This is interesting on many fronts. $899 for a trip to China. There is a suggestion that it is for the Olympics, but upon further reading, not so much. To get the rate, you need to sign up as an RTA and pay those fees and sign (I assume) a yearly contract. But quite ingenious--bring a friend for $1349--the cost of the trip plus the RTA fee. As to the last name of this RTA--well, let's just say the irony is intact. Here is the source.NOTE: Doug B brought it to my attention that the Olympic package and this package are separate. However, over on Travel Weekly, it was posted that the packages for the Olympics would begin at $899 including air from LAX and admission to the events. Conveniently, the price point has been edited out of the original post on Travel Weekly. I guess it is just another piece of misinformation from someone who has the "inside" scoop! (added 9:01am 1/2/08)
YTB Exclusive
China Tour Offer
For only $899
When Signing up as an RTA Today
Join YTB TODAY as a Referring Travel Agent (RTA), and for an additional $899 YTB will send you on an all inclusive 9 day 8 night China vacation of a lifetime, departing from LAX to Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xitang. Today, this is the world’s most unbeatable priced, quality tour to China! (See Itinerary, does not include airport taxes) For an additional $899 you can bring along yourtravel companion and together enjoy the Great Wall of China, world famous Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Beijing. Then off to Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou for many more catered fun sites and
events, while staying in four and five star hotels eating like Kings and Queens. When departing from Shanghai, one of the most fascinating cities in the world, you will board the Meglev, the fastest train in the world, for your 200 mph ride to the airport.
Invite your friends to come along at only $1,349 per person, plus airport taxes,and YTB will pay you as an RTA a travel commission of $204 for each person you bring. Or you have the option to sign up your friends under the same offer above and start building your own personal team immediately!
Next tour leaves LAX on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 and every Tuesday thereafter! You must travel on this Tour on or before March 15, 2008 to qualify for this discount. You’re Cleared for Takeoff with YTB!!!
Take a Vacation of a Lifetime While Joining a Travel Company for a LifetimeBecause Spring is the largest Tour provider in China they know exactly whats going on with the government and who gets what with releases of rooms, events, etc from the Chinese Government.With a statement Jane the President of Spring, made last night, if YTB sells 3000 to 5000 tours to the Olympics by May 1, 2008, YTB/SPRING, WITHOUT QUESTION, WILL BE THE LARGEST TOUR PROVIDER TO THE OLYMPICS IN THE WORLD!!!
What a marketing tool that will be for YTB as a competitive worldwide travel company. I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it if we jump on this promotion starting right away !YTB Tour Packages for the Olympics will range from $3,600 to $4,700 plus taxes for 7 to 11 days staying in 4 and 5 Star Hotels with meals, tours, all inclusive with a 25% commission paid to YTB.
Each tour package has 2 to 3 events built in and if a person wants to buy extra
events they will be able to at $40.00 per ticket, which includes 25% commission
to YTB. THAT MEANS A $550-$750 COMMISSION PER PERSON TO YOU!It’s VERY easy to join YTB. Go to my company presentation and follow the instructions. If you’d like me to walk you through the process, or if you’d like me to discuss my experience with YTB and some of the Benefits, please contact me at 702-683-2169, leave a comment, or email me at Felipe@felipecrook.com.
So, let me see if I get this right - the Olympics packages begin at $3100 not $899 per person? Well someone got that wrong!
ReplyDeleteLet's put the most positive spin on it - someone at YTB "pulled the trigger" and released that info about $899 being the starting price of Olympics Packages before S/HE really knew what was going on? what does that say about them as a company?
Yes, you've got it right. Go back and read the YTBer's posts on this site about the Olympics trip. The reality is quite a bit different that what has been presented...much like a YTB meeting.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the previous YTB RTA did jump the gun. If he/she paid attention, then he/ she would have known that this was the cost of a flight to China, hotel plus a tour. All in all, alone this is a great package!
ReplyDeleteThose of us who did pay attention, did know that the Olympic info was still yet to come as it was still in discussion at the time.
Alone, Ticket prices at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will range from $3.82 to $638 ... 30% of the cost of an Athens Games ticket in 2004, Beijing organizers said.
