YTB Franchise

A FRANCHISE WILL COST A LOT MORE THAN THE ALREADY HIGH $500!!!YTB Considers switching to a Franchise Business Model

In a surprising and controversial move that could end the era of multilevel marketing, Scott Tomer, CEO of YTB International, Inc. said the company is “contemplating the replacement of its referring travel agent (RTA) business model with the implementation of a franchise operating system, potentially in 2009.” YTB has been at the center of travel agents' concerns with the proliferation of multilevel marketing.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Tomer said the company “expects that a franchising model, if adopted, would facilitate the company's expansion into additional markets by providing more comprehensive training and a new proprietary e-commerce platform.

“Details regarding price, product offerings and the conversion plan are all under consideration, but the company anticipates that its existing RTA base would be treated favorably under its forthcoming proposal," Tomer's statement continued. "If a franchising model is adopted, its distribution is expected to be managed by subsidiary and current marketing arm of the company, YourTravelBiz.com, also known as YTB.com.”
WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SPEND NEARLY $1,000 TO JOIN YOUR YTB FRANCHISE TEAM?YTB International, Inc. is a publicly owned company. It provides Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in the United States and Canada. It operates through three subsidiaries: YourTravelBiz.com, Inc., YTB Travel Network, Inc., and REZconnect Technologies.

YourTravelBiz.com, Inc. conducts business through the recruitment, enrollment, training, and support of its sales force.
YTB Travel Network, Inc.’s business is comprised of arrangements to sell airline tickets, cruise packages and other services, plus travel sales, from the approximately 138,814 (as of 3/31/08) RTAs’ websites which it hosts.

John Frenaye, president of the JVE Group and a critic of YTB, said the move should be watched carefully and may mean the end of the multilevel marketing approach in favor of the franchise model.In a move that will be welcomed by many professional travel agents, California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. has sued YourTravelBiz.com for operating a gigantic pyramid scheme. The state alleges that YTB “recruited tens of thousands of members with deceptive claims that members could earn huge sums of money through its online travel agencies.” If found guilty, YTB could face fines and restitution as high as $25 million.
LOL... I WOULD NEVER ASK SOMEONE TO SPEND WHAT I KNOW THEY WILL NEVER MAKE BACK!!!“YourTravelBiz.com operates a gigantic pyramid scheme that is immensely profitable to a few individuals on top and a complete rip-off for most everyone else,” Attorney General Brown charged. “Today's lawsuit seeks to shut down the company's unlawful operation before more people are exploited by the scam.”

Brown charges the company, its affiliates and the company's founders J. Lloyd Tomer , J. Scott Tomer , J. Kim Sorensen and Andrew Cauthen with operating an “endless chain scheme,” an unlawful pyramid in which a person pays money for the chance to receive money by recruiting new members to join the pyramid.

Brown also charges the company with unfair business practices and false advertising practices including deceptive claims that members can earn millions of dollars with the company, operating without filing legally mandated documents with the attorney general and the Department of Corporations and selling an illegal travel discount program.

John Frenaye , a veteran agent and critic of YTB, said the state's move was a “decisive win for travel agents and the travel industry” and could go a “long way to end the multilevel marketing challenge to the industry.” Last year, Frenaye collected more than 2,700 signatures from agents and suppliers opposing multilevel marketing.

In a statement, the attorney general said YourTravelBiz.com and its affiliates operate an illegal pyramid scheme that only benefits members if and when they find enough new members to join the scam. “Once enrolled, members who join the pyramid scheme earn compensation for each new person they enlist, regardless of whether they sell any travel. The company lures new members by offering huge income opportunities through online travel agencies, yet the typical person actually makes nothing selling travel.

“According to company records, there were over 200,000 members in 2007 who typically pay more than $1,000 per year—$449.95 to set up an 'online travel agency' with a monthly fee of $49.95. In 2007, only 38 percent of the company's members made any travel commissions. For the minority of members who made any travel commission in 2007, the median income was $39—less than one month's cost to keep the website. There are at least 139,000 of the company's travel websites, all virtually identical, on the Internet.”

