Whatever happened to personal responsibility? When did we start blaming everything and everyone else but ourselves for problems? I found a gem the other day, and come to find out that it’s not the lack of service, it’s not all the time we spend on the internet posting our opinions, it’s not because we forgot just who our clients are and what our customers actually want. And it certainly can’t be because our clients are capable of doing what we do for a living on their own through the likes of web sites called Travelocity, Orbitz, and Expedia.

No, it’s none of that. What it all boils down to is none other than Travel Weekly. Who knew?

Interesting that after a years worth of hammering suppliers to choke out the pariah of untrained and uneducated Yahoo’s to little or no avail, (Royal Caribbean, Perilo, and Celtic Tours were the only three that headed the pleas.) we now move to the media outlets and industry publications to what looks like a new desperate attempt, begging if you will, to stop promoting these blasted MLM’ers who are ruining their business.

It’s not the first time suppliers have turned their back on the traditional travel agents, suppliers need the business, especially in this economy. Speculation that it was the suppliers fault stemmed from the ASTA who took a stand against MLM back in 2005 going all the way to the FTC. The blame fell squarely on the backs of suppliers after their attempt fell flat. Today, the largest cruise line in the world has teamed up with the largest Travel MLM in the world to promote gift certificates to increase sales for both the cruise line and the agency in the 4th Quarter.

A battle that I can only guess critics have resigned themselves to finally let go of.

Now that some have moved past the fact that suppliers just aren’t going to listen, the focus now turns to trade publications as they blast away at one of the most prominent and respected industry publications in the industry, Travel Weekly.

What was thought to be a fluke back in 2007 when YTB suddenly appeared on the pages of Travel Weekly’s Power List at #35 was dismissed as being nothing more than recruiting fees by those who needed to forgive Travel Weekly for their grave error. When news broke later in the year concerning Royal Caribbean’s termination of YTB, the company and its founders were suddenly catapulted to the front pages of just about every travel publication on the market. Most by the way praised the RCL move, as it was believed that this would be the first step in the avalanched of suppliers who would now agree that Travel and MLM’s are in fact a bad mix.

Instead of an avalanche of suppliers, what was found was more media coverage for Kim Sorensen who was named one of the 33 most influential in the travel industry and when you compare that to just 3 suppliers who sided with PATH, most everyone can see how lopsided that slap in the face was.

To add insult to injury the media coverage by Travel Weekly didn’t stop in 2007. While many critics speculated that Travel Weekly had “seen the light” and the nightmare of all this free publicity was now over, not only did Travel Weekly yet again document sales of $414.5 million in travel sales for YTB, but informed the masses that this speculation of “fees” were unfounded. No, the editors took the time to inform and educate critics when they stated that they check “numerous times” and $414.5 million are in fact “travel sales” not the “fees” that were being pitched.

Dag gummit!

I guess the final straw for these agents was Kim Sorensen being named to Travel Weekly’s Virtual Leisure Summit this fall. I could also speculate that this one name brought in a good number of participants who would have never given this new virtual summit a second thought if it weren’t for a name like Kim Sorensen being attached to it. Now I don’t know this for a fact, but I have to wonder just how big the smile were on editors faces over the frenzy this one name created all over the internet. If you know anything about marketing and media, they LOVE people and circumstances that go against the norm. That’s what makes it newsworthy. (I just listened to an audio from Joe Vitale, AKA: “Mr. Fire” yesterday that eluded to this very subject.)

If you find something that works, you keep doing it. A big reason why Kim will be participating in the upcoming “Preview 2009” December 18th and 19th. It’s got people talking all over the internet once again, as the article above pitches the show, and the buzz has also prompted Mark Murphy, President and CEO of Performance Media Group a competing publication to mention both YTB and Travel Weekly in its own publication.

