One of the BEST features about Convention is the opportunity to learn and grow. Sure the recognition and the upgrades are a nice benefit, but the opportunity to LEARN makes our industry special. Always the student, I relish the opportunity to learn something new – enhance what I’m already doing – or get turned onto a brand new product or feature.

It’s what keeps this company fresh and interesting. I mean, YTB has never been boring, (especially the last couple of years) but all the new features, vendors and income opportunities not only make a company like this fun but worth your while with this kind of assortment to choose from.

Oh – you’ll also notice even more of our Travel Vendors offering up their expertise. While they’ve always shown up as a vendor in the past – this is the first year their getting in on the classes being offered. Nice to see their continued support.

Check out the great courses that are offered by ZamZuu University today. A chance to learn from the best in business – Business Builders, Featured Stores and Travel Vendors all in one place. It’s all here!

HOW TO USE SOCIAL NETWORKING TO BUILD YOUR TEAM AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS
Nakia Muhammad, Coach’s Corner member
This course will provide attendees with the basic knowledge and understanding of how to prospect, qualify, identify and sign up new Business Owners via Facebook. Learn and apply these techniques and explore your business!

TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH PLEASANT HOLIDAYS
Barbara DeSanto, Pleasant Holidays
Presenting the world of Pleasant Holidays – offering vacation and cruise packages to Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Tahiti/Fiji, Costa Rica and USA Learn about all the great specials Pleasant Holidays has to offer!

BECOME A DIRECTOR IN 90 DAYS
Dave and Marlis Funk, ZamZuu Directors
Learn how to become a Director in 90 days including the three phases you must go through to be successful in ZamZuu. They will teach you how your “Wheel of Fortune” can help you build if you JUST APPLY IT!

HIGH QUALITY, CUTTING-EDGE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Brett Cherry, Nutraceutics
Nutraceutics is dedicated to formulating and bringing to market the highest quality nutritional supplements based on the latest in scientific research and manufactured to the most exacting pharmaceutical-grade specifications.

PROTECTING OUR KIDS WITH ZAMZUU CHILD PROTECTION MOBILE APPLICATION
Tim Woda
Protecting our kids from the dangers of sexting, cyberbullying, and sex predators.

BIGGER PROFITS WITH GINA ALEXANDER HANDBAGS
Gina Alexander, Gina Alexander Handbags
The story from the woman herself! Class includes social media strategies, how to make money with Facebook, how to recognize the PERFECT photo and placing orders with/without a photo.

THE MIND OF THE TEST DRIVE
Demond Crump, ZamZuu Director
Learn the reason for every move made during the “test drive.” Demond will demonstrate how the value of ZamZuu should be showcased!

JUMP START YOUR CRUISE BUSINESS
Ann Sedgwick, Carnival Cruise Lines
This fast paced seminar will include what you need to know to be successful in selling cruises, the tools to make you more successful, the most popular destinations to sell right now, the easiest way to sell and book travel, tricks of successful groups and selling up for greater commissions! Whether you are just getting started in the business or a seasoned pro, this seminar is for you!

EMPOWERING YOU TO PROSPER
James and Marcia Prewitt, ZamZuu Directors
Learn how to grow closer to the source of all true wealth and power. Leverage your time and effort by using a systematic approach to explore your business. Find a divine balance of being successful mentally, spiritually and financially!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SUCCESSFULLY SELL DIAMOND ICE PRINTS
Julie Milford, Diamond Ice Prints
Come hear an introduction/history of the company and product, a detailed description of the process, photographic resolution training, sales strategies, and support.

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL HOME PARTY WITH JOLIECOU JEWELRY
Lee Bayes and YoLanda McClease, JolieCou Jewelry
Imagine having fun selling JolieCou Jewelry and Accessories and making money while you do it! This presentation will teach you how to have a “Successful Home Party” and boost your sales. Who doesn’t love high quality, unique jewelry at affordable prices!

GIVING YOUR BUSINESS A FACE LIFT
Linda Chaé, Chaé Organics
Learn how to build your business with new, exciting products. Even men will have a secret weapon to enroll women and other men. Website Discount Code given to attendees only.

