Does anyone remember the ominous predictions of February. Tom Coleman advised everyone to watch USA Today for big news about YTB that will have everyone's head spinning? Well February came and went and March is almost gone as well and nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nyet!
- There was ton's of speculation as to what it was. The traditional travel agents could not imagine anything that USA Today might pick up except for a paid ad.
- One RTA emailed me and told me to look for the full page apology from Royal Caribbean to Scott Tomer; which was one of his demands before they would sell Royal Caribbean again.
- Another told me that USA Today had done an in depth interview with Coach and the news that YTB had sold $1 Billion Dollars in 2007 was going to be front page travel news.
- Still there were several others that approached me with the news that YTB was just finalizing the purchase of Travelocity.
Well here's how I think it went...HQ let a few Directors know that they were looking to buy a 2 man agency in Ontario to get the regulators off their back for the Canadian entry. The Directors passed it along to their downlines as YTB was looking into an acquisition and it has to pass regulatory approval. Then the RTAs and Reps talked amongst themselves and passed along that YTB was acquiring a huge competitor and it is almost through regulatory approval. And of course since everyone thinks the biggest competitor is Travelocity, it morphed into YTB was buying Travelocity and the news will be broken on the pages of USA Today.
The corollary to that was also another dose of bad information when Tom Coleman informed everyone that on the day of this announcement, many would make millions off the stock of YTB! Hey, I did not check lately, where is it at? Still firmly entrenched under a buck?
Well, when someone is as invested in a company as well as these folks seem to be, usually they will believe whatever is told to them. This should come as no surprise to you. I am quite sure that if told Coach was running for President they would not only believe it, but go ahead and write his name in on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteIt is a cult-like loyalty, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt's so crazy!!! As if YTB has enough funds to purchase Travelocity!! Or even as if Coach can project enough value in the company (look at the stock) to get anyone on Wall Street - or anywhere else - to loan him/YTB the funds to purchase Travelocity!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet's not be ridiculous follks! Expedia bough Classic Vacations because the Execs were using Classic to book their own vacations rather than using their own booking engine. Why? Because they like getting service and they liked the knowledge the Classic Res Agents had and used in booking for them. They also recognized that it there is a far better return in booking fewer, more expensive vacations than the return they were getting per on-line booking.... this is not say they aren't making money on line, just that it's far less per transaction. They too like the idea of workign smarter.
This is Sue Walsh someone pased as me on the last headline "TICO" that was not me, no I didn't get a call from Scott Tomer that is a lie lie lie not posted by me, and as for having a lot of time on my hand, you damned right we are out for "SPRING BREAK" ever heard of that?
ReplyDeleteWell it seems we have alot of poser posters on this blog. A good reason to MAKE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT so nobody can pose as you. Its your account so nobody can get info from it unless you want them to.
ReplyDeleteEver heard of using a period at the end of a sentence instead of a comma teacher lady?
ReplyDeleteTL, I don't understand how all you TTA's fell for it. It was obvious that it was a "poser poster".
ReplyDeleteolescorekeeper
Is that why you gave her congrats for making power team ole?
ReplyDelete"This is Sue Walsh someone pased as me on the last headline "TICO" that was not me, no I didn't get a call from Scott Tomer that is a lie lie lie not posted by me, and as for having a lot of time on my hand, you damned right we are out for "SPRING BREAK" ever heard of that?"
ReplyDeleteBut yesterday was Teacher's Work Day at your school. Oh wait!!! You're not a teacher, you're a "paraeducator" - at least that's what the school website says.....
TravelLisa said..."Is that why you gave her congrats for making power team ole?"
ReplyDeleteYes, that post was credible, the other was not. She got into her power team easily. Sign up 6 and your there. And, no more $49.95 monthly fee!
olescorekeeper
I dont think either of them were credible IMO because for someone who at 9am was "considering" joining YTB, then same day joined, signed up 6 people and made power team in a matter of hours? Come on now...BS much. Or did she sucker in the whole teachers lunchroom.
ReplyDeleteWay to go John,
ReplyDeleteThis isn't an informational blog - it's an attract "losers" chat room!!!!!
TravelLisa said..."I dont think either of them were credible..."
