I had this scheduled for Friday, but with so much attention on our good friend Andy Cauthen, I decided to bump this back until today.

That being said, this may not be “news” for many who follow the industry closely, but I still wanted to offer up how I perceive this news. For those of you who know poeple who always look at things in a negative light, you might consider making a push to contact these people now, before Carnival’s 5% price increase goes into effect on March 22nd.

According to Carnival’s Press Release:

Carnival Cruise Lines is reporting record wave season bookings, with strong reservations activity for 2010 departures.  As a result of the strong booking volumes, a general price increase will be implemented effective March 22 for all summer sailings in June, July and August.

For the period of Jan. 1 through Feb. 21, 2010, bookings were at unprecedented levels for the line’s 22 ships which operate three- to 15-day voyages from a variety of convenient North American home ports.

Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said, “We’re seeing significantly increased volume as consumers are taking advantage of the incredible value that a Carnival cruise provides. And while pricing hasn’t fully recovered to 2008 levels, we are increasing prices and will implement an across-the-board increase effective March 22.”

He said that the price increases will vary by departure date but will be up to 5 percent.

Cahill attributed the record booking activity to a wide range of factors, including strong travel agent partner support, targeted marketing initiatives, itinerary enhancements and the wide variety of close-to-home departure points.

Wave season typically runs from about mid-January through early spring and is traditionally the busiest, most important booking period in the cruise industry.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 15 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Europe.

Carnival also has two new ships on order — the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, and a sister ship set to debut in 2012.

For additional information on the Carnival vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

###

If by chance you’re thinking to yourself that I’ve lost my marbles over a price increase being “good news” you’ve missed some very key components to Carnival’s message.

Bookings are not only up, but at unprecedented levels. Yes, Carnival made many moves over the last year that helped attract customers, and I don’t want to discount how that played a major role. Cruise customers have seen some very attractive prices in the industry over the last year to 18 months, which some say they’ve not seen in over a decade. Now that the economy is turning around, travelers are once again booking vacations for the upcoming summer season. Because demand is high, the prices therefore go up.

To me, this is another sign that the travel industry is on the mend and it’s good for everyone who works in this industry.

I remember talking with George Dooley this summer before the Convention and the interview we had together. We were talking about how it took one and a half to two bookings to make the same amount of commission in years past because of the lower prices to attract customers. Our total number of booking was in fact up in 2009, but we didn’t reach the same level in commissions from years past due to the lower prices. We worked harder for less money.

It’s good to see prices on the rise again in that regard.

Could the price increase backfire on Carnival? Possibly – but even with a 5% increase, the lines pricing is still below other cruise lines who offer the same itineraries. What’s going to be interesting – or something to look for – is if other lines follow suit. I’m sure Cruise Industry is at least considering a similar move, and those that are showing the same unprecedented levels certainly will announce a price increase in the near future. Those that do, will be the ones to watch as the industry leaders showing the strongest bookings thus far in 2010.

For those that want the bargain basement prices, still have time over the next couple of weeks. If you have some loose ends and quotes out there now, as we do with Carnival, you’ll want to follow up with those people before March 22nd. That is, if you want to offer value to them as an Agent.

Take this as a sign that the industry is following right along with the economic recovery we’re seeing in other sectors – and recovery certainly is good news. Demand is up, and people are looking to take vacations this year.

It’s a much needed “wave” of revenue the industry needs right now.

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Do You ZamZuu?

I read an interesting article this week that I wanted to share it with you. Before I reveal the source of the article, I’d like you to read it in it’s entirety. It highlights many of the benefits of owning a home based business including income opportunities, tax benefits, personal growth, and risks.

While you can take this “Top Ten” list and fit it into just about any home based business, it’s clear from the very beginning of the article that the author is speaking of a home based “travel business”.

Take some time to read this article and I’ll be back at the end, to enlighten you just who this intelligent, articulate and successful author is.

Enjoy!

As the economy continues to top the news, along with the constant doom and gloom that the media projects for the travel industry, some home-based agents may wonder what the future holds for them. However, judging by the number of calls that I get each week from people who are excited at the prospect of getting into the travel business, I would have to say that our future is bright.

