Breaking News: NCL Terminates YTB

Well, it seems that another MAJOR vendor has kicked YTB to the curb. NCL has terminated their agreement with YTB. When Will Carnival wake up. Story developing and more to come!

According to Travel Pulse, NCL will no longer accept any reservations from YTB or any of its so called "agents".

Norwegian Cruise Line has ended its business relationship with YTB International, a controversial company that provides Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives. Many industry observers consider YTB to be a “card mill.” NCL will no longer accept new reservations from YTB or any of its affiliated agents. NCL will continue to service existing YTB reservations booked prior to Jan. 21. NCL on Jan. 5 also stopped accepting reservations from independent agents affiliated with Joystar. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara ended their relationship with YTB in October 2007. For more information, visit www.bookncl.com or www.yourtravelbiz.com.

I also have it on good authority that another major tour operator has declined to renew their preferred agreement with YTB and has cut their commission levels from 16% to 10%. All this despite a reported $13M in sales for 2008. More on this development as it becomes available.

Is Illinois Preparing To Make A Move On YTB?

I have a feeling that the State of Illinois, who is currently investigating YTB, may likely be taking this to the next step soon. Maybe now that Lisa Madigan is done with Rod Blagojevich, now she can have her office pay a little more attention to YTB. I did notice that both she and Jerry Brown were at the Inauguration of President Barack H. Obama last week! I wonder if they had a chance to grab a bite to eat and talk shop and swap notes?

The Profile of an MLM Executive

This is from Peter Stilphen and is really quite on the money. For additional copies, please send $500 and $49.95 a month...  But seriously, to read more, please check out Home Based Travel Agents Online.

We continue to hear about the multi-level-marketing activities of the people in this business. Usually,it is never in a "good light" and one, especially me, wonders why this sleazy profession is still around. You just need to "Google" MLMs or card mills and you will bring up the sites that are pro and con about this subject. Also try www.scams.com or www.ripoff.com.

I've often wondered who these individuals are that get into this business and why they do it. Armed with my own psychoanalysis credentials, I decided to do some research. I have great credentials. I have seen two episodes of Dr. Phil's TV show, and I stayed once at a Holiday Inn Express. Here's what I discovered.

MLM executives were actually born with a rare gene known as "ripyouoff". The gene brings out various traits almost at infancy. We learned that babies born with this gene were the ones who cried incessantly in the nursery just to receive attention. Their huge ego will be with them all through childhood and last until they are incarcerated, chased from the State or the Devil decides to take them once and for all.

During their childhood years it was not uncommon to see a resourceful MLM practitioner have several businesses. Many of them began a business at a very early age. They had newspaper routes, sold lemonade in the front of their house or even sold girl scout cookies. What made these individuals different was that they had to have another version of the same business and felt the more involved they could get people, the more money they could make.

The kid with the bad gene was more apt to water down the lemonade to increase profits or even to recruit other kids to sell his newspapers paying each kid a tiny percentage of what he actually received from his employer. Same with the girl scout cookies. Recruiting each girl scout and rewarding them based on bringing in additional recruits until he ran out of girl scouts. This worked for a short while, just as todays MLM venture works for a short while.

I discovered that most all MLM executives have had no other business experience other than multi level marketing. It's probably because they couldn't hold down a regular position because their only goals were to get rich quick. Have you ever been curious as to why these same executives have wandered from one MLM activity to another? The reason is that eventually they run out of recruits for a particular product, the State's Attorney General shuts them down for operating a pyramid or the game just gets old. MLM executives do not care about the product they are supposed to be selling as it's all about recruiting and creating a huge pyramid.

MLM executives are generally very lonely people. The reason is that during their life of deceiving and BS..ing their family and friends and the public, they have lost these people in their lives. Have you ever gone to a Pet Smart store and seen the unfortunate dogs and cats sitting in their cages crying out for adoption and love and to your surprise, saw a cage that read "Lonely MLM Executive Needs Good and Loving Home- Completely re-trained." Please adopt that dog or cat instead.

Do you really believe the MLM executives now involved in the travel business care about travel? Of course not. It's about how much money they can make recruiting and the size of the toys they purchase that's important to them. Take a good look at the fools that follow them. It's all about greed and that MLM executive knows it and will take you for all you are worth.

The next time you are at an MLM convention make a statement. Stand up during a speech, flip the speaker the bird and yell out "I'm outta here."

YTB Speaks To The Press In Texas Fails To Heed December Policy

Did Becky Brown fail Reading 101? She must have, because speaking to the press (or even having an original thought) it is specifically prohibited according to Section 3.9 (Page 17) of the December 15th missive. But Becky spoke with the Beaumont Enterprise anyhow and had this to say on the travel industry and the economy:

Becky Brown, an agent with YTB Travel Agency, said she has not seen business decline with the economy, and she doesn't expect it will anytime soon.

