The Facts Half-Truths About YTB--Part 6

Earlier this week I said that the "Values" page was the shortest page in the site. I was wrong, it is the second shortest. The shortest is the one for today--SUPPORT. But again, no surprises that there is not too much YTB says on the support issue. Today, let's take a look at the sixth tab on the new YTB site called www.TheFactsAboutYTB.com:

Support:

First Class Training is indeed a travel training program. While it is a very minimal program, it is a step in the right direction and it was developed as a result of the current lawsuit by California against YTB. Formerly, this class was called Certified Referral Travel Agent Training (CRTA) and while the title suggested something about travel--the curriculum was anything but. When confronted, YTB developed something about travel. It is an open book online course completed in 4 hours and there is a costs for the RTA to do this. To be candid, it needs to be pointed out that in your $449.99 start up fee, and your ongoing $49.95 monthly fee, travel training is NOT included.

The YTB e-Campus by Marc Mancini is another good step in the right direction. The classes are not really "unique" to YTB as they advertise as they are the same curriculum that Marc has been teaching for years. They are however a very nice income stream for YTB. The classes are licensed in bulk to YTB and then YTB charges the RTAs individually. It also needs to be noted that YTB is very behind in releasing these classes--or maybe they have not paid for the classes yet. The initial concept was to release a unit per month, but in the year plus that it has been around there have only been a handful of units released. And finally, while YTB will not release the numbers, the percentage of RTAs taking these classes is woefully minimal.

The YTB National Convention. Well, what more proof do you need that this is the "largest annual event in the travel industry" than a YouTube video produced by Beryl-Martin--a company privately and wholly owned by Scott Tomer, Coach Tomer, and Kim Sorensen. Ironically enough, the California Attorney General served YTB papers on the eve of their convention charging them with operating a pyramid scheme and fraudulent business practices. Fake seemed to be the theme of thhis year's convention--fake statue (which has it's own story), fake Ray Charles, fake attendance numbers, etc.

Please note that there is not a single mention of any support that might be offered to the people that purchase travel. But we already know how they support that.