For over three decades, The National Business Travel Association has worked towards promoting the professional development of its members and advancing the business travel management community through education and training, advocacy, and networking chances. Launched by NBTA were a number of programs, one of the programs being the Certified Corporate Travel Executive Program.

The Certified Corporate Travel Executive Program known as CCTE was created in March of 2006 for corporate travel management professionals looking for a way to enhance their skills, knowledge, and productivity. It is carried out in close collaboration with the University of Houston Conrad Hilton College and Hotel and Restaurant Management, which focuses of the use of the latest technologies for improving the daily operations. In the course of training travel managers are believed to develop skills for the development and applications of systems and approaches to improve management techniques, the achievement of personal excellence, and promotion of the future conduct for the future trends for corporate travelers. It is also concerned with the economic and strategic goals of the company.

The Certified Corporate Travel Executive Program's core weeks provide its participants with the chance to share knowledge, expertise, successes, and failures with other professionals in the field. The program is opened to all travel managers and travel consultants who have at least two years of experience in the corporate travel industry. The participants in the program who have not taken the core week courses are required to complete a CCTE application form in order to be admitted in to the program. In order to complete the Certified Corporate Travel Executive Program, participants should take Core Week One and Core Week Two in addition to five elective classes which are necessary to complete the certification. They are scheduled in a number of cities across the United States. Two elective courses are usually scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays prior to each Annual International Convention and Exposition of the National Business Travel Association. Your proficiency is tested by a comprehensive exam at the end of all Core Week programs. Included in the registration of the Core Week One and Core Two is a $100 exam fee. There are no tests with elective classes. After getting your certification, Certified Travel Executives must take at least one elective class per calendar year in order to remain certified. Alternatively, CCTE graduates may take a Global Leadership Program that is operated by the NBTA foundation.

Those members of the NBTA or the CCTE who lose their jobs can apply to have the one year requirement waived. CCTE holders that are leaving the industry but are eager to maintain their credentials are generally required to pay a subscription fee of sixty dollars. In addition, they have to take one CEU elective annually. People who have gotten CCTE but who have failed to maintain elective requirements for up to two years have the right to reestablish their active credentials by taking two electives in a calendar year. People who have gotten CCTE but who have not maintained elective requirements for at least two years should begin again.