The next U.S.-based Tea Mastery Certification Course for becoming a Certified Tea Master starts with the 3-Day Comprehensive Tea Mastery Course held on-site in Charleston, South Carolina, from April 30th - May 2nd, 2012, from 9am to 7pm each day. A Traditional Afternoon Tea will be served at 3pm on Wednesday, May 2nd . Plus, registrants are invited for a comprehensive tour of the Charleston Tea Plantation on the morning of May 3rd. It is the only tea plantation on U.S. mainland soil. The 14-Week Tea Mastery TeleCourse starts the following week involving home study, tasting and evaluating 38 different teas, and weekly online group teleconference calls to share experiences and ask questions.

The entire training will be led by our Director of Training, Lady Kelly MacVean, who promises to make this an especially memorable experience for everyone.

Accomodations will be at the King's Courtyard Inn located in the heart of Charleston's historic district. A block of rooms have been reserved for registrants and include complimentary breakfast and lunch served in one of the outdoor courtyards. Single/double occupancy room rate of $149.00 for reservations made before April 20th (less expensive accomodations can be found at hotels.com, (search for "hotels historic district Charleston, SC").

The 3-Day Comprehensive Tea Mastery Course will be held at its sister hotel next door, the Fulton Lane Inn, in the Victoria Room. Both hotels were built in the mid-1800s, and while both have been updated and renovated, they have kept their original charm and ambiance. The Victoria Room accommodates up to 12 registrants, so seating is limited.

The training contains all the educational requirements an individual needs for achieving the association's prestigious Certified Tea Master designation once the program, blind tea tasting, and final examination are successfully completed.

Registrants will experience some of the most exquisite and often rarest loose-leaf teas from around the world. The training will also include: Health Benefits of Tea; Starting or Expanding a Tea Business; Attracting and Retaining Customers; Effective Use of Social Media and Press Releases; Web Site Concepts that Work; and Valuable Guest Service Skills.

Tuition for the complete program is $2,475 (registrants will receive a complimentary one-year ATMA membership to reduce their cost of attending). To register, you will need to post a $250 non-refundable tuition deposit at teamasters.org-tuition. We will send you an invoice by email for the balance, which is not due until April 15th.

More information is available at TeaMasters.org.