These are the costs PER EVENT and there are 28 events during the Olympics. I can also say that all the $3.82 tickets are most likely sold already, so people can expect to pay closer to the $638 mark. Now, with that said, What was the cost through YTB?
YTB Tour Packages for the Olympics will range from $3,600 to $4,700 plus taxes for 7 to 11 days staying in 4 and 5 Star Hotels with meals, tours, all inclusive with a 25% commission paid to YTB.
Each tour package has 2 to 3 events built in and if a person wants to buy extra
events they will be able to at $40.00 per ticket, which includes 25% commission
to YTB.
STILl AN AWESOME DEAL!!! If you plan to go to the Olympics (whether you join YTB or not), YTB is clearly the best to book through!
Let me also point out again... in case you missed it, the hotel stay is ALL INCLUSIVE! This means that the only thing you have to pay for would be extra tickets to the other Olympic events you wish to attend... aside from the 2 to 3 events already built in!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very cost effective chance of a lifetime! A person will be able to go to the Olympics and learn about China's culture and history all in one!
You are clouding the water again Proud. I am not on the IOC site, but I assume there are 28 events--let's define this as a sport or a ceremony. Maybe 26 sports and 2 ceremonies.
ReplyDeleteYour tickets are likely the cheap tickets that Shanghai purchased. This will be to the qualifying rounds of any popular event and maybe to the finals of some of the less popular ones.
You make it sound like if you buy a YTB package, you get tickets to 2 or 3 EVENTS. This is not true..I guarantee that.
Let's look at the equestrian model. The Devon Horse Show is an EVENT. The show runs for a week and is comprised of several classes and each day is broken up into sessions. This is likely what YTB is getting, admission to the preliminary round of the javelin throw.
All inclusive in China is a rarity! And to be honest, since for the US it is such an exotic destination that is NOT Americanized like the Caribbean and parts of Mexico, I would prefer to go with a FIT or an EP.
ReplyDelete(You guys know what they are right?)
I will not be surprised if the itinerary says to pick one event from Column A and one from Column B...
ReplyDeleteProud,
ReplyDeleteOnce again you try to cloud what is the truth. Your making yourself look foolish once again. I laugh at you...HAH! Your are EAB #2!!!
This is funny. When there is a post that can be argued, there are floods of comments about how no one knows how good YTB is and how the post is a mistruth and so forth.
ReplyDeleteThe cat seems to have their tongue on this one. I guess the only solution is to go...but, err, uhm, well, you just don't know YTB.....
Where are all the YTB responses?
"All inclusive in China is a rarity! And to be honest, since for the US it is such an exotic destination that is NOT Americanized like the Caribbean and parts of Mexico, I would prefer to go with a FIT or an EP.
ReplyDelete(You guys know what they are right?)"
"YTB will send you on an all inclusive 9 day 8 night China vacation of a lifetime, departing from LAX to Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xitang. Today, this is the world’s most unbeatable priced, quality tour to China!"
"YTB Tour Packages for the Olympics will range from $3,600 to $4,700 plus taxes for 7 to 11 days staying in 4 and 5 Star Hotels with meals, tours, all inclusive with a 25% commission paid to YTB.
Each tour package has 2 to 3 events built in and if a person wants to buy extra
events they will be able to at $40.00 per ticket, which includes 25% commission
to YTB."
Well, SURPRISE!!! It says "ALL INCLUSIVE" right there!
Yes jioh. I do know what EP and FIT are! Those of us who go to the seminars and get trained by the vendors know what you know. DUH!
You would rather have to pay for your meals and a tour that's not included in a package? Wow! I can see clients walking out your door right now and looking to book through someone else!
Hey scam, your words have absolutely no merit. you haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about. get off John's coat tails... and stop yesing him to death! I'm sure if john wanted a puppet, he would go to Wal-Mart and buy one... LOL!
But Proud - the initial Press Release was clear that YTB was offering Olympics packages starting at $899 - suddenly that seems to be entirely untrue - that is the cost for an RTA but not during the Olympics - in otherwords, RTAs are being offered a net rate (not a FAM) at certain times of the year - but not during the games...but the Presee Release noted that it was for the Olympics.....
