While the traditional travel agents have spent years and years learning their trade, we all know that for $500 you can buy all the credentials you need. Well, not quite. In order to get the "good stuff" you need to pay an additional $149 and become a CRTA. This is the proverbial Key To CLIA City!
In a recent Biz Report, the headline read:
"Become a Certified RTA at the location nearest you!"
Become a Certified RTA at the location nearest you! Take your YTB businesses to the next level as you learn from the best in your business - The YTB Directors!Now we all know that Directors are on the Marketing side and RTAs are on the Travel side. So how are these Directors qualified to offer Certified Referral Travel Agent Training. The CRTA class is the key to CLIA and if the instructors are not versed in travel, well that just sort of undermines the efforts of CLIA doesn't it? And what is actually taught at this class?
CRTA SCHEDULE
YTB Directors will be planning and conducting CRTA trainings - these field leaders will share the knowledge and experience they have gained on their way to outstanding YTB success. Remember what Coach says: "To be a success, find a successful person and follow their plan!" If you haven't taken an RTA Certification course, plan to do so soon! The education and motivation are priceless!
I had heard that by paying $149 and attending the class, you could just hand in the CLIA test and YTB-HQ would process them en masse for approval. Is this why CLIA is such a good friend? Mass submissions of paying cardmembers? The Directors who may or may not have ANY travel experience are training travel agents and passing out the CLIA exams? CLIA, why not eliminate the middle man and just send the ID Card stock to YTB and let them do it from the get go?
Like many other traditional travel agents I declined to renew my CLIA membership this year because of their lack of standards for membership or an ID card. There are already several vendors who will not accept a CLIA card for booking, and I would expect more to follow suite. Because of the lack of standards on CLIA's part it's only a matter of time before their card becomes invalid for booking travel.
ReplyDeleteHuh? Are they serious? So someone that pays nothing to join and is able to convince 100 people (or whatever the criteria for director is) to join is now able to train people in the travel business?
ReplyDeleteWhat doe CLIA, ASTA, ARTA and The Travel Institute have to say about this? I hope someone from those companies is reading this post.
That is total BS
you've got to be kidding me? you have spent all this time bashing ytb and you don't even know what is offered in the CRTA training? yes they teach about travel, but thats only half of it. the other half is about growing your business. so yeah it should be called CRTA/CIMR training.
ReplyDeletei took my training back in december and no one handed out clia applications that day and i still had to take a course and test from clia, just like everyone else! and pay their fees. you dont pass the test you have to take it again. following THEIR rules. is there another way of getting a clia card?
plus now there are new guidelines for us to get our credentials. to get your RTA card, we need to have $1500 of non-personal bookings sold through our website and to get the clia, we need to have $2500 worth of non-personal booking.
so you see, times they are a changing and these credentials you seem to think are just handed out en masse are actually earned by RTAs
I have not been to a CRTA training, but everyone says that to get the TRAVEL credentials you need to do that first. Well then why am I out of line thinking that someone with a background in travel might be doing the training?
ReplyDeleteAre the classes in med school taught by physical eduction teachers and football coaches? I certainly hope not, but that is EXACTLY what YTB is doing here.
They tout all this training and so forth they are offering but the ones doing the training are just as ill-trained as the rest.
What a CROCK!
And once again, as evidenced by 02bfishn, they don't get it. If YTB has 2 business opportunities (SEPARATE BUSINESSES) why is the TRAVEL TRAINING being done by someone who may not even be an RTA, and who BY CHOICE is more interested in the MARKETING OF WEBSITES? I also find interesting the admission that in a course supposed to be all about TRAVEL, only 1/2 is spent on travel and the other half is spent on "growing your business" (wink wink). A euphemism for how to sell websites.
ReplyDeleteAnd another (wink wink) moment - the $1500-2500 in personal sales. "Hey Joe Downline! Book my personal vacation, I'll book yours, and we have our $1500/2500 covered!"
To anyone who has been in the business, CLIA IS handing out these "credentials" en masse.
