I’ve gotten plenty of calls, e-mails, and a few comments on my Blog about John Frenaye’s latest posts with claims that YTB is all about industry perks. While I can understand why he’s upset about this, and to a point he’s rightfully upset with us about this issue. It’s been a closely guarded secret in the industry for decades and for a company like YTB to announce to the world how the industry works is upsetting.

He’s even gone as far as directing us to a couple of presentations (found here and here) that explain how FAM’s work and what we as “Insiders” can take advantage of. While I personally don’t use these presentations, I’ve known about them for quite some time and I’ve even had them forwarded to me on several occasions for my review.

I’m going to attempt to be as far and as partial as I can about this issue because I happen to like John and we’ve developed a good rapport even if our introductions to each other were on totally opposite sides. I also happen to believe that to a certain extent he has a right to be upset. What we are exposing as a company has been closely guarded by the Traditional Industry and it’s very unsettling to have anyone divulge insider secrets such as these.

I also believe his positioning that YTB and these presentations about the FAM’s and perks are highly exaggerated. In both presentations, the presenters express what FAM’s are which are as follows:

“Many resort areas, cities, tourism boards, properties and vendors offer deeply discounted trips to Travel Agents to Familiarize them with their location. These trips are offered as “Perks and Courtesies” to Travel Professionals at the sole discretion of the host and are usually limited in availability.”

In both presentations, the presenter clearly states, (as I do) that these same properties do this in hopes that you will refer your friends and family to these properties. One of the presenters also went as far (as I do) that these same properties will not kick out a full paying fair just to put YOU in at half price, but if space is available, these properties would much rather get something rather than nothing by letting you as a Travel Professional stay at a reduced rate.

While nothing has been officially announced by YTB at this point, it is my understanding that our relationship with Royal Caribbean International has been flushed.

Buh-Bye.

Currently, it simply doesn’t matter what Royal Caribbean does, and based on what we know they have and have not done, YTB feels it’s best to simply remove ourselves from a company who selectively chooses to single out a few Agencies, while making exceptions for other companies who also offer a Home Based Business opportunity. While the Retail Travel Professionals are gleaming with the apparent support over Royal Caribbean’s decision, it’s quite evident both from documentation found, and from what I’ve been reading on from other members of card mills that this “card mill” issue is neither sweeping or consistent.

While all the doom and gloom over what Royal Caribbean has chosen to do is still swirling, we must not loose site that the truth about our business model and our company has also begun to surface. Earlier this week, Travel Weekly gave YTB a chance to defend our model, and it’s quite clear based on what’s been happening, “there are many misconceptions about who we are and what we do”.

If you recall, I lambasted the organizer of the petition being signed by various Retail Travel Professionals for his lack of basic knowledge and understanding about our business model. This supposed “authority” in the travel industry stated on this very Blog “If you read the TW report, it says that $176M of that was from website sales and from monthly website maintenance fees. These are NOT travel sales. These are website sales.”

While I can’t be certain, I find it hard to believe that anything being said about my Blog or our company behind closed doors gives any acknowledgement that several sources, including Travel Weekly, confirming that the $176 Million is both “verified” and also “Travel Sales”, not Network Marketing or Recruiting sales. Unfortunately, such clarification about facts has little bearing for those who are so adamantly opposed to seeing yet another threat in even more business being taken away from a struggling and dieing market segment.

It’s been documented here before that over $40 Billion in travel services are now being done on-line with just 4 of the Top 10 Agencies currently taking away business from these Retail Travel Agents. The days of “Personal Service”, “Travel Agent Expertise” and “Credibility” is clearly a dying market with over 75% of these Agencies closing their doors. And while some have chosen to attack with misleading the public, comparing our business models to other models that haven’t even launched, (E-Trips Network) the more attention YTB gets, the more individuals will begin to question the validity of the arrogant and uninformed who are touting such propaganda.

Much has been joked about all the news and what YTB’s Travel Numbers currently are, and critics point fingers at one YTB spokesman stating sales of $1 Billion for 2007 while another states only $550 Million, they fail to realize that even at $550 Million, that still puts YTB Travel Network in the Top 20 in next years Power List. Ask any College Football fan, and they’ll tell you, you’re nobody until you make the Top 25 Poll. They clearly point to net losses of millions of dollars without an credence to $169 Million in Market Capitalization, nor do they realize how rapidly YTB is expanding and growing it’s infrastructure to support a growing RTA field by nearly 400 to 500 new RTA’s per day.