It certainly is refreshing to see new agents discovering the benefits of running businesses out of their homes. If you’re looking to get out of the rat race, to spend more time with family and friends, and to live a more balanced life, a home-based business may be the right decision for you. Here are 10 reasons why it pays to work from home.

Personal freedom. If you’re used to spending hours in traffic every day to and from work, some of the most exciting advantages to starting a home-based business are your newfound freedom and the retrieval of lost time. The average American spends 348 hours each year commuting, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. With a home-based business, you have those extra hours to regain control of your personal life. Plus, there are no bosses, no dress code, no set work schedule and no office politics. All you will need is personal drive, discipline, marketing and time-management skills.

You get to keep the money you make. It’s a simple principle: The harder you work, the more money you can make. Your earnings potential is directly proportional to your performance, so you don’t have to wait for a raise or a promotion. You’ll also save money on gas and food. Preparing lunch at home is more cost efficient and offers a nice break in your work day.

Increased opportunity. With so many corporations and industries in slumps, starting your own home-based travel agency means you can create your own income-producing opportunities. Good job prospects can be scarce in some industries, and promotional opportunities within major companies are also shrinking. With many workers now opting to take early retirement packages, becoming a travel agent is an excellent chance to take a passion for travel and turn it into a second career.

Less risk. Running a travel business from home takes much less startup cash than starting a storefront business or even a franchise location. Since there are no inventory or products to purchase, and the business is located where you reside, you don’t have the additional monthly expenses of rent or utilities.

Tax advantages. There are a number of tax advantages to having your home and office under one roof. Check with your tax advisor to see if he or she recommends deducting operating and depreciation expenses on your home as business expenses. This can be a percentage of your mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and/or the expenses of household maintenance.

More time for friends and family. This is especially important for parents of school-age children. You can see the kids off to school and on most days be home when they return. Also, if someone is sick, it’s easier to leave your desk at home than in an office.

Less stress. It’s a little less stressful to juggle the demands of work and family when you know you can stay home to care for a sick child and generally make appointments according to your own set schedule. Also, you can schedule new appointments on the same day as other events on your calendar. For example, if your weekly networking meeting is on Tuesday, set as many other appointments on that same day, even if it’s just a trip to the dry cleaner.

Opportunities for professional growth. Being your own boss gives you the chance to wear a lot of hats: sales director, marketing professional, strategist, business development manager and more. This gives you experience with all aspects of running a business.

Increased productivity. Now that you no longer have to budget time and energy for commuting or a succession of useless meetings, you should have a lot more time and energy to make your business a success.

A creative outlet. Your home-based agency can be an opportunity for you to give birth to your passion and create a money-generating opportunity. You can try out new ideas, take risks and run the business in exactly the way you want.

Now if this sound like a big MLM pitch, you could be right. Not only have I written about many of these subjects here over the years, I’ve seen several ads and articles that relate directly to MLM promoting the same features, advantages, and benefits of running your own home based business with YTB. (Or other MLM Business)

But before you go writing this entire article off as some lame MLM pitch to get you to fork over a bunch of money to an MLM opportunity, or think the tax benefits and income opportunities are somehow misleading or deceptive, I’d like to introduce you to the source and the author of this wonderful piece.

Anita Pagliasso is not only the author of “No Place Like Home” found in the September issue of Agent @ Home, but is also the author of a book called, “How I Made a Small Fortune as a Home Based Travel Agent“, which includes a CD that contains Anita’s tool box for Home Based Agents loaded with forms, letters, disclosures, disclaimers, and templates for the Home Based Agent. In addition to her articles and book, Anita is an Executive Board Member of PATH (Professional Association of Travel Hosts) and also hosts a very informative web site surrounding the Home Based Travel Business called Ticket 2 Travel.

I got to ask…do you see any real difference between what you’ve seen on this blog or in my Newsletter and what’s in this particular article? Can you find anything in this article that you can’t find in YTB or another general MLM? (Taking the “travel aspect” out of the equation of course)

Makes you wonder why Anita gets a pass and MLM’ers get all this flack about being misleading and deceptive doesn’t it?

Keep this article handy next time you see another emotional outburst about the benefits of owning your own Home Based Travel Business.

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Do You ZamZuu?