OF course it is not about anything more than selling websites. I am beginning to think Doogie has just realized this.
ReplyDeleteFor months he was all about YTB and selling travel. When it was pointed out to him that he is not making any money selling travbel and YTB is NOT about selling treavel---he tucked his tail and went away. Now his blog is all about selling websites...join his newsletter, build the business.
Goes to prove Jon was right when he said travel was just the meansd to legalize the scam. But people sign up it is amazing.
"What doe CLIA, ASTA, ARTA and The Travel Institute have to say about this? I hope someone from those companies is reading this post."
ReplyDeleteNothing, that's what they have to say absolutely nothing. They don't care. CLIA represents the cruise lines not us and they sure as heck don't care. They put on a nice dog and pony show at 360 and say how much they appreciate TA's. All bs.
Here are some email addresses for CLIA. Please send them your concerns:
ReplyDeleteBob Sharak bsharak@cruising.org
gsteward-loudis@cruising.org
tdale@cruising.org
There was an article on Travel Weekly the other day about an "award winning company" that is giving out CLIA cards to anyone after they complete 2 days of training. They handing those damn id cards out like baseball cards. If CLIA doesn't start setting some standards eventually they will become worthless.
john just admitted he haas't been to a CRTA training but yet is qualifiedto post an inflamatory opinion about it?
ReplyDeleteCredibility John just took another hit.
You know, CLIA training sessions are free for groups of over 50 - we have them doing an annual training for our CTO every year. Where does YTB come off charging for that training?
ReplyDeletesee - free for groups of 50 or more - and it's their entire list of courses:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cruising.org/TravelAgents/members/training/onsite.cfm
John, I know why Doug isn't interested in posting on this blog anymore. For one, it takes a lot of time reading through all these commenters. Two, it was taking time away from his main priorities, which he said in his blog, the "main thing". I applaud him for keeping his "main thing" the "main thing".
ReplyDeleteThere are qualifications to be a YTB CRTA instructor. Number one being you must have been certified yourself.
Number 2, you must be a Director. All Directors instructing have been certified on a subject they are training on. I know most TTAs will not be satisified it is high enough level of travel training, but CRTA is not advanced travel training, but only the first step in travel training to open the door for RTAs to progress into more advanced travel training based on individual desires. Read Doug's blog today. It has some interesting training for whiners.
CLIA is starting to look more and more like a card mill, by working with all these travel mlm companies and handing out ID cards. I know that it is a cash cow for them... but it is really downgrading CLIA's status to card mill.
ReplyDeleteThose damn YTB people. Lets all quit our "legitimate travel agency jobs" and storm Washington D.C. to protest this unAmerican load of crap. Who do they think they are. There should be laws against this type of free-will business strategy. It's hurting our reputations as legitimate travel agents. Before long, we won't even be able to charge our customers a surcharge and the suppliers will start cutting into our commissions allowed because "everybody" is booking travel. It's an outrage I tell you! At least we are safe at going to the hospital where only 100,000 people die each year due to hospital errors - at least they have a good training program. God Bless America.
ReplyDeletethe suppliers will start cutting into our commissions allowed because "everybody" is booking travel.
ReplyDeletethis at least may be true. Not just our commissions but yours too SD. How many websites can you sell w/o the carrot of commissions? At least I can charge a fee cause of the value added. There is no 'value added' with a cookie cutter website.
the rest of your rant is just plain funny.
sd martin - Our agency does not charge a surcharge on anything except for airline tickets. Most don't. We also don't pay $500 plus $50 per month for nothing.
ReplyDeleteI also did not renew my CLIA card this year because of the card mill status of the organization. CLIA has lost it's creditability with a lot of agents and rightfully so. At this time, IATA hasn't given in but I'm waiting for the day to come since money is involved.
Uh sd hate to break it to you but sooner or later they all will go net and where will you be????
ReplyDeleteGood for you Martha,
ReplyDeleteDid you read Eddie's post - they charge a fee because of the added value. My mother-in-law loves her local travel agency and pays them a $50 fee everytime she plans a trip with them.
