What is an IATA diploma, and which of the three suits you?
IATA is the International Air Transport Association, the global trade association for airlines. It also awards training qualifications for the travel industry. Aspire is an IATA Authorized Training Center (Classic) in Colombo 07 and teaches three IATA travel and tourism diplomas.
The three diplomas
Foundation in Travel & Tourism
The entry diploma: how the travel industry is organised, geography, and the reservation and customer-service skills an agency expects on day one.
- Course fee
- Rs 208,000
- Approx. total incl. IATA fees
- Rs 409,900
- Duration
- 5–6 months
Travel & Tourism Consultant
Fares, ticketing and consultative selling — the diploma for someone already working a counter who wants the qualification behind it.
- Course fee
- Rs 148,000
- Approx. total incl. IATA fees
- Rs 330,200
- Duration
- 5–6 months
Managing the Travel Business
Running the agency rather than working in it: financial control, marketing and the management of a travel business.
- Course fee
- Rs 161,000
- Approx. total incl. IATA fees
- Rs 330,100
- Duration
- 5–6 months
How they fit together
They do not form a ladder. Every diploma is open to anyone with five O/Level passes, and each is complete on its own. Each takes 5–6 months, and the next intake is November 2026.
Which one should you choose?
- New to travel, or starting out: Foundation in Travel & Tourism.
- Already working a travel counter and want the qualification behind the job: Travel & Tourism Consultant.
- Running an agency, or heading that way: Managing the Travel Business.
How the fees work
The course fee is paid as a registration payment plus four monthly instalments. IATA's own exam and kit fees are billed separately, at IATA's published rate, so the "including IATA fees" totals above are approximate and can move when IATA's rate moves.
Full details, dates and the enquiry form are on the IATA diplomas page.