To the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club...do you really think you are going to get some decent business from these "agents" when their average annual sales are less than $1600 and primarily to themselves? Do you want your resort overrun with "agents" approaching your paying clients advising them that they too could have had 2 free nights and a $89 per night rate? To me, it seems like an bass-ackwards way of marketing your property--unless you are rebranding as a Motel 6. It also makes you wonder how much support you will receive from legitimate agents that do produce legitimate sales. I hear the Westin Diplomat is also very nice!
All RTAS want to stay at a 5 star resort for 2 days FREE. This is what we have with YTB. You should take advantage of all the benefits we have as a travel agent. Read the instructions carefully when booking and enjoy.
The new Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club is ready to amaze you following a $100 million transformation. New golf, luxurious new guest rooms and suites, renovated Willow Stream Spa, new dining options including Michael Mina's BOURBON STEAK and a new family-friendly tropical paradise featuring a lagoon-style pool, lazy river, waterslide, tennis and so much more. . . the property is a sight to behold! Come and discover for yourself how this truly outstanding resort has gone from great to amazing.
Special Offers for Fairmont FAmous Agents to experience the new resort! Two complimentary nights with breakfast. Up to 3 additional nights at $89* Plus $89* green fees. To take advantage of this special Travel Agent offer:
Go to *www.fairmontFAmous.com* and create your Fairmont FAmous account.
Click "make a reservation at the Fairmont Famous rate" and book your stay at The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. Once your reservation has been confirmed, please email *tir.reservations@fairmont.com*
to request the rate for the first two nights be converted to complimentary and up to 3 additional nights at $89. *Valid June 1- September 30, 2008 with a 90 day advanced booking window. Offer limited to one stay per agent. Prices in US dollars based on Fairmont room single or double occupancy. Subject to availability. Taxes and resort fees will apply for additional nights. Golf green fees include cart and forecaddie but does not include $20 suggested caddie gratuity. Restrictions apply. *Blackout Dates:* August 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30, 31 and September 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13
This is a fantastic offer to go, inspect the property and refer clients who are looking for an upscale experience.
I have already enrolled in the Fairmount Famous Travel Agent program, taken the travel agent course, passed the exam and am ready to book an inspection stay. BTW, they prefer a CLIA #.
What a stretch, John Frenaye.
ReplyDeleteOne post on an obscure women's message board.
You are dredging deep for this one.
What is the hit count on this Work at Home Mothers site?
You would think this is a full-page ad in USA Today promoting YTB benefits!
Very few people (and an emphasis on VERY few)
would ever read this.
And note what the poster said . . .
"This is a fantastic offer to go, inspect the property and refer clients who are looking for an upscale experience"
Note: Refer clients.
Another example of John Frenaye trying to stir the pot.
And to the vendors reading this: This sole message on an obscure mother's site is not supported by YTB Corporate. Just another example of a blogger obsessed with digging up anything he can to disparage YTB TRAVEL NETWORK and fit his negative template.
If you want to get a true picture of what YTB promotes for vendor relationships, read the announcements and follow-up from the Funshine Convention being held in Orlando, FL as I write this.
Thousands of YTB RTAs in attendance learning how to sell your products and attending training from Marc Mancini.
No recruiting . . . all about travel sales for great travel vendors.
Relax Mix…
ReplyDeleteIf you recall, he’s already posted and asked the suppliers and vendors who are not here at Funshine to attend one of our First Class Trainings earlier this week. At the First Class Training they’ll realize that we don’t promote the same “myths and legends” found here on the No MLM’s and suppliers and vendors will see that the TTA’s are just blowing a bunch of smoke.
Did you read the rest of the WHAM thread? CLIA Rules! What happened to CLIA making it harder?
These TTA’s are in La La Land.
Denyse not only posted the proper requirements and restrictions, but enrolled herself in Fairmount Famous Travel Agent program, took the travel agent course, and passed the exam which is required for the FAM. It’s how I’ve seen several suppliers and vendors do it these days. Before they make threats of all of them going to the Westin, they need to check into the Starwood program before they do. ;-P
Imagine that…Suppliers and Vendors finding ways to qualify RTA’s for FAMs and yet keep all the money we send their way.
You really need to let these TTA’s go and let them wallow in their own self pitty. By posting here, you only give them something more to complain about.
Just let them be. They don’t amount to much, and don’t offer much for the travel industry as a whole. Especially John with all his researching and posting he does about YTB. Oh sure, he’ll tell you he doesn’t spend much time on this, but you and I both know it’s all he does. There’s no time for anything else.
Let them be and I’d suggest you enroll yourself in the Fairmont Famous Travel Agent program to get away from the WTA’s for a while.
PS - Thanks for making the "correction" to your post yesterday John. I knew you wouldn't want to ammend the post to reflect what's right.
We all know it's not about truth here. It's about you own illusions.
Peace.