SETTING THE RIGHT (DNA) EXPECTATIONS!
Nick Nicholson, ZamZuu Director
This class will teach you how to set realistic expectations in your new ZamZuu Business. It will show you how to build a large and committed team of successful leaders.

YTB TRAVEL NETWORK
J. Kim Sorensen, President and CEO of YTB Travel Network, and Guest Speakers
Come hear about a few of the many opportunities YTB Travel Network provides. You can expect to learn about niche and group travel opportunities and hear from the experts!

TEAM BUILDING
Jerome Hughes, ZamZuu Director
Jerome Hughes and several team leaders will discuss skills for building a successful team.

ZAMTEK – WIRELESS PRODUCTS AND THE ZAMZUU DIGITAL VIDEO PHONE
Marc Tolkov, Simplexity and Barry MacCheyne, WorldGate
Simplexity will teach you everything you need to know about wireless products and services. WorldGate lets you experience an exciting demonstration of the ZamZuu Digital Video Phone and the opportunities it presents!

ZAMZUU INSURANCE 2.0 AND EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES – “THE NEXT GENERATION
Mark G. Pollock and Dustin Lopez, ZamZuu Insurance
ZamZuu Insurance will cover the Website with a new Avatar look, how to quote and when you get paid. We will also cover the basics of the Financial Services site and what you get paid for. Both are kicked off with a “Did You Know” video!

LEARN HOW TO PUT THE “ZAM” IN YOUR ZAMZUU BUSINESS
Arlyne Thompson, ZamZuu Director
Utilizing themed home parties, inspiring events, educational webinars, exciting conference calls and tools to keep your team connected!

GETTING STARTED (ZAMZUUED) FAST!
Malcolm Alexander, ZamZuu Director
Ever wonder what the difference between you and the major networkers? How do you land a big fish? You will be let in on some industry secrets the big boys don’t want you to know!

THE WORLD OF PRINCESS CRUISES
Amy Alford, Princess Cruises
Join Amy Alford, District Sales Manager with Princess Cruises for an informative presentation and discover the World of Princess! Learn why Princess is the consummate host and the value of selling Princess to your clients. New itineraries for 2011 and 2012 will be featured.

FACING YOUR GIANTS
Jil Greene, ZamZuu Director
Everyone has the ability to be a Director! If you are not…something is stopping you. What is it? It’s your Giant. Attend a real live ceremony (presentation? Ceremony doesn’t fit here) that will show you how to slay your Giant, put it to rest and become a Director in the ZamZuu Business!

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Nick Pagano, ZamZuu Director
The economy has changed and so have the ways to create and maintain wealth. Given that, why is it that some people can build this business easily and others have more difficulty? We will answer that question in this presentation!

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, ELEGANT COMFORT
Robin Pelland, Holland America Line
For more than 136 years, Holland America Line has been a recognized leader in cruising, taking their guests to exotic destinations around the world. Through excellence, they create once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Holland America Line provides elegant comfort, award-winning service, five star dining and extensive activities.

THE POWER OF RESIDUAL INCOME
Rick Ricketts, ZamZuu Director
Come hear Rick Ricketts talk about leadership and building relationships that will help you produce and maintain your residual income.

DISCOVER HOW PH PERFECT CAN BE YOUR ULTIMATE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Kriss Hansen and George Hou, pH perfect, Inc .
Learn the dirty little secret multi-billion dollar companies don’t want you to know. Also, find out how pH perfect can eliminate toxic stress and pollution from your life.

As you can see – there’s something for everyone and most mix and match as they like. With so much to choose from, the hardest part is narrowing it down to just a few classes. Spend the whole day on travel if you’d like – or building your business – doesn’t matter to us. It’s all about what matters to YOU.

Nice – huh?!

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I’m guessing I’m showing my age here – but you can’t bring up Princess Cruises without “The Love Boat” Theme running through my head. Truth is, the show was partly responsible for me wanting to work in the travel industry. The show certainly portrayed a very glamorous lifestyle that I wanted to be part of.

Little did I know at the time what the future had in store for me with an opportunity like YTB.