ReplyDeleteJust another example of one hand not knowing what the other is doing over at YTB....
William, this topic is not even a day old yet. I'm sure TravelPro and Ibtravel will be posting in here to also give their comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd here John goes ASSUMING that they are cheap tickets to cheap events!
Also, again I say that John would rather have EP and FIT than an ALL INCLUSIVE?
I gotta laugh at that comment!!!
And the award for funniest senseless comment made by a traditional travel agent for 2008goes to... (drum roll please)...
JOHN FAYNE!!!!
Stand up and take a bow!
cta in md... hello!!! I did address that in my 1st comment here!
ReplyDeleteWow - I don't know - but if I was in a great plae like China, I'd want to eat outside of the hotel. what a waste of money to be stuck there when there's all that fantastic food just outside my door! Yes, I would rather have EP in China - anyone who cares about where they are going, would. AI in China is for someone who is afraid and is going only for the Olympics and not for the destination ....
ReplyDeleteIn the Caribbean - eh.... EP can be fun and AI can be fun.
As a Travel Agent, I prefer to sell AI in that it gleans a much higher commission than EP - but I make the most money (and work the hardest) on FITs....
One more thing... it also cracks me up that many of you traditional travel agents haven't even heard of Shanghai Springs until now!
ReplyDelete"Spring is the largest Tour provider in China they know exactly whats going on with the government and who gets what with releases of rooms, events, etc from the Chinese Government."
... and you have ben travel agents for how many years??????
Because you failed to know, YTB got the account! YTB offers the packages! YTB will get the travel commissions! YOU WON'T!
I'm sure you will still be able to send people to China to go to the Olympics, but you will most likely be charging your clients much much more... especially when you prefer FIT and EP over ALL INCLUSIVES!
cta in md,
ReplyDeleteAI's are best... especially when dealing with 4 and 5 star hotels. Even if someone is on an AI, they still can go off the hotel property and dine out if they wish. There's no stopping them! AI's offer the best value for the dollar instead of bleeding the money from the clients with EPs and FITs. More and more people these days look for the all inclusives! I'm sure one of the questions your clients ask is, "What do I get for this price?"
Why am i not surprised that all the SSS hoopla was incorrect? Now starts the YTB backpeddling where we all find out what they REALLY meant. And how it still is all they said it would be. I have to laugh that once again Tom came up with wrong info!!! Such an insider!
ReplyDeleteBTW, You'd better get on the ball and start selling those packages...time is short.
ps not ONE YTBer was paying attention. You either Proud. Talk about eating crow.
ppss
ReplyDeleteBet you'd never heard of SSS before YTB made the hohum announcement either Proud. Probably because most good agents prefer to use USTOA suppliers not in country operators who are an unknown. Now, I DO have good incountry suppliers in places like OZ, but my vendors here use them.
Yeah, Shanghai Spring is so good, that when you go to their website, virus software goes off alerting you to a virus on their site, and won't allow you to open it! HA, what a joke!
ReplyDeleteHell, last time I went to their site all the links were down. GREAT travel agency SSS is...you have a better chance booking your travel at a local correctional center.
ReplyDeleteJust a few things Proud -
ReplyDelete1. SSS is the biggest seller of travel in China to the Chinese Domestic market and to the rest of Asia - they have ALMOST ZERO MARKET IN NORTH AMERICA. They want into the market and I presume that the only people who were willing to embrace them were YTB.
2. Is their website back up?
3. You are really stupid if you think that AI is the best way to go outside the Carib or Mexico. (Actually this time "stupid" not "ignorant".) It is almost unheard of in Europe and Asia for a reason - travellers going on a vacation that is not a sedentary, beach vacation WANT TO GET OFF THE NON-RESORT PROPERTY. They are interested in the destination. Given that your clientele will be off property almost all day enjoying the Olympics - don't you realize they won't be at the hotel to eat? If they are on a tour (bus style) they will have to eat at the "tourist shops" that SSS takes them to. What sort of "experience" are they getting? Travel is much more than a "deal" - it is an experience. If they want AI in China, or Australia, or Vietnam - they may as well go to Cancun - they'd get as much of a China experience there as in China on an AI.