Sure, I paid a one time fee of $500 - how much did your agency pay for the building, taxes, employees, benefits, etc. I'm sure the monthly expense is more than $50 per month for phone lines, electricity, coffee and maybe if you were John - some of that nice looking chili he makes (see the picture) for employee pot luck day.
The difference you'll say is- revenues, professional training, or what? It's all about change people. It happens and everyone will have to adjust or go do something else. Whether you like it or not the travel business will change with new policies, procedures, commissions, and both sides will have to adapt. CLIA, IATA, or your green card won't mean diddly on who books travel. As long as the supplier has a rapport with the booking agency - it's fair game.
I fully expect it all to go net - that's okay, I have no problem at all getting people to pay fees.
ReplyDelete"As long as the supplier has a rapport with the booking agency - it's fair game."
ReplyDeleteKeep schlepping the Kool Aid honey cause how many suppliers are gonna be left doing business with you in the long run. Have you checked your stock prices today? Better put something stronger in that Kool Aid...
Okay get serious - YTB isn't the only one. If YTB goes down as you wish, what about the others. The point has to be continually made that travel as everyone has known it, is changing. Whether anyone likes it or not, it has changed, and will continue to change. So, get creative, figure out how to adapt to the change and make as much money as you can regardless of who you are in the travel business. The suppliers need everyone - they don't care who's selling it - just sell it.
ReplyDeleteI have a full time position in another capacity not in MLM Travel - it's a side business to make some extra cash. If you don't explore other ways of creating income you should be mad at yourself. I haven't invested any money in YTB stock anyway - does that make me stupid? Do you think YTB will go away if their stock goes belly up? My guess is they won't and will figure it out. Besides why do you really care? Think about it - what is the reason you watch this blog? Is it a valid reason for your business or does it just piss you off that others are doing something that you worked hard for and they didn't? I watch the blog so I can see what I'm up against when someone who's thinking about buying their own travel website has doubts - this site preps me for that. I'm not trying to change your mind I'm just trying to get you to think about how silly many of these posts are day in and day out.
Again, selling websites is more important to YTBs bottom line than selling travel. If you couldn't use travel as a carrot no one would buy your silly sites and keep coach in the mansion.
ReplyDelete"I have a full time position in another capacity not in MLM Travel - it's a side business to make some extra cash."
ReplyDeleteAnd here lies the problem. You are not in it to sell travel. You are in it to make some extra cash. And you wonder why we TA's who work 40+ hours a week are so ticked off? Because of idiots like you who are only in it to make a little cash. You have no clue what this business is about or how to service customers. And don't give me all this sanctimonious garbage about your first amendment rights. Leave travel to the professionals who have training and who actually care about their clients.
The reason why we watch this blog is because of idiots like you who have no clue and are only in it to make a little cash. You want to earn some extra money get a part-time job instead of sitting on your butt and selling a website and a downline.
Suppliers are you paying attention?
I've often wondered whether or not John Frenaye, the alleged owner of a Carlson-Wagonlit travel agency in MD, blogs on behalf of Carlson headquarters. I hope they see what goes on here. I believe he cheapens the image of such a fine company. Especially rank is the picture he chose to start this topic with, namely a crock-pot full of stewing feces. A real class act. I wonder what John's clients would think of this? I can't blame Doug for checking out of this sewer.
ReplyDeleteolescorekeeper
The suppliers don't care who sells as long as they sell? Hmmm seems RCCL and would disagree. And before someone starts spewing the "they are minor and don't matter anyway" BS, thats crap, because if someone came to you and wanted to book a group on RCCL and you couldn't do it, it would sting.
ReplyDeleteIts ridiculous that CLIA is just tossing these cards to the winds as long as it makes them money. Sadly, it makes them look like a card mill themselves, maybe they will wake up and realize it. Alot of "professional" agents are choosing not to renew because of this. Then again, we don't have to because we have IATAN which is accepted by many more vendors.
I hope the suppliers do go net eventually..this way there is no commissions, and less perks to pimp out. Then all you have left is a website and what some tax perks that eventually the IRS will catch onto as well.
