If anyone is going to traveling to Orlando for the Funshine, you want to be sure to take advantage of the special rates offered by the Gaylord Palms Resort for three nights beginning September 11th.
- $99 per night special travel agent rate. IATAN Card Required
- $149 per night double occupancy booked in your GDS
- $149 per night double occupancy booked directly with the resort
- $169 per night double occupancy special YTB Funshine Rate
- $229.23 per night double occupancy booked on your YTB Referring Travel Agent website
So, how woudl YOU like to book your stay?
Excuse me….
ReplyDeleteThe YTB Convention Rate is $129
The YTB Web site rate is $149
Please note and correct.
Thanks!
YTB Website has been corrected, but two days ago it was $229.23. Now it shows $229.23 crossed out with a $149 rate.
ReplyDeleteCall Gaylord and ask about the special YTB Rate. $169 double occupancy.
What the hell is $229.23. The regular rack rate for the hotel is $149, why would it ever be higher? And for a convention as big as its supposed to be, $129 was the best rate they could negotiate..wow..someone needs to brush up on their negotiating skills, or someone is getting a big kickback come the end of convention. $20 savings per room is horrible.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe the $223 was to show how much you save by buying on a YTB site.
ReplyDeleteAnd Lisa, call the resort and ask them about the YTB Funshine rate. I was told by reservations it was $169 for double occupancy.
Great to know the crack YTB investigators are on the trail.
ReplyDeleteMaybe MSNBC will use you their travel investigator to uncover the "real" dirt on Sarah Palin in Alaska.
How about calling Chicago and finding out what caused that TRADITIONAL travel agent to go bad and rip a church off for $21,000.
As TL would say, $21,000 is horrible.
Per Cynthia at Gaylord Palms reservations, the rate is $169.00 for the YTB convention, double occupancy. Per my GDS for the exact same nights, the rack rate is $149, for the same room. So what discount are you actually getting?
ReplyDeleteMix, again jumping off topic here. We are discussing crappy negotiating not a TTA gone bad. $21,000 is bad and I am appalled, but without further research or reading on it, I cannot comment.
Mix-Yes it is terrible that someone absconded with money. So, they said the guy in Chicago is a traditional travel agent. Prove it. Prove that he has an IATAN card. Prove that he is a member of ASTA. Prove that he has any professional affiliation. Prove that he has E&O insurance. Anyone can open a store front and call themselves a travel agent.
ReplyDeleteYes, the money he took is bad and I do not condone it. But you and your pals come on here everyday defending a man who has SCAMMED millions of dollars off of people, lives an ostentatious lifestyle, thumbs his nose at the CA AG and makes unethical deals with his bank etc. Coach is Saint to you. You are no better than the guy that took the money because you my friend defend a crook and look the other way.
OK, Kitty Kat -
ReplyDeleteBesides your obvious obsession with YTB . . .
Please name one thing that YTB Corpoate or the founders of YTB have been proven guilty of.
Not ALLEDGED.
Proven GUILTY of.
Until then, it is all conjecture on your part.
It has been proven that the WTAs (Whining Travel Agents) do not like us.
Good . . . we do not like you either.
But let's see PROOF of the scams that you are throwing around.
HINT: You won't find any.
If YTB is proven guilty in a court of law, I will be glad to eat crow.
Until then, all of your insults are just that . . .
Insults.
The WTAs are all high and mighty right now.
But I will look forward to the world-class whining when YTB is proven innocent of the ridiculous allegations.
As I said Mixie you are no better than the guy that took the money because you my friend defend a crook and look the other way.
ReplyDeleteYou have no ethics.
You have no morals.
You have no couth.
You have no class.
You have no intelligence.
And, you are afraid to admit you were scammed.
YTB and Travel and absurd mix!
I think it's funny that as of 2:20pm CDT the stock is down almost 10.5% to $0.60 a share, and at one point today had actually dropped to $0.57 a share! Wonder if the majority stockholders are finagaling another pump and dump.
ReplyDeleteDuh!
ReplyDeleteKitty Kat does not like YTB.
Let's don't, as the great anti-YTB blogger would say, deflect.
Name one thing that YTB has been proven guilty of.
Not your ignorant OPINION.
PROVEN GUILTY OF, FELINE.
Until then, it is just your opinion.
If someone is scammed, THAT is against the law.
I have been part of YTB for over 5 years.
A company that has never once been proven to be in violation of the law.
Opinions are like ******** . . .
Everyone has one.
Mixie you been scamming people yourself for 5 years by recruiting them. You are an abomination and a cad. And, I don't like you. I think you are a horse's behind. Your the ignorant one. Get a real job Mixie.