They have Chinese restaurants in Cancun--I have been there.
ReplyDeleteThey also have American restaurants in China--I have been there too!
Precisely John.
ReplyDeleteWell that just annoyed me. Proud, you assume everyone has heard of this SSS. I've been an agent for 20 years, they are a travel agency, not a tour operator and they operate entirely in Asia. The fact that YTB got the account, woopie..notice none of us care, YTB just needed a source to do all the work. The fact that they are already MIS-LEADING people about the package prices, says it all. Why would someone claim the $899 package price (omitting the part where you have to drink Kool-Aid with the rest of the clan) and not state ALL the details? Thats shady no? You make it sound as if nobody else could sell a package to the olympics...there are better tour operators out there, and I'm quite sure they have tickets as well,are commissionable & are reliable/reputable. Don't fret over it. As for the AI, I agree that AI is NOT the way to go in any country other then the carib or maybe Mexico. I for one, am never at my hotel when in a foreign land, am usually out and about seeing the sights and culture...experiencing the different foods/places. Not everyone is cheap...maybe thats the clientele your going for...but the clients I handle do NOT want that.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, your clients want you to squeeze as much money out of them as you possibly can!!!
ReplyDeleteTraditional agent: "Oh, you want to go on a tour? Well, that will cost you an extra $250 because it's not included in the base price."
If peple want to experience China, they will want to do it at as little extra cost as possible. They hear all about how great the Chinese are at massage. if it's included, they will take up on it far easier than if they have to pay extra for it. The same thing with a tour. this doesn't mean that the client has to stay cooped up in the hotel. They can still go out to eat around the town somewhere. There's no stopping them. clients will most likely take up on the complimentary stuff that's offered before they have to shell out more money for something else! For $4700 for air, 11 day hotel, all inclusives... 2 to 3 Olympic events is a very awesome deal!
Anywhere else, trying to book this and piece it together would cost a client a whole lot more!!! Just the flight and hotel would be between $4281 and $5222 (NO INCLUSIVES!). Then the client has to add in the tour cost plus the cost for food and tickets to the Olympics! By the time the booking gets done this way, the client would have spent close to $7000 for a $4700 deal!!! I'd take the $4700 deal any day if I were a client! To not... would be ignorant!
Can someone clear something up for me because I am a bit confused. It says an all inclusive 9 day 8 night China vacation. But nowhere does it mention that the hotel itself is all inclusive. I have seen many vendors that say all inclusive packages meaning the the package includes air, transfers and hotel, but not necessarily meaning that the hotel is all inclusive. I was just wondering about this because I know the term is definately used both ways and is probably meant to confuse people.
ReplyDeleteI did notice where is says you will be eating like kings and queens but that sounds like a great exageration if it is all-inclusive. Usually all-inclusive hotels do not offer the best food.
ReplyDeleteProud is showing his lack of knowledge again. He/she must really believe that if he/she says it often enough, it will be true.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really think YTB is going to sell that many packages to China? Who would plunk down $5000 on a YTB site? They're probably doing this more for the PR value than the actual sales...trips on the Space Shuttle are probably coming soon...
ReplyDeleteHey Eddie, I did a little research to come to those figures, and if somebody wanted to do all of those things listed in the AI, and yet not have them be AI, they would be spending a grand total of almost $7000 for the same trip they could have for $4700 as an AI.
ReplyDeleteTally up the cost of airfare, hotel, 3 course meals for 11 days (eating alone could cost a person about $800 in an 11 day period), ttour of the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Beijing. Then off to Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou for many more catered fun sites and[Photo] events. You will most likely have to rent a car (ever try to drive in China?) or get a tour guide for each of those places (Just to let you know, when they see tourists, they see $ signs!)
If you would rather not have AIs and spend close to $7000 on an Olympic trip to China... be my guest!
Go easy on that Kool Aid pal... LOL!
Proud said:
ReplyDelete"You would rather have to pay for your meals and a tour that's not included in a package? Wow! I can see clients walking out your door right now and looking to book through someone else!"
Actually Proud, well traveled clients would prefer to do their meals on their own AND they still book with TA's not RTA's!
"Usually all-inclusive hotels do not offer the best food."