Ole---let me up the score for you....John 3 OLE 0
ReplyDeleteI have not been afilliated with CWT for several years. CWT is no longer in the franchised travel agency business and they are now TAG.
As to the picture, it appears that you are more familiar with stewing pots of feces than you are wiht AppleButter
http://www.ljcfyi.com/ljcsProjects/cooking/appleButter.html
What are you talking about olescorekeeper that is oatmeal with brown sugar. Obviously your mind is in the toilet.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe everyohe ought to just send the link to this post to the email addresses in the comments and let CLIA get the pulse
ReplyDelete"john just admitted he haas't been to a CRTA training but yet is qualifiedto post an inflamatory opinion about it?
ReplyDeleteCredibility John just took another hit."
In case no one has noticed (except Rod), I said I'd like to go to CRTA training to see what it's all about. Rod posted a link to the dates of training and city, but in order to find out the details as to exactly where and when, it says to consult the back office. As you well know, I can't consult the back office.
John said I should go. Is YTB willing to have me?
John said, "As to the picture, it appears that you are more familiar with stewing pots of feces than you are wiht AppleButter"
ReplyDelete"Travel Training: MLM Style--What A Crock!"...of AppleButter? Common weasal boy..come clean. We all know what the inference was! lol!!
olescorekeeper ;>)
Ann, I didn't know that. Here you go. Let us know which one you want to attend and I'll get you the address information. John, this Saturday in Baltimore if they'll let you in. LOL.
ReplyDeleteSaturday
March 22 Los Angeles, CA
(Live Spanish CRTA)
Victor and Nancy Toyens
Edison and Lorraine Denizard
Jesus Timaure
Saturday
March 22 Dedham, MA
(Boston Area)
Malcolm Alexander
LaTasha Ward
James "Bonecrusher" Smith
Saturday
March 22 Baltimore, MD
Ron and Phyllis Bush
Loranzo Ladson
James Eley
Saturday
March 22 San Diego, CA
Preston and Jane Blair
Kevin Fitzgerald
Bobby O'Neil
Charles and Denise Criddell
Saturday
March 22 Sacramento, CA
Mary Liu
Jenny Campbell
Aurora Mulchand
Silke Degenhardt
Jon Myers
Kris Hansen
Saturday
March 22 Ontario, CA
Tim Dominey
Terry Graham
Shawn and Sheila Bruins
Saturday
March 22 Houston, TX
Glenn Green
Chuck Hoover
Dean Johnson
Saturday
March 22 Tallahassee, FL
Roland Athouris
Graham Harris
Joanna and Rachel Moore
Teresa Gago
Joe Cutler
Saturday
March 22 Los Angeles, CA
Arlyne Thompson
Juliet St. John
Roderick Houston
Steve Bailey
Saturday
March 22 Clarksville, IN
Rick Ricketts
Steve Sturgeon
Candi May
Thursday
March 27 Amherst, NY
(Buffalo Area)
Ian Olito
Arlyne Thompson
Jeffrey Lewis
Friday
March 28 New Orleans, LA
Melissa Boston
Larease Rivers
Shavett Daniel
Lucretia Daniel
Rey and Vernice Daulphin
Friday
March 28 Colorado Springs, CO
Brice and Debbie Reynolds
Rick Reese
Alan Horton
Larry Bayer
Saturday
March 29 Dearborn, MI
Von Nickleberry
Nick Pagano
Kim Perry
Marcus Murray
Bobb Schmitz
Saturday
March 29 Newark, NJ
Joe Reid
Ian Olito
Andria Hall
Saturday
March 29 Dania Beach, FL
(Ft. Lauderdale Area)
Roland and Michelle Athouris
David Ogg
Dean Coffin
Phillip and Roma Riley
Peter "PJ" Jensen
Christopher Paraldi
Saturday
March 29 Huntington, WV
Michael Accurso
Bryan Bellville
Neil Bellville
Sunday
March 30 Orlando, FL
Kevin Giguere
Steve Wojchowski
Matt Nestler
Kenny and Paula Williams
Mark and Lynette Consigney
Doug Driscoll
Mark Ferguson
Tony Martinez
Saturday
April 5 Dallas, TX
James and Marcia Prewitt
Dave and Mickey Rawls
Craig Sweet
Saturday
April 5 Honolulu, HI
