The benefit encourages tourism workers and community ambassadors to experience the city themselves, giving them firsthand knowledge they can use when making recommendations to visitors.

Charm City Certified is one component of a larger Tourism Academy strategy that includes free professional development in customer service, business etiquette, workplace safety, self-awareness and team building.

The investment comes at a significant time for Baltimore’s visitor economy. Visit Baltimore reported that 28.5 million people visited the city for overnight and day trips in 2024, generating approximately $4.3 billion in economic activity.

While hospitality professionals are a primary audience, Charm City Certified is open to the broader community at no cost. Students, volunteers, small-business employees and residents who simply want to become stronger ambassadors for Baltimore can participate.

By combining accessible training, measurable outcomes and partnerships across tourism, education and workforce development, Charm City Certified is working to ensure that Baltimore’s hospitality begins long before a visitor reaches an attraction—and continues through every interaction they have with the city.

For more information or to enroll, visit baltimore.org/tourism-academy.