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Poll: Agents Split on YTB Case

Aug 13, 2008
By: Travel Agent Central Contributor
TravelAgentCentral
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As the fallout from the YTB case continues, the results from TravelAgentCentral's online poll indicate an industry divided over whether the California Attorney General's office is justified in pursuing charges against the company. We asked agents, "Do you agree with the charges being leveled at YTB?" and 49.8 percent of the 129 respondents support the actions of the California AG, while 48.5 percent did not agree (1.7 percent responded "don't know").

The results of the poll are consistent with the comments we have been receiving, with a nearly even split between those supporting YTB and those against. One agent critical of YTB commented, "I am happy to see the companies that are 'card mill' agencies are being looked into. It makes it harder for consumers to put their trust in home-based agents who are active travel sellers because of these companies. This is a good step toward giving true travel agents their recognition as experts in the industry."

However, another responded: "As a member of YTB Travel, you may simply be a referring travel agent, or you may take advantage of the millions of dollars of training, such as YTB's E-Campus, written by Marc Mancini, and become a professional travel agent. Many professional travel agents have left brick-and-mortar agencies to join YTB. Many YTB agents sell a lot of travel and deserve FAM trips."

To read more comments, check out George Dooley's analysis of the topic or our initial reports on legal action against YTB, the California Attorney General's complaint and the class action lawsuit. You can also read what are readers had to say last week as well as this week.

We invite you to join the discussion by posting your comments below or among the other message boards on our site.

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Comments 1-10 of 18

Jean Thompson (OCTOBER 29, 2008)

It is great to witness a very spirited debate on whether YTB is a real company or if they really sell travel. What we have seen in the past 5-7 years is the mom and pop travel agency fall by the waist side and online travel begin to dominate. Without YTB you would have failing travel stores and thriving online business. No one complains about how online is dominating the original travel store. YTB has first class travel training that is sanctioned by the travel industry. DON'T BE UPSET AT A COMPANY THAT IS MOVING UP IN DOLLARS BOOKED. LOOK AT THE DATA, THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE. MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE UPSET WITH YTB CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL IN YTB. THERE ARE PEOPLE MAKING MILLIONS IN THIS S.E.C REGULATED COMPANY. GET OVER IT!!!! YTB IS FINE. THEY SE WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING TO REFER PEOPLE TO THIS BUSINESS. THAT IS THE MODEL THEY CHOSE AND IT IS SPREADING THE WORD. IF THEY WERE NOT A THREAT TO THE INDUSTRY, THEN NO ONE WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM. GET OVER IT AND DEAL WITH THE CHANGE.
Kathy (SEPTEMBER 29, 2008)

An answer to a previous question..Yes..Mark Mancini wrote a program for YTB..and by the way..he also spoke to over 1,500 Travel sales reps (attending on their own accord I might add)from one comapny a couple weeks ago...That company is YTB and he spoke at the "Funshine Travel Trade Show" in Orlando..he was the keynote speaker...
jfrenaye (AUGUST 18, 2008)

YTB is a poor choice for corporate travel management as the engine behind it is the Travelocity leisure engine. Has no reporting capability or policy compliance. At best it is another grasp at straws for YTB to "legitimize" the company.

They have the P2P program, but no one seems to know how successful it really is. I have spoken with three organizations that are dropping it. And it goes back to a COMPLETE AND TOTAL LACK of customer service. How does it reflect on a non-profit when their donors are buying travel through them and the only answer for customer service YTB provides is a list of vendors to call?

I do suggest that if you want to learn why MLM is horrible for travel..isit this blog: http://notravelmlms.blogspot.com
Laura (AUGUST 15, 2008)

It seems like a lot of people are concerned that there are RTA/Reps for YTB that are doing more in the MLM side of the business than the travel side. I would like to point out some of the other things that YTB as a company is doing to increase the sale of travel. Firstly, they have a program for corporations to have their own branded travel site. The purpose of this site certainly has nothing to do with recruiting. The purpose is to save money for the company by making back some of their money on internal travel and the travel of their employees, families, etc. Check out chiefstravel.com. YTB also has a Passport 2 Giving program which is designed to help non-profit orgs earn money back on their own travel and increase their donations without asking their supporters for a penny. This particular program has a one time fee to set up the site (same fee as RTA) with no monthly fees and every other service to help the org promote the site is totally free. Any recruiting here?
Sally (AUGUST 15, 2008)

It is time they learned to live within the law and abide by the rules as REAL Travel Agents that are actually providing reputable professional services and have CST numbers.
Cynthia Putman (AUGUST 15, 2008)

Both my husband and I are taking advantages of courses offered by YTB and others so we can sell travel. Please do not think that all people in YTB are not interested in improving their knowledge base and serving travel clients. We are.
Barbara (AUGUST 14, 2008)

Glad to see some people are fighting back against these type of people like YTB.
How does selling web sites equate to saying they sell "travel".. Hooray for those agents in Illinois who are suing them.. I never hear any of these TTB agents saying how nuch "travel" they sell; all we here is "you should buy a site, and you make a ton of money and can travel free.. It sure lures in a lot of people.
George (AUGUST 14, 2008)

I ditto all what is said about YTB being
in the card-mill cagegory. I don't call
selling websites at $499 actually selling
"travel".. but I guess these agents that bought in need to get their money back some way. How much travel do most of these
YTB agents really sell. And if they do sell travel, why the secret about disclosing it. Many agengies will take in people who do sell travel and they them a persentage of the commission on whatever they do sell..and they don't charge them any fees..
deelong (AUGUST 14, 2008)

I would really like to see something
definitive, in writing, backed-up, just
"how much" travel these YTB agents are
really selling, and how much they are
really earning. The ones I come in contact with do little or nothing,but
brag all the time about having an IATA card, and a CLIA card.. wonder how they
earned those. I do not call "selling websites at $499 a clip" selling travel, and I am constantly being haunted by YTB
agents to "buy one"..I guess that's how
the majority make money in travel.
We need to get rid of all that type now
and let the professional travel agents keep their well -earned reputations.
jwinters (AUGUST 14, 2008)

Let's define a travel agent, counselor, consultant: A person who understands and is qualified to explain in depth products including destinations, resorts, hotels, activities, services, transporation, climate, travel insurance, telephone and technology services available or not, topography, time zones, and all the intricate legal responsibilities in the contractual agreements handled on a daily basis -- to name a few areas REAL travel agents provide every day. These are the individuals suppliers should work with and reward, not someone who "refers" one or more reservations or who reduces the cost of the product because the "client" comes to them already knowing through information provided by quality travel agents where they want to go and all the details of their arrangements but will book through YTB because they've been promised a "refund" of most of the normal commission -- monies due to those who actually performed the work of qualifying and selling. Is this every agent with YTB?

Comments 1-10 of 18

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