I like people I can relate to. Heck, who doesn’t? It’s hard even listen to someone who constantly talks down to you like they’re somehow better than you are. It’s my belief that people read this blog and subscribe to my newsletter because I’m an average guy. I can be very serious, but I also like to have fun. I’m also very thorough in documenting what’s written with third party sources to reference. 

I’m also human. I’ve made my share of mistakes. When I fall short, I admit it, fix it, and move on.

I’ve written about my good friend Candi May several times here and over the last few years we’ve become great friends. When you have your own ringtone on my iPhone, you know we talk quite a bit. (Actually, I wish she’d call me more, case I love that ringtone!)

Candi is also one of those down to earth individuals you can relate to. There’s no arrogance, false fronts, or an ounce of bitterness in this person to make you think that she’s somehow attempting to con anyone. Yet, she, like me, Coach, Scott, Kim, and some of the other better known names who have the guts to show up on the internet as real people are scorned and ridiculed on a daily basis by a very small group, with this illusion that we’re out to deceive and mislead the general public.

After this years Convention, there was a bizarre twist from a “professional travel agent” with this this idea that Candi stood in front of the Convention crowd and deceived everyone that she learned how to “travel like a pro” while in YTB. The anger and scorn it generated was incredible, especially when you see the the actual video and what was really said at this years Convention.

Which ironically, we now have.

Now, if you can stomach it, go read the emotional outbursts from the “traditional side” of the fence, and then watch the demeanor of one of our own. Compare her speech with the tangled mess that was trumped up from the other side and then ask yourself…”who would I rather work with?”

There’s really no question in my mind who I’d enjoy working with more. (And also learn more from.) There’s also no question who’s desperate and who’s secure in who they are and what they do. Mind you, Candi has never had any desire to lash out in an attempt to defend who she is and what she’s accomplished. No need when you compare the two sides.

However, I’m going to step to the side here, and let you be the judge. Make your own choice on your own who you’d pick to be mentored by in this industry. Afterward, if you’d like to find out more about this incredible lady, you can read more about her on her new blog.

Makes no difference to me, cause I’ve already made mine.

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If finally happened. I woke up this morning and checked my blog stats only to see “Steve Mencik linked here saying, “Provide me documentation of just one Host, one Age …”

It appears that someone finally had the guts to stand up and discuss an issue that I’ve been asking the industry to respond to for a month now. Congratulations. However, since Steve (the author of the post) doesn’t know how to link properly, we’re bringing the challenge I offered up to the industry, called “Open Mic” night” back up. If you came here from No Travel MLM’s, you would have found an article on Brian Tracy, not the challenge. I know how easy it is for our critics to get sidetracked with irrelevant and scandalous matters.

In addition, I find it interesting that we already have one of the infamous excuses from the other side and change to my challenge. Personally, I take issue with that because I didn’t ask, nor am I looking for excuses. I asked about solutions from other Hosts.

Steve has thrown one of the major benefits for him and other Travel Agents out the window for one of two reasons. One, because he, like everyone else can’t grasp YTB’s two distinct business models. Or two, because he knows that the insurance offered to TSO’s is an offer no other Host has. Therefore, the insurance issue is thrown out the window because he wants to mix the two opportunities.

Tisk – tisk – tisk.

Rules are rules guys, and YTB’s Medical and Life Insurance is a very distinct advantage of the TSO (YTB Travel Network) compensation program that I can promise no one else is able to offer. YTB has offered this benefit for two solid years now, exclusive of the Director program from YTB Marketing. Because no other Host has been able to figure out just how to do this with independent contractors we’re told it can’t be done?

Don’t think so.

The Medical and Life Insurance offered by YTB Travel Network does not require the recruitment a single solitary soul in order to obtain the Insurance. Period. The process of mixing both our Director Program and our Travel Agent Program not only a lame excuse but a cop-out so they can appear to have somewhat of a level playing field.

Sorry gang, but no can do on throwing it out the window. Since a “Travel Agent” would not be required to become a Director, (i.e. recruit a single person) and the insurance benefits are granted strictly via annual travel commissions of $25,000 or more, and not recruiting, the insurance stays right were it is.

To clarify further for everyone here are the commission contracts and the levels that anyone, including Steve, can achieve as a TSO with YTB Travel Network.