ReplyDeleteNot if you're dealing with Motel 6. Guess what, YTB doesn't deal with Motel 6! maybe you do though.
I have been to quite a few All-Inclusive hotels (before I joined YTB), and the food was nothing short of excellent!
Ah, you mean the ones who are really wealthy and don't care how much things cost! They can wipe their buts with $100s and think nothing of it. You stick to your wealthy clients then. I'll keep attracting the general public... you know, the ones who have a budget. Of course, I do also have a couple of wealthy clients.
ReplyDeleteYou must have done your research on a YTB site to get those prices!
ReplyDeleteYour'e right on one thing. That's a rip off okay. 4400pp is more in line with a first class China package. I mean first class not from some unknown operator like SSS.
Edddie, thank you for finally seeing that by not going the AI route, it would be a rip off.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, just because you don't know of SSS... doesn't mean that they are anything less than 1st class. They didn't get highly rated in China by not being 1st class.
Hmmm... it sounds like a little research of SSS would be in order here.
I do not know anything of SSS since they are a foereign company that is NOT a member of the USTOA, I have never heard of them and their website is inoperable. All big red flags for me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Proud, you again are showing some level of ignorance in international travel when you are assuming that a "Fist Class" Chinese operator is equivalent to what an American would expect for "First Class". This also goes for hotels abroad--particularly hotels.
If a hotel is not specifically rated by AAA, Michelin, etc. you had best know the hotel personally before claiming it is "First Class"
ANd typically, Tour Operators are not rated---so this whole notion of "First Class" is mere marketing fluff.
I suspect that YTB went looking for a partner and they were low bidder. I was in construction for many years and I can tell you all about low bidder.
Am I missing something. I thought SSS was a travel agency...now its a tour operator.?? Which is it? I would check myself but the website never works.
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference in terminology between here and there. I believe they are considered a Travel Agency in China which is the equivalent of a Tour Operator here in the US. They also own their own airline. Much like Apple Vacations.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, the site does not work, so there is no way to verify this (and since they are solely in China, I am assuming it is probably 100% in Mandarin or Cantonese and not English), but I would imagine that if they are that large, they probably do have an arm of their Tour Op/Travel Agency that does arrange travel for the public much like Gogo.
Come on you guys, Proud HAS to rah rah for SSS. Who cares if their website doesn't work. Proud says they are the biggest (self proclaimed as I have not seen this said by anyone except YTB) so they must be the best and of course FIRST CLASS because you all know what great international travelers the Chinese are. If they can get that Visa of course. Oh, maybe it's just domestic in China? With the largest population in the world, well, someone must go to Xian other than foreigners, right? And AI all the way. Make sure to eat as much of the 'american breakfast' as you can cause some of the other dishes might make your eyes cross. Well, not if you are Chinese of course. Don't get me wrong...I like Chinese food, but be aware that what's Chinese here, is not necessarily Chinese there. I'm getting hungry!
ReplyDeleteProud, you sell all the SSS your website can handle, even if you really know nothing about them except what's in the press release. I'll stick to my trusted prefereds and breathe easy.
Does anyone know of a ytb site where i can get info on this olympic trip?
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Wow, this is fascinating. Since I was the original person who posted this information, I'd like to point out this was an email directly from YTB. The Olympic package and the other package are separate. If that is unclear, I apologize. If there is any information that is not correct in my post, I will gladly change it. I do not want people to think that I personally am trying to scam anyone. I thought the first package offered to YTB RTA's was amazing. That's why I posted it. By NO MEANS do I intend to "SCAM" ANYONE!! I would love some more of your feedback on this issue, but please do not question my integrity as that is something I value tremendously. As I said before, if there is any bad information in my original post please let me know. Thanks for your help.
ReplyDeleteFelipe
I am certain that you utilized what was sent from HQ. In other conversations, there were several RTAs that claimed the $899 was an Olympic Package. There never was any real releases out about it and then I discovered that it is a discounted trip prior to the Olympics (and you made that clear).
ReplyDeleteThe point was that with 150,000 RTAs running around--they are spewing forth bad information.
So when do you leave for China Felipe?
ReplyDelete