Verified Luxury Certifications

RESOURCES

Your Guide to Certifications

Verified Luxury Certifications is designed for hospitality professionals seeking to validate their expertise in delivering exceptional, consistent and guest-centric luxury service.

Use this page as your guide to the certifications journey, with resources covering enrollment pathways, examination guidelines, credential maintenance, continuing education (CE) requirements and recertification.

Learner Resources

Certification Pathways

Explore the available enrollment options and choose the pathway that best aligns with your experience, readiness and certification goals.

Options are available for candidates who want to prepare before committing to the exam, those who are ready to take the exam, and those seeking a complete pathway that combines preparation, examination and credentialing.

Fees vary by pathway and are non-refundable.

See Certification Pathways for complete details.

Examination Guidelines

Review the exam access window, retake rules and reapplication requirements before beginning the exam process.

Candidates have six months from the date exam access is issued to complete the certification exam. If a candidate does not pass on the first attempt, retakes are available with a required waiting period, retake fee and maximum-attempt limit.

See Exam Guidelines for complete examination requirements.

Maintaining Your Credential

Learn what is required to keep your VLP Certification active. The credential is valid for two years from the date of issuance and must be maintained through continuing education and annual membership.

Active membership includes access to The Academy, Certifications Home Page, the Certifications Community and additional member benefits as they become available.

See Maintaining Your Credential for complete credential lifecycle requirements.

Continuing Education Guide

Learn how to earn, document and track continuing education credits toward recertification. Credential holders must complete 20 CE credits during each two-year certification cycle.

Forbes Travel Guide learning opportunities serve as the primary source of eligible credits, while select external professional development activities may also qualify.

See Continuing Education Guide for eligibility requirements and submission guidance.

Certification Pathways

Explore the available enrollment options and choose the pathway that best aligns with your experience, readiness and certification goals.

Options are available for candidates who want to prepare before committing to the exam, those who are ready to take the exam, and those seeking a complete pathway that combines preparation, examination and credentialing.

Fees vary by pathway and are non-refundable.

See Certification Pathways for complete details.

Examination Guidelines

Review the exam access window, retake rules and reapplication requirements before beginning the exam process.

Candidates have six months from the date exam access is issued to complete the certification exam. If a candidate does not pass on the first attempt, retakes are available with a required waiting period, retake fee and maximum-attempt limit.

See Exam Guidelines for complete examination requirements.

Maintaining Your Credential

Learn what is required to keep your VLP Certification active. The credential is valid for two years from the date of issuance and must be maintained through continuing education and annual membership.

Active membership includes access to The Academy, Certifications Home Page, the Certifications Community and additional member benefits as they become available.

See Maintaining Your Credential for complete credential lifecycle requirements.

Continuing Education Guide

Learn how to earn, document and track continuing education credits toward recertification. Credential holders must complete 20 CE credits during each two-year certification cycle.

Forbes Travel Guide learning opportunities serve as the primary source of eligible credits, while select external professional development activities may also qualify.

See Continuing Education Guide for eligibility requirements and submission guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started:
Who is eligible for the Verified Luxury Practitioner Certification?	Candidates must meet at least one of the program’s qualifying criteria: Completion of the Service Excellence Provider (SEP) certificate Five years of hospitality experience, or two years of luxury hospitality experience These qualifications also apply to Community Membership.
How do I choose the right enrollment pathway?	VLP offers three pathways based on your readiness and goals: Community Pathway: For candidates who want to explore, learn and connect before pursuing the certification exam. Essential Pathway: For qualified candidates who are ready to take the certification exam. Complete Pathway: For candidates seeking the most comprehensive experience, including preparation, exam access and credentialing support. This pathway provides the most comprehensive route to certification and offers savings compared with purchasing components separately. See the Certification Pathways resource for a complete comparison of inclusions and fees.
Is Community Membership required?	Yes. Active Community Membership is required for certification eligibility and ongoing credential maintenance.

Taking the Exam:
How long do I have to complete the certification exam?	Candidates have six months from the date exam access is issued to complete the certification exam. If the exam is not completed within this period, candidates must restart the certification process and pay the applicable fees.
What should I know about the certification exam?	The VLP Certification exam consists of 125 scored questions, and candidates must achieve a minimum score of 80% to pass.
What happens if I do not pass the exam?	Candidates may make up to three total attempts: the initial exam plus two retakes. A minimum 14-day waiting period applies between attempts. One complimentary retake is included with the purchase of the Complete pathway or when purchasing the Study Guide later in the journey. Otherwise, applicable retake fees apply. Candidates who do not pass after three attempts must wait six months from the date of their final attempt before beginning a new examination cycle. Additional eligibility requirements may apply.
What does the exam cover?	The exam assesses the knowledge, skills and judgment required to deliver exceptional luxury hospitality experiences. Topics include the Philosophy of Luxury Service, Advanced Emotional Intelligence, Operational Excellence, the Ten Classifications, Global Etiquette & Cultural Fluency, and Ethical Decision-Making & Professional Integrity. Questions focus on applying these concepts in real-world situations, including anticipating guest needs, creating personalized experiences, demonstrating cultural awareness, exercising sound judgment and upholding the standards of luxury service.

Maintaining Your Certification:
How long is the VLP Certification valid?	The VLP Certification is valid for two years from the date of issuance. Credential holders must complete the applicable maintenance and renewal requirements during each two-year certification cycle to remain active.
What is required to maintain my certification?	Credential holders must complete 20 Continuing Education (CE) Credits during each two-year certification cycle and maintain active Community Membership, including the applicable annual membership fee. At least 16 of the 20 required CE Credits must come from Forbes Travel Guide-approved activities and experiences.
What activities qualify for Continuing Education Credits?	Eligible activities may include FTG instructor-led and virtual training, online learning, Service Energizers, qualifying events and other approved professional development activities. In general, one hour of qualifying learning equals one CE Credit unless otherwise specified. Activities must align with eligible areas of professional development and are subject to review and verification. See the Continuing Education Guide for eligible activities, credit values and submission requirements.
What happens if I do not complete my renewal requirements before my certification expires?	Credential holders who have not completed their renewal requirements by the expiration date may enter a 90-day grace period, provided Community Membership remains active. The credential remains valid during this period while outstanding requirements are completed. If requirements are not completed during the grace period, the credential becomes inactive and may be eligible for reinstatement. If reinstatement requirements are not successfully completed, reapplication and examination will be required.

Visit our Resources page for FAQs

Questions? Contact academy@forbestravelguide.com

©2026 THE FIVE STAR TRAVEL CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FORBES IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FORBES LLC USED UNDER LICENSE BY THE FIVE STAR TRAVEL CORPORATION.