*Excludes shopYTB commissions. (Remember we only need “Travel Agents” here.)

*Upon reaching the 80, 90 or 100% commission level, Site Owners will receive company paid group health insurance as well as one-time bonuses of $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000 respectively.

*These one-time bonuses are only paid when a Site Owner reaches the 80, 90 or 100% commission level for the first time.

So bring it on kids. Provide me documentation of just one Host, one Agency, one single Brick and Mortar that:

• Offers 80%-100% commission contracts.
• Pays cash bonuses of up to $10K when you hit performance levels for travel commissions earned.
• AND completely covers the cost of your Medical Insurance and provides a $150,000 Life Insurance policy.
• AND do it for less than $500 start up and $49.95 per monthly overhead.

And I’m not looking for excuses why it can’t be done. Fact is, it HAS been done and it’s not my problem or issue that YTB came up with it first leaving the rest of the Hosts in the dust.

Gang, if you were smart, and I know you are, instead of fighting this, you’d join. $25K a year for a traditional travel agent or anyone else with the experience and knowledge that Steve has would be a walk in the park. I would imagine $100K would also be attainable for Steve and his colleagues.

Unless you can come up with another host who can do all this…you’re leaving all kinds of money and opportunities on the table.

So stop beating around the bush, stop coming up with excuses and provide the documentation I asked for.

Otherwise you’ll get nothing more than – “Thanks for sharing”.

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Do You ZamZuu?

I’ve worked in several different industries throughout my adult life. I spent the vast majority of that time in the radio industry from the early 80’s to the mid 90’s. I also spent time in the Golf industry, and later in the Security and Home Automation industry before I found YTB. I quickly realized that each industry has it’s share of bickering and finger pointing. Every industry has it’s share of people who do nothing but start rumors either to discredit or get a leg up on the competition.

If you combine all the years I spent in the other industries, it doesn’t hold a candle to what I’ve seen in the Travel Industry in the 4 years I’ve been involved with YTB. The backstabbing, the ranting and raving, and the accusations that are thrown around in this industry is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

I have to hand it to the Traditional Travel Agents, they are an extremely passionate group. Please don’t take that as any form of admiration however. Any type of admiration turns very sour when the passion is as misguided and so dysfunctional that you see grown adults belittle and scorn each other in public forums. Because all they do is bicker the industry is left fragmented and unorganized. Travel MLM’s have come and gone for over a decade now. The industry has been outraged over the MLM model and Card Mills, but because nobody can agree with one another, Travel MLM’s are not only still around, they’ve gained considerable traction in the industry.

I was looking over the data I have on how people find this blog earlier in the week. Several search terms popped out at me for consideration for an article. Before I had an opportunity to research the story, a “Google Alert” came last night that put all the pieces together in one very well written article in Travel Agent Central.

In the article Peter Stilphen, an industry advocate, seems to be convinced that OSSN (Outside Sales Support Network) now caters to the MLM industry and has said so publicly in an open letter. OSSN of course denies the allegation and is going to great lengths to shut Mr. Stilphen up. OSSN has even gotten legal counsel involved to contact Mr. Stilphen numerous times to confirm the allegations with documentation and facts. Typical of most critics however, Stilphen has ignored the request for verification. What this has boiled down to is nothing more than an “Am not” – “Are too” type of argument that once again is being played out in the open for everyone to see.

Why am I not appalled over this type of conduct? Because I’m sorry to say it’s more the norm than it is the exception. Once again, instead of promoting solutions, benefits, or guidelines that have been a real sore in this industry for well over a decade now, we have more bickering and finger pointing.

Once again…we have to ask…”How’s that working for you so far?”

I’ve read numerous times that Travel MLM’s give professionals a black eye. When you look at something like this, you have to wonder why some don’t look in the mirror and realize that professionals are doing a fine job of punching themselves and providing plenty of back eyes of thier own.

I’m not a member of OSSN, but I have gotten updates and e-mails from this organization for years. They’ve been beneficial to me in as much as to provide information about industry trade shows and supplier training that educate and enable me to be more productive in the travel industry. While there have been many offers to join the organization, thier policies prohibit anyone involved in MLM’s from joining. While they do offer a “TRUE” credential, I can’t justify switching to anther host simply to carry a “TRUE” card. For someone like myself, CLIA offers the best training and accreditation now that they’ve upgraded and enhanced thier program. As we’ve learned however, even an organization like CLIA isn’t immune to the fighting and bickering going on between “professionals”.