Several years ago YTB came up with this idea of hosting a “Sail-a-thon” on the Internet to promote both key partners and destinations for our customers. The field loves it because it gives many an opportunity to host a party at the house. Partners love it because it costs them nothing. They simply piggy back on the technology and infrastructure YTB has invested in – giving them an opportunity to promote from a single location to thousands. YTB has been hosting these “Sail-A-Thons” for years with several companies and since they keep on popping up every couple of months – everyone involved sees value in the events.

Cruise nights aren’t new however. CLIA (Cruise Line Industry Association) actually came up with the concept five years ago with the “World’s Largest Cruise Night“. Hundreds of Agencies still get together in a collective effort each year in October to promote the joy of cruising to clients.

All YTB did was modernize the concept, making it easier for clients to become informed and educated, while at the same time saving Cruise Lines some serious money by reaching the same number of clients (if not more) from one centralized location over the internet. Most recently, YTB partnered the webcast with Facebook to make it even easier for YTB Agents to send a simple link to friends and clients to enjoy specials and promotions on the worlds most popular social networking site.

Adding Facebook into the equation makes it interactive, an element that was missing with a simple webcast. When YTB tried it for the first time with Carnival back in November, we had no idea the power it possessed and how much fun it could be. Thousands of people posted their favorite cruise pictures and some even won prizes! (Like yours truly. ;-P)

Thursday night, Princess Cruises gets into the act with a new twist called Trivia Night. The hour long broadcast will ask six Trivia Gold questions about Princess and/or Alaska to give viewers a chance to win prizes by answering the questions. In the meantime viewers also become educated on the value of cruising – and more specifically why Princess Cruises is the premier cruise line when it comes to an Alaska destination.

For example, a 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise is followed by 5-nights on land featuring 1 night at McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, 2 nights at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and 2 nights at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. It’s the only cruise of it’s kind. Princess has invested millions into these lodges and you won’t find these type of amenities from any other cruise line.

This cruisetour offers the ultimate vacation for the entire family, ensuring you see all the best of Alaska by land and by sea. You just can’t get that with any other line. 

As an added incentive to “come aboard”, Cruise customers will see some great prices for all destinations with the following benefits:

• Up to $100 onboard credit per stateroom
• Reduced deposit of just $100 per person
• Coupons worth up to $325 in onboard savings

The entire savings package can be found right here, and you can pull up a direct link to Princess Cruise Lines here to investigate and price out your next Princess Cruise.

The Sail-a-Thon should be a lot fun. From what I saw, Facebook fans enjoyed interacting with each other during the Carnival Sail-a-Thon a few months ago.

Technology – aint it grand?

Hope to see you there and of course some of you will be singing it with me until then…

Love, exciting and new
Come Aboard. We’re expecting you.
Love, life’s sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.

If you’re too young to remember the song that’s okay. Just remember to join us tomorrow night!

Hope to see you then!

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My how times have changed. If you would have told me that I’d be able to invite my Facebook friends to a live Sail-a-thon with “The Most Popular Cruise Line In The World” a year ago, I’m not sure I would have bought into that idea. Don’t get me wrong – I would have loved the idea! (I love anything that’s technology related and easy to use like Facebook.) A year ago however, it would have been hard to imagine corporations like YTB and Carnival buying into Facebook as a means of promoting business.

Today, not only does a promotion like this make perfect sense – but it becomes a reality tonight as YTB hosts it’s first Sail-a-thon using Facebook with Carnival Cruise Lines.

I’ve got to hand it to YTB, they’ve come up with another idea that’s new and innovative that captures a very large paradigm shift in social networking. It’s hard to pin down exactly how many people actually use Facebook these days, but the most reliable source I’ve been able to find is Facebook itself with over 250 million users as of July of this year. I’ve seen numbers of 100 million more by this time, but regardless if the numbers are right or accurate – it’s a HUGE number of users that interconnect via one massive network.

Think about how easy it is to post something to your Facebook page, inviting friends back to a place they enjoy hanging out anyway to interact and talk with others on the worlds largest social network. It’s a perfect marriage of the right companies and the right social network.