What’s unfortunate is that Mark, like most who’ve never been involved in Network Marketing simply perpetuates more myths about the industry. He’s obviously unaware that A.L. Williams is no longer A.L. Williams, but now Primerica. Nor did he realize that this form of sitting across the kitchen table helped A.L. Williams gain the number one spot in Whole Life Insurance for 7 straight years.

Even sadder, and I see this all the time from ignorant (not stupid) people who don’t know any better. This use of the 2007 Income Disclosure Statement is almost always documented to show that all YTB does is recruit people into the business. I’ve yet to see any outsider realize that this document actually contradicts the very myth their trying to promote. Those I speak with who’ve heard this myth suddenly realize that this fear about everyone recruiting is inevitably washed away when they see that only 20% of the company actually recruits a single soul.

I don’t know if the ASTA was actually informed by the FTC about these recruiting fees back in 2005, based on how their pitch fell flat. I suspect the facts will come to light for everyone once again via California that it doesn’t cost anyone a dime to recruit new members into YTB. Some of our critics already know this as they may be counted in the 2008 Income Disclosure Statement as making squat. But that’s yet another story for another post for 2009.

In the meantime, well enjoy the press and the talk about YTB as it continues to make headlines and front page news for going against the norm and creating its own entity in the travel industry.

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Kim Sorensen’s “Meet the Press” type interview with Travel Weekly Editor in Chief Arnie Weissmann turned out to be very civil, even if it was loaded with some pretty pointed questions. The 20 minute segments consisted of three heads of home agent groups in back-to-back-to-back conversations which filled the hour. Participants could also ask questions as Scott Koepf, president of NACTA; Kim Sorensen, president of YTB; and Van Anderson, co-president of Americas Vacation Center talked about each of their prospective companies.

Arnie opened Kim’s segment stating that whenever he writes about YTB in any of his columns he is bombarded with e-mails and much of it is “highly emotionally charged”. I can’t argue with that point of view and have experienced the emotions surrounding our company for some time.

I do believe Arnie did articulate very well just why emotions get so charged concerning the Traditional base. The problem as Arnie see’s it, and I would agree, is that I was once a consumer of travel and now represent myself as a “Travel Agent”. The perception of course is that I don’t take travel as seriously nor have I invested the time and energy into qualifying myself to the same standards the Traditional Base did in order to be considered an equal in their eyes.

Right or wrong, and I’m not going to get into my personal views concerning this perception, that’s seems to be a very accurate description based on what I’ve seen from the most outspoken Agents but I do have to give Arnie credit for defining what the core issue is regarding our Traditionalists.

Kim did address the issue that we are not competing with the traditionalists and those of us who are “greenies” who join YTB simply point people to their web site and let friends, family, neighbors decide for themselves. If someone like myself wants to take our YTB business to another level, YTB and the industry as a whole has the proper training and tools in place to accommodate us that regard.

I think back to my first days of being a “greenie” with YTB and where I am today, and thanks to the training provided both by the company and the industry, I have a very nice niche in the travel business and do consider myself a “Travel Agent” today. I have every intention to learn and grow both my knowledge of the industry and my business. I think I’ve mentioned before some time ago, that I looked at becoming a Travel Agent at one time, but didn’t “qualify” back then either. YTB both opened the door for me and enabled me to create my own path into the industry.

Part two of the question concerned the California complaint of labeling YTB one of those “pyramid schemes” and of course questions surrounding the classic misconception of how our business model is mathematically impossible.

Kim answered this question admirably in stating the MLM model has been in existence for a number of years and pointed out that A.L. Williams started out in 1977 and is now part of Citi Company, known as Primerica. To this day they still recruit new Reps into their business. While some can’t get past how MLM is mathematically impossible I’m still waiting for someone to PLEASE provide just ONE company that has run out of people? When you look at Tupperware, Avon, Mary Kay, Amway, Pre-Paid, Fuller Brush and all the other companies out there that have not only been around for decades, but still thriving with new recruits day in and day out, you have to wonder how much longer this myth is going to continue to be an issue for some.