The last time I wrote about Peter Stilphen was well over a year and a half ago when Royal Caribbean decided to pull the plug on YTB. At the time Peter was on the Board of Directors of an association called PATH. With Peter’s urging, PATH convinced Royal Caribbean that they needed to terminate it’s relationships with Travel MLM’s and Card Mills. To this day, we’ve only been able to verify two agencies that have ever been terminated by RCL while over a dozen other Travel MLM’s are still in good standing and booking with the cruise line. One of the agencies terminated being Joystar and the other being YTB.

Worked out well, don’t you think?

Although Peter has been a very outspoken critic of both Joystar and YTB over the years, I really don’t pay much attention to him personally. He’s simply lumped into the mix of outspoken critics who buys into the social “meme” I wrote about on Wednesday. He is however, one of the longest tenured critics surrounding Travel MLM’s that I know of. He and Bill Alverson (CEO of the now bankrupt Joystar) started the rumblings over a decade ago when Bill started the first Travel MLM called TravelMax. (Also long gone.)

Back in March I picked up another open letter to the industry from Paul Henderson of ProTravel Network, who has also grown tired of finger pointing and the bickering in the industry which adds further proof that the industry has no clue how to resolve the issue of industry credentials. Because the industry hasn’t been able to come up with guidelines, anyone associated in the industry is fair game when it comes to pointing fingers. Peters most recent crusade to eliminate “cards” has him yelling at OSSN now, an association that’s promoted by PATH by the way.

I honestly can’t tell you if the industry is ever going to get along with each other. I find it a real shame that an industry which evokes so many good memories and emotions for it’s clients in the form of vacations and exotic locations, has such a difficult time finding it’s “happy place” when it comes to communicating and getting along with each other. I’ve never seen such enormous ego’s, and so many experts in all my life. For me, it’s another reason why I stick with YTB.

You would think that some of these old dogs would wake up and learn some new tricks after so much time spent doing what they do with no answers or resolutions in sight. Unfortunaly that’s not my call or within my control. Because of the suppliers and clients I spend most of my time with, the professionals end up being a nessasary evil in the industry that I simply endure while learning, growing, and making my own way in the travel industry.

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Do You ZamZuu?

UPDATE: If you were on the Thursday Night Training Call with Ann Sedgwick last night or if you read the Travel Compass sent out last evening, you now know that BookCCL.com is open for YTB RTA’s to register once again. (Even if you did not have a previous booking or group already registered through their site.) Registration is reserved for RTA’s who have taken the appropriate training and upgraded from the Associate position who now qualify for the 70% commission level.