ReplyDeleteAnd the reason is...you can't see yourself capable of doing this very same thing. That's why you call it "BS". Obviously your circle of influence is very small. Sorry, but that's JMO. :>)
olescorekeeper
Youre right there! Sue and Ole are losers arn't they. Sue hasn't lost as much as Ole but I'm sure she'll use every opportunity to do so.
ReplyDeleteEddie..I'm going to refrain from calling you gulible.
ReplyDeleteolescorekeeper
I am the one that posted the one about the Scott Tomer and the bookings under the name of Sue Walsh. It was a joke, just as her posts were totally exaggerated. I thought I would take it a bit further to make a point that you can say anything you want to say whether it be true or not. Just the fact that she stated she recruited 6 people within 6 hours and made Power Team was all the BS I could handle. If anyone took it seriously, then maybe you should join YTB too.
ReplyDeleteWay to go John,
ReplyDeleteYou post a topic and get only 3 comments on it. Then the rest of the blog goes off on a silly chat excursion with nothing to say but belittlement. You'd better get it under control or your intended purpose here is going to have as much credibility as an investment in Enron. LOSERS!
Well, she started out lying about being a "teacher" - she is a "paraeducator" - in other words, a Teachers' Aide. How can one possibly believe one word she says?
ReplyDeletemartha said, "Just the fact that she stated she recruited 6 people within 6 hours and made Power Team was all the BS I could handle."
ReplyDeleteSo your the one! Pretty sneaky old girl. lol!. Guess will have to watch out for you down the old road ahead hiding behind a bogus name and post.
Again, just like I told TL, you guys can't see yourself recruiting 6 people in 6 hours so that's unbelievable to you. I don't know if Sue is absolutely real, but I do know folks that have contemplated joining YTB for several weeks, joined one day, and brought several into the business in a few short hours. Usually friends and relatives. So it IS possible. But again, I don't know if you martha, are really John, TL, another anon....ect. lol!
Have a nice incognito day martha!!
olescorekeeper
Well, she started out lying about being a "teacher" - she is a "paraeducator" - in other words, a Teachers' Aide. How can one possibly believe one word she says?
ReplyDeletethis has been posted all over the place, several times - well, Sue, why haven't you denied this or defeneded yourself?
Martha,
ReplyDeleteYou and the rest of you are sick and FYI I am a teacher. I don't need to defend myself, I actually was already scheduled for a travel party with a invite of 30 of my friends and co workers, and 3 signed up, and then another 3 signed up under those three that is my 6 then I signed up another one and that put me in my my power team. I don't need to lie...you all have some serious issues. John you really need to get your people under control, you all again act worst then a bunch of third graders.
If YTB cannot control their reps and rta's, why should john have any control over independent ic's and agents. We don't 'belong' to him but are posters on a blog for heavens sake, an anti-mlm blog in case you didn't read the title.
ReplyDeleteYou want us to ooh and ahh that you can sell a website? Not going to happen. Tell me, would you have joined YTB without the travel aspect of the offer? Would you join just to sell websites and could you sell them w/o the so called travel agent perks? I'm trying to be clear, as I know you are used to the 3rd grade level.
Teacher Sue---
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me think I can control anyone. Can I control you? I just post my opinions and findings and speculations and then you all are the ones that take it from there.
Both sides are not without fault (and I do include myself there).
As for your claims...I am siding with the majority of the posters on here---you are full of it. I might just make your claims the topic of a post on Monday! You might want to ask Proud To Be YTB for the Tiara.
I have to be honest here. This blog doesn't give any credibility to TTA's or MLM's based on it's playground antics. The person who really gets hurt here is John. For someone who is a featured columnist on travel in more prominent venues than this garbage, you may want to reconsider what you've associated yourself with. Just a little constructive criticism - I'm not trying to take a side here but your reputation could be tarnished if it's not already. FYI for what it's worth.
ReplyDelete"John you really need to get your people under control, you all again act worst then a bunch of third graders."
ReplyDeleteOkay third grade students - what word in the above sentence is used incorrectly? Hint - it can be used as an adverb (as it is here) or as an adjective.
Then there is the poor grammar after the first comma.
What a great teacher sue is!
Sue,
ReplyDeleteI do have to admit, your grammar and spelling is quite atrocious for a teacher. If it's not too revealing for you, please post your travel site.
olescorkeeper
I know the answers anon!
