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.