Instructions can be found in either the Travel Compass or in this weekends Newsletter sent out for Just Picture It Now Newsletter Subscribers.
~~~~~~~~~

If your read Monday’s article, you knew that I was up in Wood River for Red Carpet Day Tuesday. I enjoy these events because I’m able to actually see many of the organization face to face. I get a chance to look people in the eye, instead of talking with people over the phone, or corresponding via e-mail. Events such as Red Carpet, Convention, and other local meetings are important to me simply because like the documentation I have here, seeing the energy, the excitement, and passion in someone’s own eyes completes who we are and what we do.

Now that the company has overcome the allegations in California that some claimed would put YTB out of business, (the California AG’s and critics goal by the way) Wood River was a buzz.

Seeing is believing. I’m sure there will be those who simply take what they read in the media, blogs, and forums for face value. If you want to believe that YTB is banned in California, shut down, or has ended, you’re free to do so. As we move forward, and people see that YTB’s still around, still making headlines, and obviously still operational – I would imagine that it would only cement that critics aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed.

The same type of myths were planted on the internet surrounding YTB’s relationship with Carnival Cruise Lines. Attempting to state anything other than a very solid and stable relationship with the World’s Most Popular Cruise Line has been considerably more difficult to spin however. There’s been plenty of evidence over the years that Carnival not only enjoys, but values it’s relationship with YTB. Most of the evidence is private in the form of e-mails to the field directly from Ann Sedgwick, or the Saturday morning training calls she conducts on the company conference call number. Other evidence is available for everyone via several Sail-a-thons with Carnival and Princess who promote their product during these events.

Critics, as always, will persist however with their own agenda. Attempts have been made to make it look like our relationship with Carnival will soon fall like it did with Royal Caribbean. A few months ago, we decided to revamp and clean up the BookCCL.com accounts. Now that we have a Home Office staff large enough to handle the volume, YTB took on more responsibility asking Associates and TSO’s to call our own Travel Department for any Carnival related questions and bookings.

One of the overzealous critics who’s been on the “24/7 YTB Watch” found a segment in our internal communications and decided they could spin it to mean something else. This new twist with the company’s correspondence to the field is a perfect example of what Andy Cauthen talked about when they distort your response to their own agenda, and render your intentions worthless.

What was initially intended to strengthen our relationship and features was spun as Carnival distancing themselves from our company. They no longer wanted to work with the uneducated Yahoo’s who only want to recruit and pretended to be a Travel Agency.

It was also speculated by critics some time ago that the Home Office created an elaborate story about the Carnival Pinnacle Award. YTB first earned the award back in 2005, and there was a press release and pictures taken of Kim Sorensen and our BDM Ann Sedgwick. The story went that nobody could confirm the 2006 or 2007 award because there wasn’t any press release or additional pictures to match up. Truth of the matter was that over 11,000 National Convention attendees saw the award being given in 2007 and about another 6000 witnessed it down at Funshine in Orlando later that same year. Because one critic said he couldn’t confirm it with Vicki Freed at a trade show, (who I’m sure had a reports of past awards available at that very moment) the rumor was that YTB was blowing smoke.

Some can’t bring themselves to admitting that their mode of confirmation might not have been the best way to document the lie they wanted everyone to believe. But like most of what we read, there was no further documentation, not further verification, and if we wanted to prove them wrong, it was up to us to clean up their mess.

Just like the settlement agreement in California, we need to stop trying to prove to everyone who is right and who is wrong. Remember, when you get into a fight with a pig, you both get dirty, and the pig loves it.

Let our years and our status with Carnival speak for itself here. Type up a support ticket, ask them yourself what’s going on. Anyone who took the time to type up a support ticket or call the Home Office to end the myth that Carnival no longer wants YTB calling or booking through BookCCL.com found out it was a maintenance issue rather than the hand slap critics wanted it to be. Those who had existing bookings and groups through the site were immediately granted access once they submitted a support ticket with proper booking numbers. In addition, many of us have developed relationships with Team Carnival who are always a pleasure to speak with.

On Tuesday, 1500 Website Sellers and Website Owners witnessed Ann Sedgwick not only hand Kim Sorensen a Pinnacle Award, but also heard her say it was our fourth year in a row. She then took time to speak with all of us at Red Carpet about how YTB DOUBLED our production over 2007’s numbers. Kim’s goal in 2008 was to be the number one with the number one, and while we didn’t quite make that number in 2008, if we keep pace with the growth we have, we’ll attain that honor as well.

I can’t think of another supplier or vendor who has more clout, more pull, more credibility in the Travel Industry than Carnival. Disney, who we also work with comes close, but Carnival is one of the largest, most respected leaders when it comes to public perception and respect. They’ve provided hundreds of training calls, a number of ship inspections, semiars at sea, and have been able to provide a very solid solution to the “issues” Travel Agents have concerning FAMS and discounted travel. This five minimum booking policy with each vendor has been compnay wide for over a year now, so why critics still have an “issue” with us getting discounted travel, I couldn’t tell you. To me it’s just further validation that critics simply want to shove their own illusions down everyone’s throat and ignore what YTB is actually doing in the industry.