Kim was also asked just how many RTA’s there are. Based on our business model and the shear numbers we have at any given moment, Kim quoted 120,000. Again, I believe this stems from the fears and misconceptions of the words “pyramid scheme” and the mathematical impossibility. Those of us involved in it need to be just as focused as they are about just how many we have actually in the business.

Questions of if we would ever drop the MLM business model and become more traditional (legitimate was also used) came up several times during the conversation. Arnie even came right out and asked if YTB will simply ignore the concerns (phobias) about our marketing methods. Based on what I’ve seen over the last year, I wonder if they think we’re getting tired of being pummeled as the pariah of their industry. Unfortunately, one cruise line, a $25 Million complaint or very pointed public questions are not going to cave us or force us to change our model. The summit panel and the attendees didn’t seem to comprehend that Kim, Coach, and Scott built a business with Primerica for 20 years and that same model awarded A.L. Williams / Primerica the number one spot 23 out of 25 years.

Kim did state that YTB intends on building and being competitive in a very large scale using the Network Marketing business model. It was very clear that this change has never been in question.

Next came the questions from the attendees. The first was how the company intends on controlling our Reps and RTA’s with all the YouTube and Craigslist misinformation out there. Kim did agree that there is some pretty lame postings and information out there. (So do I for that matter.) We have systems and checks and balances and dedicated staff in place to control that, and I’ve personally seen instances that when asked, people do take posts down or delete videos.

Just a matter of reference to our critics who read this by the way; when you see something taken down, or corrected, acknowledge it as a good thing and don’t ridicule the person for not having the guts to stand up to the company with this free speech garbage. Damming us if we do and damming us if we don’t isn’t how this works kids. If you want it taken down, don’t egg them on and try to be the example for once concerning professionalism and ethics.

Next came a question of how YTB could be “growing like gangbusters” if the number of RTA’s is actually declining. Again, this stems to the phobia about the MLM side of our business, and while the focus is purely on recruiting for them, I loved Kim’s answer to this. YTB has spent $30 Million in the last 30 months investing in our 120,000 square foot Home Office, purchases of surrounding land and property in the area, new technologies, new accounting software, booking and marketing platforms, booking engine upgrades and enhancements, and expansion into International markets. Furthermore, even with a decline in the number of RTA’s YTB has doubled our production with Carnival over last year and we still have almost a full quarter to go in 2008.

I realize growth only means one thing to some, and that’s how many get involved in the pyramid. Smart business people and trade magazines like Travel Weekly recognize what real growth is.

A question that was pretty cut and dry consisted of the Rep overrides of the RTA’s. That was part of the clear separation between Rep and RTA that both legal analysts and our critics have such a problem with. It was quite clear and direct, that this however is not our practice.

One comical note towards the end was one attendee question that asked why Royal Caribbean and Disney terminated their relationship with YTB. No, that’s not a typo, and yes this attendee actually asked if Disney has made the same mistake that Royal Caribbean did. Kim did note that this was news to him as well and wondered if Nadine Goodwin would be calling with some type of exclusive scoop. I think mentioning Disney was more wishful thinking much like wanting us to change our business model than a blatant attempt to misinform the audience.

And finally a question was asked, why so negative? We never got an answer to that, mostly because it was directed toward the traditionalists and not Kim. The point of this “Meet the Press” type interview was an attempt to help them relieve some of their constipation surrounding the MLM side of our business model. Kim was willing to put himself and our company on the line to help them. Not many people or companies would subject themselves to what was building up to be and certainly turned out to be a fairly uncomfortable environment.

What I am grateful for was the opportunity to get our side of the story out there without the blatant hostility. As I type this, I’m sure there are others crafting plenty of hostile remarks concerning the interview and our Travel Company President. You can count on that, which provides more assurances that some have no desire to have their phobias or personal misgivings about our model resolved.