The 6 hour event (which runs from 6:00 pm to Midnight Central Standard Time) isn’t just about sales – it’s designed to be educational and fun. If you join us tonight – you’ll learn the following tips and tricks directly from YTB and Carnival:

- Learn why you should book with YTB
– Learn how to find the best fare
– Understanding what type of fares are available
– Learn when you should you make a reservation
– Learn how to select the best cabin/location
– Learn what constitutes a group
– Learn what types of groups are there
– Holiday Gift Certificates
– Cruise Sale offer — 2 category upgrade

If you want to learn and interact with others, simply pull up YTB Travel Network President, Kim Sorensen’s Facebook page. You can get involved by asking questions, answering the polls, sending in pictures of your party or a previous Carnival Cruise you’ve been on. YTB will have members of the creative team on the page during the entire broadcast to keep things lively and entertaining throughout the evening.

Carnival appears to be pumped about this event too. Ann Sedgewick has been sending her subscribers updates all week – offering up ideas and promotional materials to use to get the word out. Carnival was the one who started this whole Sail-a-thon concept two years ago with YTB. Because they keep coming back for more (this is our 4th event with the Cruise Line) I can only assume that the events are working for them. Why else would they keep doing it? In addition, other vendors like Princess and Pleasant Holidays have seen how easy and inexpensive these webinars are and have joined YTB to host thier own events.

Also, just to clarify – this Carnival event is exclusively with YTB. I encourage you to join me and thousands of others for the webcast, at your leisure from the comfort of their own home. It’s going to be a great event, a lot of fun, great offers and GREAT information for all; whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or first timer! Pick a cruise tonight or purchase a gift certificate to choose later if you’d like. You’ll see certificates ranging from 3-8 days with prices from $358 for a cruise for two. (Yes, TWO, not per person which makes this one very attractive offer!)

Also in honor of Veterans Day, there’s a month long promotion going on with special pricing and category upgrades to say “Thanks for your service”. So if you or anyone you know has sacrificed with service for this great Country, be sure to be part of tonight’s events.

It’s a winning combination any way you look at it – and it’s fitting that YTB is part of it.

Remember, the event starts at 6:00 pm Central and you can go to BandBVacations.com to find the video link and YTB Travel Network President, Kim Sorensen’s Facebook page to ask questions, interact with others and win prizes just for participating. It should be a really good time and since you’re probably going to be on Facebook anyway tonight, might as well get yourself an exceptional deal on your next cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines!

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I’ve mentioned this a time or two before on the internet, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever written about it here on this blog. When a client comes to me with a request for a cruise, the very first place that I look is on our Groups Page to see if anyone has something that would fit.

The search for a Group that matches a clients request just became a piece of cake with YTB’s new Group Search Upgrade on the YTB Booking Engine. It also enables your customers to book your group without having to search through all of the groups. (Over 500 at any given time!) You can now search by ship, by name of group, destination or date.

How cool is that?

The new group page comes via Convergentware, an upgrade that YTB purchased last year that I really like. The technology platform is extremely versatile and easy to use from an end user prospective. It’s also easy to use from a Travel Agent perspective. Set up a client with a user name and password, create the itinerary, and send them a link to view and book it themselves.

One of the reasons I love groups so much is because the price just can’t be beat. Typically, a group cruise is going to be $50 less per person than anything else a client can find on thier own. I’ve had some challenge me on this, but quickly shut them up when they realize they never added port charges or taxes (and sometimes gratuities) to the total price.

In all the years I’ve been doing this, a group rate has never been beat. (And if anyone else tells you differently, just smile – tell them “Thanks for sharing” – and move on. They’re not worth the time.)

A couple other cool changes you need to be aware of with the new upgrade that I like. As a site owner, you have the ability to have a public or private group. A private group will be assigned a special code that will be needed in order to view the group. If you want to reserve the space for just family, or a class reunion, you can now do that.

Also added is the ability to reserve as few as 8 cabins to start. If you need more, all the better. In that past, a group required 20 cabins to get yourself listed on the groups page. (One of the reasons the price was so attractive.) Convergentware also makes it easier for the Home Office to set up, so they’ve lowered the minimum requirement to get your group listed on the page.