I’ve been telling you for years about critics, their illusions and their agendas. Andy Cauthen chimed in last week when we saw how our settlement with California was spun by these same critics and the media. It appears the our CEO, Scott Tomer also agrees with how lame the misinformation, myths, and lies are that’s thrown out there to distract everyone from what’s really going on with YTB.

I’ve got to ask you at this point…

Do you know any of these critics personally? Do you have any clue who many of them even are?

They wanted California to shut us down. They want Carnival to dump us.

Do you think it worked?

Then why on earth do thier illusions about who we are and what we do even matter?! Like California, and Carnival, the myths and the lies are catching up with our critics and the tide is starting to turn.

There is more we need to overcome and prove wrong. The battles are far from over. With California and Carnival as the latest examples of why people need to dump the self importance of the overzealous critics, you need to do what I do when I read the lies, the spin, the missinformation created to distract you.

It’s three simple words and it goes like this…

“Thanks for sharing”.

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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I’ve said many times that the truth always has a way of coming to light. With so many rumors, misleading, incorrect comments, and even flat out lies concerning YTB, it gives me great pleasure to announce that a company critics attempted to sway to their side of the mud pit has fallen short. A couple months ago, critics attempted to spin comments I made concerning Pleasant Holidays just sitting on YTB’s booking engine as “dissing” the company. While I never really understood how my comment could even be considered as a “dis”, shortly after that post was written I noticed a number of hits from a particular IP address based in California. After putting two and two together, I realized that the hits were coming from inside Pleasant Holidays.

For clarification, here is the excerpt in question as written back in early February.

So while John attempts to convince everyone that YTB costs suppliers money, a supplier himself provides a rather unique Freudian slip and let’s the cat out of the bag that suppliers don’t hire YTB, suppliers don’t provide Co-op advertising to YTB, and suppliers only pay YTB for what YTB produces. That’s my friends is a model that suppliers NEED in an economy such as this, and the smart suppliers that actually get that concept such as Carnival Corporation, Globus, Trafalgar, MSC Cruises, Apple Vacations, Disney, and many other preferred suppliers reap the rewards of our business model. I can’t remember the last time Pleasant Holidays was even mentioned in a Travel Compass, a training call, or at Funshine. They do sit on our site, but nobody pays any attention to them because nobody from the company is promoting their features, advantages, and benefits. In all honesty, how much would it cost the company to get on a conference call the we provide, or hop in front of a camera for a video that we produce?

But no…they would rather spend thousands with a bunch of struggling Agents who demand co-op dollars in order to promote them with no guarantees of any return of their investment, when one call, or webinar would drive traffic and sales to help thier bottom line costing them virtually nothing.

After reading that again, it’s not hard to deduct the real problem was Traditionalists felt threatened and I was in fact dissing the Traditional Agent model itself. In anger and in an attempt to deflect attention off themselves, my article was twisted to take the focus off them and throw it back at me. The problem however came when critics decided to rat me out to both Pleasant Holidays and YTB and pitch what a bad boy I had been. (An activity they spend a considerable amount of time doing in attempts to discredit my experience and insight.)

In a very nice twist of poetic justice the business minds at either YTB, Pleasant Holidays, or both decided that what I offered in terms of a solution, (which was the original intent of the article) made considerable business sense. Less than two weeks after the smoke cleared, Pleasant Holidays showed up on a Thursday night training call for the first time since July of 2008.

Now to add even more insult to injury, our next sale-a-thon has been announced for next Wednesday and I’ll give you three guesses to just who that supplier might be.

And the first two guesses don’t count.

Not only was the sale-a-thon concept created to show the power of the what an army of MLM’ers can do to produce revenue for suppliers, it’s now expanded to our third supplier in recent months. As hard as critics tried to take what was said out of context and manipulate the message to mean something entirely different you simply can’t hide or deflect a good business idea that offers the absolute best ROI in the travel industry. No co-op money, no advertising money, no increase in staff to man phones, and you reach hundreds of thousands of potential customers in one night to generate revenue for your bottom line.

All while critics just won’t let go of this pipe dream that YTB costs suppliers money and the kick and scream that suppliers don’t even like YTB. I can’t say that I’m concerned any longer with the way critics attempt to perpetuate the myths and misconceptions of how YTB operates or how the vast majority of suppliers view our model. (Especially when examples like this keep surfacing.) I still can’t help but wonder if some will ever let go of their illusions of grandeur and move on, or get back to doing what they emphatically proclaim they love. (Quality service and selling travel.)

You would think they’d be much happier and far more pleasant to deal with if they did. But instead they feel that agitating, condemning, or policing others is the way to go with the idea that vomiting will make them feel better.

Which begs the question with what we’ve just learned.

How’s that workin’ for ya?

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