ReplyDeleteOlescorekeeper - No you don't have to watch out for me. It is seldom that I would respond to a post as ridiculous as Sue's. I was just making a point. As soon as I realized some people were taking it at face value, I fessed up. I'm just an honest TTA making a living and working for a reputable agency. There is no need for me to embelish. Today I only closed one cheap cruise and one 5 night vacation. That won't make me rich but at least I'm satisfied knowing that I did not lose any money as did most of the YTB RTAS.
ReplyDeleteTo the Anonymous who posted the third reply to this topic. BTW that was the last one that was on topic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. I did a search and found that Sabre offered Travelocity $345,000,000 in 2002.
YTB has a few million in the bank, but nowhere near the money to buy Travelocity.
No, the big full-page article everybody is waiting for is an apology from RCCL to YTB. Then Scott will take it seriously.
Rod--are you serious? Does anyone really honestly feel there is an apology coming from Royal Caribbean?
ReplyDeleteAnd Sabre would never sell it. It gives them too much (get ready YTB guys) leverage with the airlines. When the airlines start bypassing the GDS Sabre will have a big hammer to hold over their head--not only the Travelocity bookings but all the other affiliates bookings that they front--like YTB!
"I do have to admit, your grammar and spelling is quite atrocious for a teacher."
ReplyDeleteWho knew I would be on the same side as olescorekeeper and actually agree with him. Now, before I your head gets swelled YTB still stinks.
Only because this is a light hearted post, I also agree with olescorekeeper in concept; however, not in execution.
ReplyDeleteSue,
I do have to admit, your grammar and spelling is quite atrocious for a teacher. If it's not too revealing for you, please post your travel site.
olescorkeeper
Sue,
I do have to admit, your grammar and spelling ARE quite atrocious for a teacher. If it's not too revealing for you, please post your travel site.
olescorkeeper
Anon said, "Now, before I your head gets swelled YTB still stinks."
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long day Anon. Have you checked under your arm pits? Could be your sweating from the heat of YTB's success! ;>)
olescorekeeper
"spelling ARE quite"
ReplyDeleteTouche John. Of course you should know the Ole Scorekeeper can only can guarantee accuracy 98% of the time. ;>)
olescorekeeper
Your accuracy percentage is dropping!
ReplyDeleteSue,
I do have to admit, your grammar and spelling is quite atrocious for a teacher. If it's not too revealing for you, please post your travel site.
olescorkeeper
I'm serious.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing YTB at most had $600 in travel sales in 2007. I'm guessing there is no way YTB can afford to buy Travelocity. The only thing left that makes sense to me is the RCCL apology that Scott expects.
Vicki Freed said she didn't see any changes in the forseeable future so I don't expect to see a full page ad concerning YTB anytime soon.
Lisa, it is very possible for someone to make their powerteam in that amount of time. I have seen it quite a few times. I've even seen it happen in less time. One person from my downline invited 3 guests to a meeting. Well, one guest actually told (according to him) 8 of his family, fiends and co-workers. 4 of them came with hi. Another guest also brought 2 people with her. The 3rd guest came alone. All but 1 signed on as an RTA. The one who didn't became a REP... but 2 months later was able to call YTB, pay the fee and become an RTA.
ReplyDeleteLet's do the math!
New person (RTA)
3 RTAs
RTA1
RTA RTA RTA REP
RTA2
RTA RTA
Right from the start, the new RTA had 8 RTAs and 1 REP in a downline!
Later on, that REP also became an RTA, so now he had a total of 9 RTAs in his downline!
This is the fastest I have personally seen anyone get into their powerteam... and yes it is very much possible!
Now what I find to be BS is that John starts up a blog and fills it up with topics full of hypothetical BS that you accept as fact because of why??? John's a TTA! I bet you all subscribe to the ENQUIRER as well, and believe every single word that's typed in there!
YTB bought Travelocity??? LOL!!! now that's funny!!! Everyone at YTB knows that they only teamed up with us (along with Hotels.com and priceline.com)
BTW... Outdoors.com has also teamed up with us! In actuality, that was the real big news!
Another partner we acquired is Honeymoon Wishes!
again, get your facts before you go running your diarrea of the mouth! It makes you look foolish... LOL!!!