To show you how easy it is to use this puppy – let’s say you’re looking at the new Carnival Dream. Simply pull up the new Groups Page from any YTB website (preferably mine) and select “Ship Name” for the pull down menu in the box. From there you can select the “Carnival Dream” and click the “Find It” button. Up comes two pages of group cruises ready for you to book at the special group rate on the Carnival Dream. You can do the same for length, date, region..you name it.

A couple things you need to keep in mind when looking at this pricing. Pricing is not only based on double occupancy (meaning it includes both berths in the cabin) but also includes port charges and taxes. Most but not all, also include the gratuities for the length of the cruise as well in the unit price that you’ll see. Most clients will realize the value you provided them when they compare apples to apples with any other Agency or Online Booking Engine they do a price comparison with. (Some clients, and all critics however, will need some help with this.) It should also be noted that most of these groups will only require a $25 deposit (per person) at the time of booking to reserve the space. This provides some additional time for them to budget for the deposit and the final payment due around 60 days before sailing. (Most really like this option.)

I’m really jazzed about this new upgrade. My job just got A LOT easier for those clients who look to me for a great cruise value. If you’re serious about making some decent money selling travel, cruises are an area you need to specialize in. All you really need is one 7 day cruise booking to break even per quarter, and when you add just one group per year – that my friends is gravy!

Thanks YTB!

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When I first saw this story in Travel Weekly about Princess doing a survey on the most stressed out cities in the US I was intrigued. I mean – cruise lines have been helping people de-stress for decades. While I wouldn’t consider this survey Pulitzer material, it’s certainly an interesting read for those of us who want to sell more vacations. (If you want Pulitzer, I’ve been telling people for over a decade that a cruise is the best vacation money can buy.)

The Princess survey was done in conjunction with Harris Interactive who specializes in custom market research. The press release also referenced Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder of The Stress Institute, who believes learning how to deal with stress is one of the most important things Americans can do to lead more balanced lives.

According to the survey the top-five things Americans feel will help them achieve better life balance include realizing financial success, improving physical fitness, getting organized and taking more breaks and vacations. Yet one in four Americans aren’t planning to take a vacation in the next year. (Siting “work-related” reasons for not taking one.) As a side note – these same Americans (particularly those living in Washington, D.C.) don’t think the President of the United States should be given any vacation days either.

Here’s the list of America’s Most Stressed Out Cities

1. Chicago
2. Houston
3. Boston
4. Los Angeles
5. San Diego
6. Denver
7. San Francisco
8. Detroit
9. Tampa (tie)
9. Portland, Ore. (tie)
10. Seattle
11. Washington, D.C. (tie)
11. Baltimore (tie)
12. Sacramento
13. Pittsburgh
14. Philadelphia
15. New York
16. Phoenix
17. Atlanta
18. St. Louis
19. Minneapolis
20. Cincinnati
21. Las Vegas
22. Dallas/Fort Worth
23. Miami

Not surprising that the least stressed city in the survey has a major cruise port. (Hummmm)

I found the Princess Press release and the findings are an interesting read. Some of them include that 72 percent of Americas say they do not have balance in their lives, but there is hope. Slightly more than half believe they can achieve life balance in the next five years. The survey also noted that the poor economy is a leading causes for life imbalance, followed by the need to lose weight.

My solution to achieve life balance? I’m going to tote the Princess line here – “escape completely” on a luxury cruise liner for a week. Have someone else do the cooking and cleaning, enjoy the romance of the sea, and there’s something about the turquoise water that just soothes the soul. 

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

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For the fifth consecutive year, CLIA will host the World’s Largest Cruise Night tonight. Thousands of agents will be hosting events all over the country and YTB is no exception. Princess Cruise Lines will partner up with YTB for it’s second Sail-A-Thon this year to help celebrate.

October is National Cruise Vacation Month. Tonight, you can join YTB as they host Princess Cruise Line for a Sail-a-thon during CLIA’s World’s Largest Cruise Night. The event will be hosted live from YTB booking engines at 6:00 pm Central with a special rebroadcasts at 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm Central.

In one 24-hour period, thousands of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) member travel agencies will participate in the World’s Largest Cruise Night. Travel agencies across North America will join together to promote cruising as the vacation option of choice – all in a single day.

This is the perfect opportunity for friends and family to book incredible cruises. Tonight’s broadcast will feature a new Alaska Family Cruisetour with 25% off for the Entire Family.

