The National Business Travel Association has sweetened the pot for people interested in taking the first week of its brand-new Strategic Meetings Management Certification course. For Core Week 1, which will be offered November 2-6 at Emory University in Atlanta, registrants will receive complimentary hotel accommodations at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.

Applicants must register by October 12 to be eligible for the complimentary rooms. The offer is valid for up to four nights; additional nights may be booked at $145 per night. Registration also includes daily breakfast and lunch buffets, and break refreshments.

The SMMC is the only certification for strategic meetings management, and graduates, according to the NBTA literature, will “not only be able to develop and deploy an SMMP but will also be capable of the longitudinal management and continuous improvement of the program.” The program consists of two core weeks and three elective classes. Dates are still being determined for Core Week 2, and another Core Week 1 will be offered in the spring. For more info, visit NBTA’s Web site.