Not everyone is going to like our model, nor does everyone have to. Direct Sales is a big industry and it’s getting bigger every single year. There’s no question that YTB is not only the biggest Travel MLM out there, but it’s also the most talked about. With our continued growth in travel, and just a little more of this kind of publicity and press from Travel Weekly, we’ll remain a clear target for critics and advocates alike. Like the Travel Weekly Power List and our #26 spot, YTB appears to be right in the middle of it for now.

For those of us in YTB out in the field, it’s up to us if we want to forge ahead or fall back. From what I’m gathering from Kim in this interview, Kim has no intent in hiding out or falling back.

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The plethora of product information in the form of brochures, fact sheets, and videos from 23 different suppliers is impressive from this virtual world. Information provided by industry leaders on the state of our industry is also informative and helpful. We can’t overlook how valuable their insight is.

Speaking of industry leaders, I have set aside some additional time this afternoon to head on over to the auditorium at 2:30PM (Eastern) to listen in and enjoy Dr. Marc Mancini, the industry’s top educator. Dr. Mancini will be turning his attention to packaged vacations sales. I understand Dr. Mancini got his start in the industry by leading tours, has written books on the subject, and is frequently called upon as a consultant by major tour operators. He is also a columnist in the Agent Life section of Travel Weekly.

Oh, and have I ever mentioned that he’s headed up YTB’s very own E-Campus training, designed exclusively for YTB?

Afterward, I’ll hang around for Travel Weekly Editor in Chief Arnie Weissmann who will be asking questions to the heads of three home agent groups in back-to-back-to-back conversations at 4:00PM (Eastern). You, too, can ask questions as Scott Koepf, president of NACTA; Kim Sorensen, president of YTB; and Van Anderson, co-president of Americas Vacation Center “meet the press,” Travel Weekly-style.

It’s my hope that some of our critics take some time off the various boards and blogs during this time as well to find out first hand exactly what YTB has to offer. The good news is even if they can’t find the time, those of us who are serious about the industry will have a chance to get a more accurate overview.

That being said, I did see yesterday how someone can look at YTB but the translation due to lack of focus and comprehension tends to distort events. I was extremely disappointed that a self proclaimed industry leader doesn’t understand the difference between a “client profile” and an “RTA profile”. Actually, I think he does understand the difference, but he also thinks “denial” is a river in Egypt. Client benefits and YTB are a bad mix according to this blogger, and to have any offering for clients who book with YTB just won’t fit inside his framework.

Speaking of “denial”, I still don’t get how this individual can’t grasp that a program that’s been available for over a year now, (YTB E-Campus) and more recently CLIA’s ACC Accreditation can aide in helping those of us in YTB drop the “R” from our title to become Travel Agents. It’s not a matter of being to dumb or stupid at this point, it’s being stubborn. (Who knew?)

I was stunned that this blogger who conducts his own poles and studies couldn’t grasp that a simple computer script (code) could not only monitor if a test was taken, or if the answers were actually correct. Maybe he could take some time off and join the rest of us over at the Travel Weekly Virtual Summit and check how many credits he collects from participating in the various areas and trainings. If he enters one of the prize giveaways, he might want to take the time to contact the supplier directly to see if they monitor how many entries they have or if his was accepted.

How I would love to have this individual actually take the required testing in order to upgrade from Affiliate to RTA. Much like the subjects above, he can claim all he wants about how YTB didn’t address the few issues we’ve had concerning groups, he’s not going to upgrade until he correctly answers whether or not it’s proper for us as an RTA to accept cash payments on behalf of YTB.

My guess by the way, based on most of his misconceptions about our company, he’ll never be able to upgrade to an RTA. Believe me, that’s a good thing when it comes to the few bad apples ruining it for the rest of us.

Hopefully however, he’ll get a little lonely over on that blog like he did yesterday and actually want to join the rest of us over at the Travel Weekly Virtual Summit for this afternoons activities, forums, and trainings.

