PATH Applauds California's Actions Against YTB
- Aug 14, 2008
- By: George Dooley
- TravelAgentCentral
The Professional Association of Travel Hosts (PATH) released a statement that applauded the recent legal action taken by the state of California against YourTravelBiz.com (YTB). The state accused the company of operating a “gigantic pyramid scheme” that defrauded thousands of members with deceptive claims that they could earn huge sums of money by operating individual travel websites.
Andi Mysza, president of PATH, believes the decision is in the best interests of independent travel professionals who are serious about selling travel. "This is good news for the hosting industry and I only hope that other states and the federal government will follow suit," he said. "YTB and other card mills have been preying on unsuspecting consumers for too long. For those who really want to develop a travel business and actively sell travel, PATH provides agents with a means of locating reputable, legitimate host agencies which are not involved with multilevel marketing."
The host agency association, which currently includes 18 members, has established performance standards and a code of ethics that are required of all members. The association’s definition of a host agency clearly states that members cannot engage in multilevel marketing programs and that the primary source of income is from the sale of travel.
"It’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys sometimes with all the marketing hype," said Pam Miller, Magellan360 president. "PATH plays a critical role in screening so independent contractors can feel secure in their choice of host and simply select the host that meets their particular business needs to become successful.
"Today's travel professional should be focusing on knowledge, education and building a relationship with the customer while selling the experience. If your host is not encouraging this, you need to step back and reevaluate your choice in hosts."
Host agencies will play a major role in enabling the travel industry to generate new sellers of travel by recruiting “new blood” from outside of the industry and providing the training, marketing programs, technology and support to help these agents get off to a good start. It is in the best interest of the travel industry to attract professionals who have backgrounds in sales and marketing, and give them the resources to transition these skills into the travel business, PATH said.
“There are many different legitimate host agency programs out there to choose from," noted Nexion President and General Manager, Jackie Friedman. "Agents who are serious about building their travel businesses should feel comfortable approaching any of the PATH host agency members to find the program that best fits their needs. It is imperative the industry recognizes the difference between the legitimate host agencies and the multi-level marketing and card mill organizations since the right host agency can provide an ideal environment for these independent travel professionals to thrive and grow. If it sounds too good to be true— it probably is.”
Visit www.PATH4Hosts.com.
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Comments 1-9 of 9
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Rick (AUGUST 28, 2008)
Every other industry has advanced. I guess travel is destined to be stuck in the 60's. I am an YTB RTA for 16 months and book cruises for a niche group. If people actually read the suit, it just wants YTB to tone down the hype, not dismantle the company.
Now that I have experienced at least the cruise portion of travel, their pronounced knowledge and experience are overrated.
I don't see any difference in what a traditional agency OWNER is doing that's so difference than what a MLM travel business is doing. Both want to people working for them so that the owner can make small increments of money on the backs of the travel agent. I think that YTB beat most of the traditional owners to the punch.
And even if the YTBs of the world were to go away, I would never utilize the services of a tradtional agent. I'd just go back to the web like I did before YTB came along.
The state of CA can keep my portion of money they may collect or I will send it back. satisfied with Y -
Elizabeth (AUGUST 17, 2008)
Also if YTB is all about travel like they want everyone to think they are why is it that when you sign up with them you are given a choice of the level of memebership.
1. sales rep which sells the YTB opportunity only which was free at the time I checked.
2. Referring Travel Agent / Rep which means you get the website, training, commissions on travel booked and commission on each person you sign up.
You can't just pick Travel Agent portion. When you sign up it's $495 plus $49.95 for website maintenance and another $20 for the maintenance on the sales rep side of it they fail to tell you.
I found my new host agency from the PATH recommended list. I wish I hadn't wasted my time with YTB. I have a much better host now and less montly pay out and an open communication between agents with a forum of questions and answers.