YourTravelBiz's extensive marketing materials include videos of people driving Porsches and other luxury cars, holding $10,000 checks and claiming to be raking in millions of dollars in profits. The company advertises through its Website, www.ytb.com, and at conventions, workshops and nationwide sales meetings that have been held in California locations such as Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego.

Under California's unfair business practices statute, the company is liable for $2,500 per violation of law, the statement said. “Attorney General Brown is suing YourTravelBiz.com to get a court order that: Bars the company from making false or misleading statements and assesses a civil penalty of at least $15,000,000 and at least $10,000,000 in restitution for Californians who were ripped off by the company.”

The Attorney General's statement also noted that from August 6 through 10, “thousands of members are preparing to travel to St. Louis for a national convention to learn new techniques to recruit more victims into the illegal pyramid scheme. Last year at least 10,000 people attended a similar national conference.”
August was NOT a Good Month for YTB

WOOD RIVER, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-August was not a good month for the Internet-based travel business (YTB) that critics, including two state attorneys general, say is nothing more than a Glorified Pyramid Scheme.

The troubles that began with a lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Jerry Brown have led to more legal problems and now, layoffs for the controversial travel company, YTB International Inc.

The home office of YourTravelBiz.com announced on Wednesday it would lay off 17 employees at its Wood River, Ill. Headquarters.

This follows the lawsuit filed by Brown in early August, which was quickly followed just four days later by a class action lawsuit filed by former YTB agents that basically echoed the same allegations of Brown's suit.

California's lawsuit against the company drew scrutiny from professionals throughout the travel industry. Many licensed travel agents hailed the move, claiming the YTB fueled its rapid growth with false claims and unrealized profits.

"YourTravelBiz.com operates a gigantic pyramid scheme that is immensely profitable to a few individuals on top and a complete rip-off for most everyone else," Brown said at the time he filed his suit. "(This) lawsuit seeks to shut down the company's unlawful operation before more people are exploited by the scam."

Brown said the company held recruiting seminars in major California cities to recruit members. Marketing techniques showed members of the business driving luxury cars and living extravagant lifestyles.

YourTravelBiz.com's company records claim more than 200,000 members who paid between $500 and $1,000 to set up their own online travel agency, according to the attorney general's office.

"In 2007, only 38 percent of the company's members made any travel commissions," Brown's office said in a statement. "For the minority of members who made any travel commission in 2007, the median income was $39.00--less than one month's cost to keep the Website. There are at least 139,000 of the company's travel Websites, all virtually identical, on the Internet."

YourTravelBiz.com's Chief Executive Officer Scott Tomer has said he will aggressively fight the California lawsuit. But since the lawsuit, more than 160 complaints have been filed against YTB with the Better Business Bureau and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Madigan has teamed with Brown, a fellow Democrat, to investigate YTB.

YTB stressed the latest layoffs by stressing it represented less than 5 percent of the company's total workforce, and is "a part of a reorganization to reduce operating expenses and curtail expenses," Tony Green, assistant to Tomer wrote in an email to press agencies.

"This move places the company in an even better position to realize is goals and effectively manage its growth," he wrote.

YTB vs Traverus... Why I Made the Switch
They say the "proof is in the pudding!"
The proof is in the pudding'' is actually a shortened version of a very old proverb, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating.'' It means that the real worth or success or effectiveness of something can only be determined by putting it to the test, appearances and promises aside - just as the best test of a pudding is to eat it.--

Editors of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition

I joined with YTB with the idea of starting a home-based business and generating passive revenue, PLUS I wanted to save on my own personal travel. Though YTB appears to offer a good compensation plan, there were flaws.

The three major problems with the marketing plan ...