Jacques and Lynetta Johnson
Mike Stott
Charles Nicholson
Steve Bailey
Saturday
April 5 Orland Park, IL
(Chicago Area)
Phyllis Nash
Ken Lewis
Jennifer Houston
Bill Hoffmann
Saturday
April 5 West Des Moines, IA
Dave and Marlis Funk
Sunday
April 6 Pala, CA
Preston Blair
Kevin Fitzgerald
Ryan Vanderpool
Sunday
April 6 San Diego, CA
Spencer Iverson
Donald Bradley
Friday
April 11 Sarasota, FL
Gary and Diane Adams
Kevin Adams
Janie Francis
Josh Harman
Saturday
April 12 Philadelphia, PA
Malcolm Alexander
LaTasha Ward
Saturday
April 12 Jamaica, NY
DeVone McCullough
Gary White
Matt Nestler
Saturday
April 12 Sacramento, CA
Tim Dominey
Terry Graham
Shawn and Sheila Bruins
Ed and Donna Huebner
Saturday
April 12 Richmond, VA
Jeanie Sharpless
Benny Hampton
Kevin Boone
Ed Pryor
Sunday
April 13 Santa Clara, CA
Arlyne Thompson
Ian Olito
Jenny Campbell
Mary Liu
Sunday
April 13 Rockville, MD
Malcolm Alexander
LaTasha Ward
Ole---Weasel boy here....google the word "CROCK" and then look at the images. Did you look at the link I provided?
ReplyDeleteOK Weasel Boy, I looked at the images. But it's obvious you chose apple butter to make your "total crock of sh*t" statement. Time to move on. ;>)
ReplyDeleteolescorekeeper
This one:
ReplyDeleteSaturday
March 29 Dearborn, MI
Olescorekeeper said: I've often wondered whether or not John Frenaye, the alleged owner of a Carlson-Wagonlit travel agency in MD, blogs on behalf of Carlson headquarters. I hope they see what goes on here. I believe he cheapens the image of such a fine company. Especially rank is the picture he chose to start this topic with, namely a crock-pot full of stewing feces. A real class act. I wonder what John's clients would think of this? I can't blame Doug for checking out of this sewer.
ReplyDeleteAnd you don't think YTB has cheapened the image of the travel profession? Spamming Craigslist with promises of free travel, making tons of money, tax deductions out the yinghole, and my favorite "Get paid to travel." The only people that fall for that misleading BS are the uneducated and simpletons. For your information, YTB is a cesspool of MLM scammers, losers, and wannabe get rich quick idiots. BTW, you know that homeless lady that made over a million dollars though YTB? I just booked her and her new husband on a trip to Branson. It was hard finding an RV spot, but I managed to do it and get her front row tickets to see Boxcar Willie and Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute (sarcastic grin).
Directing back to charging a service fee, our agency is large and doesn't need to charge a fee. We get a lot of earned overrides which handle that and our customers appreciate it. If it is an involved trip for a new client, we do ask for a deposit that is refundable regardless.
Once again---YTB displays what a joke they really are! First their stock and now their "training" ooooh ahhh
ReplyDeleteJohn, before you go bashing YTB on their CRTA training, you better attend one first! Again, you are posting nothing but blah blah blah!!! You know absolutely NOTHING about it!!! Yes, you attend a CRTA to get certified! this is not even the tip of travel training!
ReplyDeleteYou are totally WRONG with this topic John!!! GO TO A CRTA!!!
Proud---anyway I look at it, the most senior director has less than 7 years experience in the "travel" industry, most of them less than 2 years.
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of them are not interested in travel, they are interested in website rentals.
YTB calls it a CERTIFIED REFERRAL TRAVEL AGENT TRAINING program. Why then is only half a day devoted to the travel portion?