YTB has MLM down pat. YTB has a lot to learn about travel bookings and state regulations also. -
Elizabeth (AUGUST 17, 2008)
I was with YTB when I first decided I'd like to be a travel agent. I was told you get execptional training and make a lot of money. I had an aunt & uncle that ran a brick & mortar agency many years ago. I had always wanted to work with them, but I also knew it took a long time to build that clientel to make a lot of money.
I was told repeatedly YTB trains you. I paid my $495 and my $49.95 a month for the website. Granted the website was good. The problem was they had no training per say. You could read all you wanted and go to different vendors and take their courses. That isn't YTB training anyone.
I was told to go ahead and get signed up for the CRTA class that was held here in Orlando then after that you would be Certified and would be eligible for your CLIA card. All that was discussed in that Certified meeting was the more people you can sign up the more money you make and all the FAM trips they had taken. Then you get a paper to fill out and take a course from CLIA. -
Marlene (AUGUST 17, 2008)
The talk against YTB is like when the Internet first arrived. Many brick & mortar companies felt threatened. It is remarkable that some mainstream travel associations & companies try to pretend they don't have any bad apples. That goes for any profession. YTB does not encourage that. The rule of success is 80/20. Most people WON'T do the work to be successful in any business. But YTB provides EVERYTHING to help their agents. From day one of joining YTB I have pursued travel certifications & will continue to. Many YTB agents have a sales background, including myself. Never have I seen mentorship at this level. YTB encourages agents to be professional & educated. Several former traditional travel agents are in YTB, & state their business exploded. To everyone complaining, tell the truth, don't slant it. Sorry guys, being a travel agent is not as hard as you make it seem. It is not rocket science. Hats off to the companies that joined us. See you at the top!
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James (AUGUST 15, 2008)
Looks like Path is another brain storm idea making money with their services to brick and mortor agents, getting raedy to loose their shirts in this market shift. Quick take another PATH
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Jackie (AUGUST 15, 2008)
As a Referring Travel Agent with YTB, I have to state that we are not trying to compete with full-service travel agents when we offer people a website to book their travel on. We are in competition with the likes of Expedia and other online travel sites. I don't understand why everyone is "up in arms" - we are providing a website (and a good one) for people who want to book their own travel without paying for a personal travel agent.
We also are provided with lots of training opportunities if we choose to venture further into the travel industry and book travel directly. I have taken many courses and have obtained a CLIA card.
To imply that YTB is a card mill is totally inaccurate.
Wake up and realize that technology and the internet have changed the travel business. Either embrace it or get left behind. But don't start suing people just because you don't agree with their methods. YTB will prevail in the lawsuits, because they have done nothing wrong. -
star goodman (AUGUST 15, 2008)
As a travel professional for over 30 years and an independent contractor for over 10 I too applaud the action taken against YTB and all other card mill type operations.
I am in total agreement Andi Mysza. There are many great home based agents who are skilled professionals who are constantly fighting the image created by
companies like YTB who convince everyone and anyone that they too can be travel professionals with little or no experience. -
Jim Ehehalt (AUGUST 15, 2008)
I agree we need to provide the 21st century tools and training for people to embrace the travel profession, but I agree that the legal actions by the State of California against YTB is in the best interests of independent travel professionals who are serious about selling travel. I am a travel agency owner and am sick of people pretending to be a travel agent advising their "client" to book on their websites. It takes many years and experience to become experts in this business and YTB and the likes degrades our reputation.
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ListManager (AUGUST 14, 2008)
Andi Mysza sounds like someone who is scared of change and that it's job may be in jeopardy or something. The industry is changing globaly, it's time someone did something, there is nothing wrong with MLM's as long as it is legitimate. YTB took a wrong road, and it came back to bite them, I am not with YTB, it was not for me. But, if they can clean up there act and sell travel and train there agents, we could get back some of those lost travel agents. There was one in the news the other day of a travel agency that took peoples money and left the client hanging, why is no one talking about that, they were real travel agents with an IATA number. Andi needs to get out of the 60's and join the 21st Century technology movers and shakers to compete in a new world.
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