ReplyDeleteAinsworth-
ReplyDeleteYou might stick to charging high-priced service fees to your clients and leave financial services to the experts.
Yes, YTB's stock is down.
So are thousands of other stocks on most any exchange at this time.
YTB has taken some hits as any company would having to defend themselves from an out-of-control AG and ambulance chasers.
Pump and dump?
Another opinion from an ignorant source.
Again . . . no proof.
Just opinion.
Someone sounds a little jealous that we collect service fees from our clients - clients who realize we are professionals and pay us for our valuable time and knowledge.
ReplyDelete"Mixie you been scamming people yourself for 5 years by recruiting them. You are an abomination and a cad. And, I don't like you. I think you are a horse's behind. Your the ignorant one. Get a real job Mixie."
ReplyDeleteDeflect, deflect, deflect.
Let's see the proof, Kitty Kat.
Name any time YTB Corporate or it's founders have been proven guilty of wrong-doing in court.
I'm waiting . . . (Jeopardy music plays)
I have told you before, I have a tradional business of 25 years.
And it is doing quite well.
And I LOVE my part-time YTB business!
And I LOVE reading your whiny posts.
Is there an ignore feature on the blog? I get a headache just reading Mix complaining about us whining when in fact that's all he's doing. Your defending a company that operates on the fringe of legality, and certainly not ethically.
ReplyDeleteIt seems EVERYONE is wrong, except YTB. The papers, the AG's, the lawyers, those who've quit, the TTA's, IATAN, RCCL, etc etc etc..do you notice a pattern?
Mix--as has been said here for a year, YTB operates on the line of legality. Their day in court (or settlement) is coming for sure and I am glad you are optimistic. Even your own president went on the record saying that a goal was to "legitimize" the company. What does that tell you?
ReplyDeleteHow do you explain IATAN or RCCL? Lindauer and Seligman?
And rather than focus on the fact that YTB has not been proven guilty in a court yer and that all of the charges are just that--charges. Why not tell me another travel company (that is what you profess to be isn't it?) that has been charged or investigated by multiple Attorney Generals. Tell me one that has had multiple class action suits filed against them?
Why don't you get together with Firemedic..he's busy looking for good news about Coach (I am still waiting) and I imagine you finding equally bad news about a legitimate travel company will be as fruitful.
Since we originally began the topic with YTB’s funky hotel pricing, here’s a story that I think was missed.
ReplyDeleteOn 9/4 I received the following email:
“It has come to my attention that many of you are using the Vacation Media marketing website. This site has several compliance issues and commission tracking challenges and I am personally concerned about the security of our Reps' information.
I am asking all YTB Reps to immediately stop using this unauthorized site. From this point forward, any commissions lost from sales made using Vacation Media will not be researched or paid by YTB.
We have worked incredibly hard to build this company the right way for all of us. Using non-compliant sites only hurts YTB. Please check with the home office before using any marketing website or tool to help grow your business.
If you are using Vacation Media or a similar marketing website that is not YTB approved, you may want to consider switching to YTB's Enhanced Rep Site. You can find more information on this marketing tool in your Back Office. Not only is this site fully compliant, it offers a level of integration unmatched by anyone else.
Thanks for your help. Together we will build the greatest company of our time.
Your CEO,
Scott”
---------
For almost 3 years Vacation Media and YTB had a relationship and compliance was never an issue. Vacation Media grew to over 7,000 customers. At $9.95 a month, that is over $70,000 a month and around $840,000 a year. Now if I was making this kind of money, do you think I would do everything I possibly could to maintain an ideal relationship with YTB and ensure that compliance was maintained? By the way, YTB’s Enhanced Rep Site is $15 a month. (In my opinion, YTB is asking for more money for an inferior product.)
Rick Ricketts, a high level director with YTB, also sponsors his own YTB marketing site for a price of $9.95 a month. (Again, in my opinion, a superior product than YTB’s.) I have not received an email asking me to cancel a subscription with his Paradise Networks.
I’m hoping that the author of this blog can provide an insight to this situation. It appears that YTB is willing to earn money from it’s customers at any cost, whether by offering a superior product or not. Meanwhile, it has insulted the company, Vacation Media, and tarnished its reputation by suggesting that its systems fail to provide security and/or tracking challenges.
I’m not affiliated with Vacation Media, Paradise Networks, nor have I subscribed to the Enhanced Site. I have taken a good look at all three and understand their strengths and weaknesses. I just think that YTB is doing more harm than good here and hope that others can contribute to this discussion.