I am not wrong with this at all. Why don't you go to an ACC, MCC, or ECC training. What about a TAP or a CTA, CTC?
Just because you are capable of suckering in 500, 1000, 2000, or however many people most certainly does NOT qualify you to "certify" anyone in any type of travel training.
But Proud, I will take you up on your offer. Now I don;t want to wast my time going to a CRTA that is, shall we say, not the right one. So, when are YOU presenting a CRTA program and where. I will fly down and attend it..I think I can still use my IATAN card to negotiate an AD75. So are you man enough to tell me where you are presenting; or are you just going to wimp out and hide behind your anonymity?
John, the CRTA trainings aren't like the presentations. The CRTA trainings are the same... no matter where you go.
ReplyDeleteJohn, like I said. You should have attended a CRTA first before posting this topic. You're like the person who writes a review on a movie before even going to see it... LOL!!!
The picture on the topic suits you perfectly! You really are full of it!
Man Proud, you and Olescorekeeper seem to be reading something into a graphic.
ReplyDeleteI was told all the recruiting presentations were the same too till you told me otherwise.
So, now to not waste my time any more, I asked when you were presenting. I have to assume you are a presenter for CRTA since you claim to be a director and you have told us how you sell more than 6 figures (or was that commission I forget?) of travel.
So, where are YOU presenting. Don;t lose any sleep, because I will not hold my breath. See the difference between you and me is that i have the balls to stand by my convictions. You are just a coward. By the way, how much is that latest director bonus doing for you? It was in stock right?
RTA Certification:
ReplyDeleteSunday, March 30, 2008
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Hyatt Regency Orlando Int'l Airport
9300 Airport Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32827
I don't personally put on the CRTA trainings, but I will be there and I do know what you look like. I will be able to tell if you attend or not. Now's your chance!
I thikn I may even have a free ticket on US to get me there! How will I recognize you?
ReplyDeleteJohn, it's not about the bonuses being handed in stocks for me. Whatever I earn in bonuses, I have already earned at least triple that amount in normal pay (non-bonus earnings) for each bonus I've received. That's why they call them BONUSES!!!
ReplyDeleteFace it John. You don't understand it now, and you will never understand it. Your head is full of thet "stinkin thinkin"!
I'll recognize you... if you are there.
ReplyDeleteI got my CLIA card in a box of cereal. I'm coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs and being a pretend travel agent too!
ReplyDeleteProud,
ReplyDeleteYou were just called out. And all you can say is "I know what you look like". Post a picture of yourself then...so John will know it's you. Send him your number so he can speak with you. Anyone can say I'll be at this training on this date, and not show up. I sure wouldn't If I was John, unless I had some concrete proof that you were going to be there. I think you were called on your bluff and you don't know what to do. I bet most of your figures and income statements are FALSE. I would pretty much bet on it.
Your "I know what you look like" statement is what I would expect from a grade schooler, who mouths off to the bully outside, and says, "I'll be there" then never shows.
These are professional travel agents on this site? You've got to be kidding me. Someone told me to check it out and I am shocked our business is associated with such a degenerating blog. I for one am not impressed with the so called MLM travel business that is going on but to fight it in this way is below me. We are especially bothered by the Traverus group in our area and have had some YTB people mentioned by our customers but this is very elementary. Please find another alternative and professional way to fight the fight.
ReplyDeleteJohn, go to the CRTA closest to home. CRTAs are a great benefit for YTB RTAs to go to, but you really will be overdoing it going out of your way just to go see one.
ReplyDelete"These are professional travel agents on this site? You've got to be kidding me."
ReplyDeleteObviously, you are not familiar with blogging. Secondly, read all the threads before you make a blanket statement.
CLIA ?
ReplyDeleteCRTA ?
CASH ?
What do these 3 words have in common?
This is another revenue stream and a merit badge for the wearer.
But - they do get some worthwhile training AND it helps give them a little more credibility.
Whatever an rta can do to learn I'm all for it . . .
We'll see . . .
Tom