This 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise is followed by 5-nights on land featuring 1 night at McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, 2 nights at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and 2 nights at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. It’s the only cruise of it’s kind. Princess has invested millions into these lodges and you won’t find these type of amenities from any other cruise line.

This cruisetour offers the ultimate vacation for the entire family, ensuring you see all the best of Alaska by land and by sea.  It will enable the entire family to “Escape Completely” – with Princess.

Alaska not your thing? Want Europe or the Caribbean for your next destination. No problem. As an added incentive to “come aboard”, Cruise customers will see some great prices for all destinations tonight along with the following benefits:

• Up to $100 onboard credit per stateroom
• Reduced deposit of just $100 per person
• Coupons worth up to $325 in onboard savings

CLIA’s World’s Largest Cruise Night has been gaining recognition and exposure over the years. According to the CLIA press release, which announced this years event:

In 2008, over 4,000 agents participated in WLCN events and online Virtual WLCN promotions estimated to have generated almost 43,000 bookings, $41.4 million in sales and nearly $5.4 million in commissions.

A record number of over 65,000 CLIA member line videos were viewed by consumers during virtual WLCN cruise events held by over 3,000 agents. These CLIA members who participated in Virtual WLCN promotions, sent email invitations to consumers inviting them to visit a customized Web site with cruise line videos, agency contact information and special offers. Over 1,100 agencies conducted traditional WLCN events, also a record. Nearly 500,000 consumers were invited to visit a customized WLCN website to obtain information on special offers. All of Liberty Travel’s locations participated with in-store events along with many of the leading vacation agency distributors in North America.

Cruise Lines and Agencies pull out all the stops for a night like tonight not just to get customers on their ships, but to show the benefits of cruising. We’ve been telling people for 13 years that a cruise is the best vacation money could buy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a avid cruise-a-holic like us or first time cruiser – the best time to check out what’s available is tonight.

So sing it with me now…

Love, exciting and new
Come Aboard. We’re expecting you.
Love, life’s sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.

Now that you’ve got that song firmly cemented into your head for the day – you’ll be sure to remember to join us.

Like I said…we pull out ALL the stops! ;-P

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Scott Tomer was in town a couple weeks ago and I had a chance to sit down with him in a small group setting the night before the Saturday training. One of the other members of the group asked the question “Why don’t we [YTB] hand out more travel awards at Convention?”

What Scott told us, was the idea of Travel Awards did come up for Friday’s afternoon General Session at this years Convention. If you recall, Friday afternoon unleashed the industries best commission contracts and benefits in the industry, the upgrades for “Steals and Deals” and the enhanced Great Escapes packages for both Travel Store owners, and clients. With Friday afternoon dedicated to Travel it just made sense to offer Travel Awards. However, when they called the travel leaders in our company to ask if they would be at Convention, every one of them said “Yes, I’ll be at Funshine.”

The “Convention” our travel leaders were talking about begins today at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Funshine provides two days of seminars and a trade show floor with some 60 or 70 suppliers who are soliciting their products and services for your clients next vacation.

Funshine will also hold a General Session tonight to hand out awards for our travel leaders who have produced significant travel sales. There will be other upgrades and announcements; one of which is a new “skin” with additional features which you can get a feel for from with our Golf site. (Sorry, couldn’t hold back on this one, but since it’s already live…what the heck.)

The trade show floor of course is free, and those of us who have completed the Marc Mancini’s E-Campus series of courses also receive a complimentary upgrade to all the seminars offered by our preferred suppliers. (We also get to call ourselves “Travel Agents” and are upgraded to a 75% commission contract without quotas after completing the E-Campus courses.)

Here is a list I was able to obtain from the Home Office of the seminars and descriptions.

American Destinations
“Significantly grow your YTB Business with Educational Student Travel” Content for beginners and experienced agents alike.
ADI specializes in all-inclusive, multi-day group tour packages with an emphasis on Educational Student Travel.  YOU can have a hand in shaping our Nation’s youth and work toward your YTB $5,000 Matching Travel Commission Bonus!