WAHM is a bit larger than you realize there Mix. And if you do some background snooping it appears that YTB and their incessant recruiting and questionable tactics has forced the travel rooms to be completely shut down a time or two. How many RTAs are "women" and how many are insulted at your insinuations?
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I DO agree with you on is to encourage the vendors to take a deeper look into what you perceive as training and attend the First Class Training. There was a reason it was changed in name from Certified Referring Travel Agent Training to First Class Training you know. There is no travel agent training going on. I have the training guide and it is mostly about recruiting...oh surprise surprise. And are you personally at the Funshine?
Really...I agree with you that Mix probably would be better served by ignoring this little blog and concentrating on recruiting some other fool. No need to make a major re-do of the post as the correction was minimal.SO I let it stand as it was and added the comment about YTB changing the pricing on their website between the time I wrote the post and the time it appeared. But if you called the resort, you would have been able to confirm your special rate. But rather than do that, you prefer to believe whatever it is that is spoon fed to you.
No matter if it's 100 women or 1000 women, it's completely inappropriate to post the FAM info on a public forum where anyone can see it. Why don't you ask Fairmont what they think about Mix. Or are you now speaking for them as well?
ReplyDeleteI've already done just that Temptress. I saw the posting on WAHM and forwarded the screenshot right on to headquarters for the resort. They were NOT pleased.
ReplyDeleteHummmmmm.
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday John posted the IATA rate for Gaylord Palms right here.
Do you think THEY would be pleased by posting that rate in public?
Make sure you take a screen shot and sent that rate to them before HE takes it down. ;-P
You're nothing but a bunch of two faced complainers who get all upset about what WE do, but say nothing about what one of your own do right here.
Whatever....
It is a little different....and I am not taking it down so don't fret.
ReplyDeleteYou see, you need to posses an IATAN card to get the rate. Which indicates you are a professional. I did not encourage people to go experience luxury and take advantage of the free nights and discounted rate. I did not use it as an enticement to get into the industry.
What I did use it for was to demonstrate yet again, how YTB is really not all that great of a deal for anyone.
Capiche?
For once, I will agree with you both.
ReplyDeleteSupplier information should not be posted for anyone who is not a travel agent.
It is a registered site and not available to anyone without registering for the forum, but industry information like the Fairmont offer should not be made public.
But then "Really?" brought up a good point that the anti-YTB blogger himself posted the IATA rate for the Gaylord Palms for anyone and everyone to see.
That should have been private information only available to travel agents.
So it looks like the WTA blogger broke his own sacred rule.
And I imagine that YTB Corporate will be contacting the offending RTA and let her know to NEVER publish industry information on a public forum.
And, yes, I am at the Funshine Convention like Doug.
And it looks like a GREAT turnout!
WHAM is NOT a private board and you do NOT need to register to access it. I am not registered thee and I saw the post. Click on the link...you will go right there.
ReplyDeleteYou need to register to post on it, not register to read it. Just the other day a regular person came on the board to find a travel agent. So anyone can access it. The RTA should be reported to Corporate.
ReplyDeleteJohn did not post for everyone to "call the Gaylord and access the rate". What she did was wrong, and I could care less if your pissed off that I reported it to Fairmont. They were not amused by the post and the Director of the program is "dealing"
with it.
You blame us constantly for your companys misfortunes. You might want to look harder, and you'll notice its your own people digging the grave. Not us!
Really asked, "What happened to CLIA making it harder?" The new rules are effective for getting your 2009 CLIA card. So until then, the old easy to get card is still available.
ReplyDeleteSteve;
ReplyDeleteCLIA applications for 2008 have expired. New rules apply NOW.
John;
Excuse…Justify…Deny all you want. IATA feels differently as they have been advised.
Lisa;
We never said we were pissed, just pointing out the obvious double standard when it comes to protecting the precious travel agent rates.
Mix;
Just let them drown in their own fears and illusions. They don’t need our help to do that.
It’s time to move on.
Please.
This has nothing to do with Travel Agent Rates, this has to do with the method that YTB RATS use to entice people to sign up. Recruit, recruit, recruit that is the main business...not travel.
ReplyDeleteYou know I have been over at that WAHM site seeing what was going on several time and it's all about recruiting and more recruiting. And, anything negative you say about YTB like mentioning the lawsuits etc. gets immediately deleted. Coincidence? I think not.
ReplyDeleteIATA does not feel different. If they did you would be able to get an ID card.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you heard any of the seminars at the ASTA show, you likely would have known that. But then again--you don;t need no stinking ASTA
LOL funny that you say that Kitty. Because when I saw the above post on the board, I typed a note to Denyse letting her know that it was not proper to publish agent information on a public board..Guess what..that post was removed. Geee I wonder why?
ReplyDeleteReally/Denyse/Gail/Regina whichever one you are IATA doesn't have much use for YTB these days so report away.....
ReplyDelete