Enough said!
Sue, Don't pay any attention to them. You're doing a fine job.
I love it that proud now has "personally seen" Sue grow her power team the fastest ever. Stong vision there from Florida huh?
ReplyDeleteAnd I just want to point out a subtle correction--YTB has indeed partnered with the companies Proud mentioned, but please do not believe for a moment that these outfits sought YTB as her sentence indicates. Travelocity and Hotels) all have afilliate programs and YTB signed up and yes they paid extra for the private branding, but YTB needed someone to fulfill thee air and hotel.
YTB would have you believe that there is a constant line of vendors out there just waiting to do business with them. It simply is not true. They have lost more vendors in six month than gained. They are stagnant...and that is ok, most agencies do not change vendors that often, but YTB likes to put out this little illusion that the hotel in Wood River is sold out for years with vendor reps just hoping for an audience with the Coach.
While he may think he is the closest thing to the Pope...it just ain't so!
John,
ReplyDeleteI didn't say I saw SUE grow her team. I said I saw someone else grow theirs. If you could only read John... if you could only read!!!
John, name more vendors YTB lost. You can't! YTB has gained more than they lost. Again, get your facts straight!!!
And since you again referr to me as a "she", I should start calling you Johann instead of John... LOL!!!
Johann's humor never ceases to end... LOL!!!
Proud, learn how to write and stop being so sensitive...your feminine side is coming out. :)
ReplyDeleteWe were discussing Sue's meteoric rise in YTB and you pit in some examples and then said
This is the fastest I have personally seen anyone get into their powerteam... and yes it is very much possible!
So learn how to write.
Please list the YTB vendors for me. I don't want to do it because I will be told I am lying, so you go ahead and we will compare notes. Your list of vendors has decreased in the last few months. I have the list from when RCCL was on there, and I have one from now. So show me yours Proud!
Proud the reason I called BS is because she came on here saying she was "thinking" of joining YTB, then a few hours later said she'd joined and made power team immediately. Then she'd had a travel party..in the middle of the day on a Thursday? Come on.... If she did good for her...good luck making nothing off travel with the masses. Maybe she'll post her site so she can prove she actually joined, but of course she won't because we're apparently psycho's, not that you can get much of a YTB site except for a vendors phone number. I already have those :)
ReplyDeleteYes John, I did say that, but I referring to the person I witnessed growing HIS powerteam... NOT SUE. Again. learn how to read!
ReplyDeleteLOL - Too funny . . .
ReplyDeleteGood to see my name in lights!
Well - the USA Today didn't happen.
I doubt anyone made millions on stock.
BUT - ytb is still growing. Their stock rebounded nicely Friday and should get to the $2 mark by Summer as predicted by muah . . .
They are international now and are poised for massive growth in 2008.
The travel numbers are on track to hit the BILLION $$$ sold in 2008.
Y'all don't hate - it's not to late! Join YTB now!!!
Tom
"It's been a long day Anon. Have you checked under your arm pits? Could be your sweating from the heat of YTB's success! ;>)"
ReplyDeleteole-I am a $1 million dollar TTA. How much do you make? And, I didn't have to scam anyone or sell a down line to do it. Sorry, pal YTB DOES NOT worry me.
First of all I went to a meeting with my sons doctor quite a while ago. I was thinking about joining, however a teachers salary isn't the best. Since you all know about everything, I'm sure you know that... So I had planned a travel party or grand opening, and if I had people interested in signing up who also had already attended a meeting, then I was going to sign up so I could get my money back immediately. Does this make since to you bone heads? I suppose for all of us YTB people we need to spell out all of our tips on how to get in wothout loosing anything. Several people get into the business like this from my understanding. So how is this BS?
ReplyDeleteYou, Sue Walsh, are a phony. It's also losing, not loosing. Stop with the bull. You're too obvious.
ReplyDelete"I was thinking about joining, however a teachers salary isn't the best."
ReplyDeleteAnd a "para-ducator" makes even less. Please explain how you are a teacher and not a "para-educator"? Does a "para-medic" get to call herself a "doctor"? This is a great fit for you Sue, becausee in the same way you are inflating who you are - calling yourself a "teacher", you can now call yourself a "Travel Agent" just because you've joined YTB!