Carnival Cruise Lines
(Friday) “Getting Started Selling Cruises – What you really need to know” – Beginner
(Saturday) “Super Sales with Carnival Cruise Lines” – This all-inclusive seminar will touch on the keys to great success selling cruises.  It’s a must attend event! – All levels are encouraged and welcome!

CCRA
“What’s new with CCRA”   This seminar speaks to those mostly already familiar with their product but they would love to include anyone wanting to learn more about who they are.
We will show you how to book hotels and other services – make more money and save time!

CLIA
“Cruise Vacations: an Introduction” This seminar is 3 hours and worth 15 CLIA credits once you have passed the test.

Collette Vacations
“How to make the most money in Travel Today!” For all levels of experience.
Deluxe escorted tours to all 7 continents, door to door transportation from the passenger’s home to the airport.  Our unmatched cancellation waiver protects your passenger.

Costa Cruise Lines
“Have you seen Costa lately?”  For both beginner and experienced agents.
Costa, Europe’s number one cruise line, offers an experience that is delightfully different in service and cruise.  In an atmosphere filled with love, laughter and La Dolce Vita.

Globus Family of Brands
“Globus Family of Brands; Product, Groups and Marketing” Balanced for beginners and experienced agents.
With more than 400 vacations to over 60 countries worldwide, the Globus Family of Brands offers a variety of travel styles to fit anyone’s budget or desire.

Holland America Line
“How to understand & sell Holland America Line, including in depth training on our Alaska vacations”  Balanced for beginners and experienced agents.
We invite you to sail with us and discover a world of elegant, mid-sized ships, award-winning service, intriguing onboard enrichment programs and sophisticated five-star dining.

Honeymoon Wishes
“The Honeymoon and Destination Wedding Market is still growing – Learn how to be a part of it.” For both beginner and experienced agents.
Clients can have any part of their honeymoon as a wedding present!  Earn commissions form their gift registry and market your business.

Pleasant Holidays
“The World of Pleasant” For both beginner and experienced agents.
Since 1959, Pleasant Holidays has sent over 9 million travelers on dream vacations.  Pleasant Holidays features hundreds of specials and value-packed vacations.

Princess Cruises / Cunard Lines
“The World of Princess Cruises” “The Legendary Voyages of Cunard Lines”
Escape completely with Princess Cruises to over 350 destinations and 105 unique itineraries.  Show your clients the world!

Silversea Cruises
“Selling the World of Silversea” Learn the value of selling an all inclusive luxury product and earn higher commissions. For both beginner and experienced agents Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard five intimate vessels, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit – all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance.

Steps of Paul Coastal Cruises
A unique cruise line navigating through the lands of the Bible, the Steps of the Apostle Paul and the Holy Lands.  Fundraising plans for your church groups.

Travelocity Partner Network
“Travel, Travel, Travel – Trends, Industry Knowledge and more” For both beginner and experienced agents.
A division of Travelocity, the industry leader in offering scalable and private label online travel solutions.  It builds your brand, not ours.

Travel Guard
Travel Insurance… How it benefits you and your customers
Travel Guard Insurance Regional Account Manager Nancy Mallek from Stevens Point WI, is curious if you know how easily you can increase your revenue by recommending travel insurance.  Join us for an informative session that will help you sell more.  Learn various tips on how to sell, why your customers should purchase, and ways to overcome objections.  Plus, everything you want to know about what is covered in a travel insurance policy.

Other suppliers who I don’t have course descriptions for but will be at Funshine to educate TSO’s who want to learn include Epic Tours, The Mark Travel Corporation, Worldwide Golf Vacations, MSC Cruises, Cunard Lines, Worldwide Tours, Inc., and Carey International.

When you take a look at the list of seminars above and then compare it to the Home Based Agent Show and Conference in Atlantic City in a little more than a week, it’s shocking to see how a single company like YTB can attract a similar segment and number of suppliers for its conference. I’d also be willing to bet that YTB will provide a larger crowd for Funshine compared to the Home Based Agent Show designed for an entire segment of the industry.

It should be a fun weekend with our peers who have a legitimate desire to learn and grow in the travel industry from suppliers who see YTB for what it truly is – the 25th largest Seller of Travel in the industry. 

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