YTB simply “offers” fully paid medical benefits for those of us who produce $25,000 per year in Travel Commissions. Surely no one is even earning IATAN credentials with YTB and RTA’s like Vivian Clark, Daphene Jackson, Ronnie Williams, and Carl Dennis are just “lucky”. While Royal Caribbean claims they have strict rules against discounting to “card mills” they certainly don’t have a problem with “conductors rates” for those of us who organize and book groups of 30 cabins or more.

Those making claims against our model think training is kept to a minimum across the country to help the thousands of new RTA’s who have recently joined our ranks, and we certainly
wouldn’t want them to know anything about our continuing education which was designed and written by Dr. Marc Mancini and TheAcademy.com. What these “Professionals” don’t understand is that I’ve been able to find ample support and greater encouragement from YTB than any other system I’ve ever looked at previously. When I first looked at getting into this industry years ago, I was stuck without the required experience, and now that I have it, it’s not good enough because it’s “Network Marketing”.

Nice.

Sorry guys…you had you’re chance many years ago. Now that I’ve created my own business with my own clients and my own team of Agents, thanks to the support of YTB, I’m here for the long haul. The leadership of this company both at the home office, and in the field won’t be going anywhere. It takes a special tolerance to deal with all the myths and misconceptions surrounding the Network Marketing industry and you have seriously underestimated the resolve of the entrepreneurial spirit.

YTB is already 127,000 strong, and we all have Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, and Daughters who will continue to do business with us over anyone else. The more knowledgeable and mature we become, the more business we will dictate goes where and with whom.

Currently the only supplier who has chosen to be on the outside looking in is Royal Caribbean. While rumors continue to swirl at the time of this writing, no other supplier has made the choice to do the same some two weeks later. That’s not to say it won’t happen, but the longer this takes, the lower the probability that any other supplier will be foolish enough to alienate themselves from an obvious growing market shift.

As my good friend Charlie Howe stated “The Fat lady hasn’t even inhaled at this point!” and our Retailer’s are cheering about major, sweeping changes. Trust me…they’ve done little to change our growth or resolve. If anything, they’ve strengthened our desire to be the largest Travel Agency in the world.

Those associated with YTB, please check your back office for some BIG plans with the #1 Cruise Line in the world. While I’m not going to tip our Retail Agents just what has been laid before us, they will find out soon enough what 127,000 untrained, unprofessional, and unqualified RTA’s in YTB can do. It’s my hope and my mission to help our opposition understand what “Shock and Awe” is meant to look like.

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This is Easy! YTB has partnered with several national businesses for the benefit of our RTA’s. As an RTA, you can access discounts to a number of products and services as long as you maintain the activation of your individual travel site.

Save on office essentials, print services, furniture, and more! Stapleslink.com is Staples’ business-to-business Internet ordering solution. As individual business owners, YTB RTAs can order supplies electronically from your computer anytime at special contract prices or by shopping inside your favorite Staples Store. The site provides access to over 30,000 products, with new additions daily, at YTB’s negotiated low prices!

YTB and Sprint is pleased to announce a partnership designed to offer RTAs extra savings on mobile services. As an active RTA you can take advantage of a minimum 10% discount* on your monthly wireless services and a 25% discount on all phone accessories. You must be a current RTA in order to qualify for the YTB/Sprint discounts. There are three ways to qualify for this discount program:

• Transfer your existing Sprint service to the YTB/Sprint program.

• Transfer your existing service and telephone number from another carrier to the YTB/Sprint program.

• Activate a new line of service with the YTB/Sprint program.

Receive 25% off all phone accessories Receive a FREE Bluetooth headset with a NEW activation in the YTB/Sprint program (offer valid until 12/28/07).

*Minimum 10% discount is adjusted upward based on the number of lines subscribed by RTAs participating in the program. When subscribed lines reach a total of 2,500 the discount is 15%; 20,000 subscribed lines, 18% discount; 30,000 subscribed lines 20% discount, and 60,000 subscribed lines; 29% discount. With over 100,000 RTA’s this is a no brainer!

Dell and YTB are pleased to announce exceptional pricing on new Dell Systems! YTB Associates are able to purchase from corporate configurations, or from our full catalog of products. You can purchase a new Inspiron desktop or notebook PC configured specifically to your needs while utilizing the purchasing power of YTB. You can also purchase a Dell LCD TV, Dell Printer, as well as choose from over thousands of electronics and accessories. As a Dell Member Purchase Program participant, you will continue to receive all current, advertised promotions and discounted shipping, corporate-level telephone technical support and award winning customer service.

Receive special promotional prices on select models of TomTom Navigation Systems. Through a special promotional site you will be able to purchase your favorite model and have it shipped straight to your door.

Guys, we’ll never have to ask for directions again!

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.

PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!

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