Who knows…we might FINNALY be able to get him to inquire about the $414.5 Million in travel sales he’s so up in arms about that Travel Weekly reported back in June.

Good grief…I hope so.

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It’s that time of year again! Funshine East!

I LOVE Funshine because many of the travel upgrades are announced during Funshine East, and often times, I get to put a face to a name or a voice that I’ve been either reading via e-mail correspondence or via the Thursday and Saturday training calls. I was blown away by Ann Sedgwick two years ago when Ronda and I did a Seminar @ Sea with her on Carnival just before Funshine. I also remember getting my first taste of American Destinations, Inc. that year, and have been promoting that business ever since.

It’s odd to me that our list of vendors and suppliers keeps growing. I’ve been told that suppliers and vendors don’t like us. Yet, the bigger we get the more suppliers take the time to not show up but want to be part of the largest Travel Trade Show in the industry. Last year, YTB had more than 6000 in attendance, compared to another Orlando show this week, which estimates only 2000 travel agents world wide.

Money talks.

It’s also nice to have industry leaders like Marc Mancini and Davidoff Associates seeing the value of YTB and stepping up to the plate to offer their experience and knowledge of the industry. When the best our critics can come up with is that these industry leaders are paid, that speaks volumes. Not because our critics don’t understand what it means to be “in business”, but because that’s the best complaint they can come up with. I’ve researched Marc Mancini extensively and have taken the E-Campus courses he’s designed for YTB, and there’s a reason why he’s so well respected in the industry.

I guess he can live with the asterisk next to his name – “Bought and paid for by YTB” as he’ll be at Funshine with his industry famous “Geography Bowl”, which I hear is extremely challenging.

Davidoff Associates seemed to have liked what they saw at the 2008 National Convention, and are providing their services with a Seminar @ Sea with 3 courses taught while at Sea.

More than 17 new suppliers and vendors will be on hand this year, and the opportunities to expand our travel business have increased dramatically. I just saw a snippet in our Travel Compass, (the one that focuses on travel) concerning a new addition to our booking engine with Wyndham Worldwide & RCI e-certificates, found under the Hotels Tab of our booking engine for 7 Night Resort Vacation Certificates starting a $379.00.

Ultimate 5 Adventures will also be there, and I’ve got to tell you, while the sky diving scares the daylights out of me, the Indy Car offering looks mighty appealing.

I also saw a snippet on Modern Agent this week from Branson Online, who will also be at Funshine this year. Personally, I’ve never had an interest in Branson, Missouri, but the heart of our country (or is that Canada?) sure is making quite a name for itself the last couple of years.

But the vendor or supplier that has caught my eye more than any other, are the private sailings in the Abaco Islands, complete with crew and chief. (Although I need to find out which one!) It’s not uncommon for our entire family of 15 to 20 to get together for a family vacation, and this puppy sounds like one heck of a family vacation!

If you get my free Newsletter you might have listened to the call we had last week with Gregg Fritsch and David Lash. Gregg and David came on board last year, and are the ones responsible for the Mancini and Davidoff trainings, and these new vendors. I know it’s been said by others that we don’t have anyone at the home office that has any travel industry experience. Honestly, it’s just another myth being thrown out there and I’m okay with letting our critics believe what they want. If you however, haven’t listened to the call, you need too. I loved what David had to say about YTB being “competitive” in this industry.

I believe the exact quote was, “We have no desire to be competitive; we want the rest of the industry to eat our dust”.

After little more than a years worth of work from these two, looks like we are well on our way, but you know as well as I do that the best products in the world don’t mean diddly if nobody knows about them. That’s why we need to open our mouths and tell someone about it!

PS – I’ll be back to regular posting again starting next week. As a matter of fact, I’ll be doing a special series on Coach next week. I heard that people can’t seem to find anything positive about Coach on the internet. Took me all of 5 minutes to find several news articles that will fill up the week, so be sure to check back.

I may even post an update on Funshine. ;-P