#1 Cost! $500.00 + $149.95 and a 8 hour day for your CRTA training! total $650.00

#2 Aussie 6 up program, you need to give up your first 6 to get to your power team ( the average person only ever enrolls 2.3 people)

#3 95% of the people never get to the residual income, because they never get to their power team.


I was introduced to Traverus a couple of times but didn't look at it seriously the 1st time because I had just spent $500 to join YTB. Once I looked at it with an open mind, it was a no brainer and I had to make the switch over to TraVerus!


Just a couple of great examples when you compare the compensation plans and start-up costs:

YTB pays 60% travel commission,.... of the only 8 % to 10% booked through the site! Out side the site pays more.
Traverus pays 75% travel commission...of the only 8 % to 10% booked through the site! Out side the site pays more.

YTB pays $50.00 on a $449.00 start up cost
Traverus pays $50.00 on a $119.00 start up cost

YTB pays a 50% matching bonus after you enroll three people
Traverus pays 150% matching coded bonus on your first two enrollment's then 100% from your third on, and a 50% matching enroller bonus starting with your 1st enrollment

YTB pays $2.00 per month residual income per person from your 7th person on that are coded to you in your power team.
Traverus pays you $5.00 per month residual from your 3rd person and on all people coded to you from those enrollments.

YTB pays $2.00 per month residual in your dream team first generation then progressively less
Traverus pays pays in a forced bonus matrix in addition to the $5.00 coded residual bonus, they pay $6.00 per month 2nd generation $10.00 a month 3rd generation $5.00 month 4th generation $4.00 a month 5th & 6th generation and more on the same people!

YTB doesn't offer Member Trips that are way less than FAM trips,
This company does. Here are some examples:

Puerto Vallarta - ALL INCLUSIVE-- $556.99 INCLUDING AIRFARE
Playa Del - ALL INCLUSIVE-- $529.99 INCLUDING AIRFARE
Disneyworld No Air Includes meals and tickets and resort stay $345

YTB is only open in four Countries (US, Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas) ...
Traverus is Fully International... with RTC's in 98 Countries

YTB has a 40% retention rate...
Traverus has 85-90% retention rate...YTB has 139,000 reps in US...
Traverus has 13,000 in 98 countries! Which means you can get in at an early stage and be a part of the huge growth! Traverus has the Record as the Fastest Growing Travel Network!

I can no longer ignore the "proof of the pudding" without sharing it with you and give you the opportunity to make a decision for yourself!

Contact Seneca Johnson
(832)640-0286


YTB Traverus

Cost 499.90 199.00

Website Travelocity TraVerus

Territory USA International

Credentials **Only CLIA Clia, IATAN,

Suppliers **Execptions All Suppliers

Monthly Fee 49.95 59.95

ResidualIncome $2 per person $5 per up to $15 per person

Yrs of Operation 7 years 28years Travel/1 yr networking

Number of Reps 139,000 13,000

Member Trips NO YES


**YTB IATA Credentials were revoked.
**YTB can no longer book travel through Marriot Hotels, Hyatt Hotel, Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, Perrilo Tours.Traverus has its own Member Trips!
If Traverus obviously makes more sense to you Give me a Call and let's get your free marketing website up today.

Traverus Travel

Wow This company Really Pays. You share this opportunity with someone and they get started for only $119.00 and they can become a CTA. Certified Travel Agent which is recognized by the Entire travel industry. You can Join Traverus Travel from anywhere in the world as they are international. Other companies are not International and many Charge $500.oo upto 1500.00 just to be in a travel membership club or an RTA -referring travel agent.

What I have found is that those companies charging more than Traverus Travel don't even pay back as much to the reps. When a Rep Sells a Travel agent Package in Traverus for 119.00 The rep get $70.00 commission and the sponosor of the rep gets $30.00 = $100 the company is only getting $19!!! Wow that shows integrity that the company really wants to reward the reps.

*These figures are based on the companies coded bonus payout



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