"The travel business has done well," Brown, who said she's booked more trips in the last six weeks than she did in all of 2008, said. "It's cheap to travel right now."

However, considering the average sales levels of RTAs, selling more travel then you did last year is not a difficult thing to do.  And is she employed with YTB? I think that is another violation!

Even More Blah Blah Blah From A YTB Supporter

And the drivel continues from Endless Drivel Travel......

It isn’t just about where I can get the best percentage commission.   If all I wanted to do was book cruises…I would just go get a job doing that.  Chasing a higher commission split is not unique to those in the travel industry, and though some will do just that…I am not one of them.

Plenty of business to go around my friend…and yes…the high I experience being my own boss is incredible with no employees and with no overhead is awesome.  As an independent contractor, I gladly pay a monthly service fee, which is in fact reimbursed, for YTB to handle my licensing fees, E&O and all the paperwork.  

And now I see that a new twist lie has been tossed into the mix. YTB now handles all licensing fees, E&O, and all the paperwork. Are you sure about that? I Have a source that says otherwise!

More Blah Blah Blah From A YTB Supporter

Round two from Bob Cushman from Endless Journey Drivel Travel.

 

As you are probably aware, many network marketing companies have tried to do what YTB is actually doing, and none have succeeded.  Our travel sales are proof of our success and impact.  YTB didn’t cause the paradigm shift, the internet did.  All we did was recognize an opportunity to capitalize on the consumer fulfilling their travel needs on the internet instead of calling a travel agent.  The only thing Barry Dillar (Expedia) got wrong was the power of word of mouth vs. advertizing.  Simple as that.  What YTB has done is take that model and put the relationship back into the transaction.

Sure it was disheartening to see the California AG filed a lawsuit, (key word ‘accusing’ ) but YTB wasn’t surprised it happened…they were only surprised it took them so long.  Who do you think put pressure on the AG to do so?  It will be amicably settled, just like the one before it and the one previously filed in Florida and the one in Rhode Island.   Just like Art Williams took on the entire insurance industry, as Primerica Financial Services and refused to give in to those who vigorously opposed them…YTB too will ultimately prevail.  If you were to read Art Williams’ latest book, “Coach, the A.L. Williams Story…you would see the parallels.

Sure sales are down…as they are across the entire economy and just like other companies; YTB has taken appropriate measures to compensate.  I served our great country for 22 yrs, and have learned the meaning of loyalty, commitment and the values that determine a great leader.  What I believe is not important; I look to a person’s actions which reveal true intention.  Yes, there are those like yourself who believe YTB is a cult and/or some illegal pyramid scheme.  Professional Network marketers are a rare entrepreneurial breed, and the ones who have chosen to build the foundation of YTB will be justly and richly rewarded.  Controversy is just part of what our CEO calls Success Tax.

I am right here; aware, informed, educated and taking action.  I will continue to build relationships with my clientele who will book with me.  I will also continue to share the YTB opportunity with others who seek a genuine home based business opportunity.  YTB isn’t for everyone…but many do want to learn how to: earn commission on their own personal travel and that of their friends, family and co-workers - save money on their travel - and take advantage of the legal tax benefits that are available to those that work their business with a clear intention to earn a profit.  Our Founders along with our legal department will continue to vigorously defend our rights to do so.

Who needs IATA or even IATAN?  RCCL "DEMOTED" Lisa Bauer for the decision to not do business with us because we did $13 Million in business with them before they made one of the biggest mistakes EVER!  In response, we sold more cruises in ONE DAY with Carnival, setting the record for the ENTIRE INDUSTRY (not just MLM) for the most cruises EVER sold by one agency in a single day. 

If I were you, I would be careful of what you say because you might have to eat your words later. 

YTB Forgot To Give Endless Journey The IATAN Memo

Apparently YTB has not spread the word about the loss of their accreditation with IATAN. Endless Journey Travel is apparently as clueless about YTB as they are about the travel industry in general. And judging from their RTA number, they are a relatively new addition to the YTB ranks. I wonder why YTB is not telling them the whole truth? Please extend warm wishes to the newest member of the D.A.D. And considering you are in Sacramento, CALIFORNIA--you may mow be changing your name to John Doe 79!

You surely must be ignorant and arrogant to think YTB is some illegal pyramid scheme and will simply go away because some within the traditional travel industry wishes so. YTB will continue to train and educate its sales force, and agents and will continue to build relationships with its vendors and customers. The travel industry does not solely belong to self proclaimed overseers, and surely the time has come for these truths to become self evident. I am proud to be network marketing professional and I have earned my CLIA credentials and working on my IATAN, of which several of our agents have already earned. Who do you think is now the #1 re-seller of Carnival Cruise Lines? Those who see a paradigm shift such as that, which YTB represents, have four choices: Ignore Ridicule, Oppose or Embrace. It is clear which you chose.