Vacation Media appears to also be owned by Rick and Brenda Ricketts. B&R Marketing out of LAS is the owner of the domain and the LLC is registered to Rick and Brenda Ricketts.
ReplyDeleteAs to why this one was being shunned...who knows, but if I was Ricketts and Scottie took that much money away from me, I might be looking for my own Plan B
Vacation Media is NOT owned by Rick and Brenda Ricketts. It is owned by 2 guys in Vegas, Rich and Bruce... I can only assume one of the reasons Scott decided to put out this email is because Vacation Media also runs a site for Traverus Travel, www.etraverus.com..
ReplyDeleteIf I was the CEO of YTB I wouldn't want my reps using a system that does business with Traverus, would you?
I had a site with Vacation Media and cancelled it when I found out that they were also working with Traverus.
ReplyDelete"YTB operates on the edge of legality".
Your opinion, anti-YTB blogger.
Your opinion does not make it fact.
Either something is legal or illegal.
Except for your parsing in an attempt to fit your anti-YTB template.
If I drive 69 in a 70 MPH zone, I am driving on the edge of legality.
But I am legal.
Wake up, Mr. MSNBC.
Businesses all over the U.S. operate within the lines of legality.
And most go right to the line.
But they are not illegal and neither is YTB.
The CA AG thinks YTB is a pyramid scheme.
We are convinced we are not.
And we plan to prevail in court.
And we plan to celebrate when it happens.
And TL and others will be complaining and, yes, whining, as usual.
Mix said, "If YTB is proven guilty in a court of law, I will be glad to eat crow."
ReplyDeleteDo you have a favorite recipe? I'd like to be prepared.
Operating within the law is one thing. Taking it TO the line of the law is also one thing. Breaking the law till you get caught is not how most companies operate contrary to what your mind may think Mix.
ReplyDeleteIf you drive 100MPH and did not get caught does not mean you were not speeding.
By the way, where is that list of travel companies that have been investigated by attorney genenerals and have class action suits against them? Feel free to post the names.
Erikjohn---the State of Nevada Business records indicate otherwise. Maybe Rick is building a parralel line at Traverus?
One AG (CA) filing the charge.
ReplyDeleteOne additional AG (CA) agreeing to cooperate.
Class action suit as a result filed by lowlifes and their ambulance-chasing lawyers (think John Edwards)
Breaking the law?
No way, Jose.
No laws are being broken.
You like to think so, John
But you are absolutely wrong.
And that is becoming a habit with you.
And no plans on this end to have to eat crow.
YTB will prevail in court.
And the anti-YTB crowd will be humbled.
Looking forward to it.
The California lawsuit is in civil court. The AG only needs to provide a preponderance of evidence. This is way different than the "beyond the shadow of a doubt" conviction. They are being "sued" for $25 million. The AG just needs to show that the business was/is being run as a "chain business" and that the money is being made on recruiting. I think that the financial statements alone would almost be enough for a preponderance of evidence. They don't have to prove that YTB was going 71 mph in a 70 mph lane.
ReplyDeleteThis was the same reason that OJ Simpson was found innocent in criminal court, but then lost his civil lawsuit.
YTB has not been charged (yet) in criminal court. Chances are that YTB would not be charged... but Coach, Scott and the others could be.
As the the marketing systems... YTB saw another revenue stream, and decided to build and promote their own "advanced" website. Because they run the show, they can easily prohibit the use of the other sites. This has happened time and time again in mlm/network marketing. Nothing new here.
As for the room rates... It seems like the industry rate is the best. But that probably requires an IATA number. Has anyone tried their CLIA number? How about AAA discount?
Exactly Mark, the post was about the room rates, which they deviated from discussing. It just always seems that the RTA's are getting ripped off. Higher hotel rates, paying for brochures, paying double for SEP, they are just always "paying". Nobody questions this? Even the Carnival cruise for the birthday was posted as more then what a regular cabin was.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I am sorry but you are wrong The R & B is Rich and Bryant.. Here is a link right from the Nevada Corp lookup... https://esos.state.nv.us/SOSServices/AnonymousAccess/CorpSearch/CorpDetails.aspx?lx8nvq=Rhc7hEn40bwOT5rWL1Ecqw%253d%253d
ReplyDeletePlease stop trying to stir things up by saying maybe Rick is working Traverus too. Please show me your link that shows him owning the company...
I stand corrected. It appears that R&B is as erikjohn posted. Apologies and I will have to see where the confusion on my end is.
ReplyDeleteAs for a director's "plan b" not a bad idea at all. After all that is exactly what YTB has been preaching for years...what's your plan b?