Posts Tagged ‘Travel Industry’

How do Travel Agents Get Free Trips?

There are perks travel agents can take advantage of that would cause their travel to be reduced.  However, there are also instances where they can experience tremendous savings and even not pay in the long run.  This article will show just how agents can go for free!

Yes:  Travel Agents DO Travel For Free

There are several scenarios that could allow travel agents to travel for free.  In this article, I will explain four ways that how agents can save and even travel for free when they travel

Booking Groups Could Get You a Free Pass

There are incentives for booking groups (the fact that group travel is the most lucrative bookings in the travel industry should be incentive enough).  If an agent books so many rooms (hotel) or cabins (on a cruise); they could get a free room or cabin credit (not counting the commission) that they could be used toward their room or cabin.  Of course this all depends on the vendor’s group policy, quantity needed and who is assigned as group leader. 

Actually you do not have to be a travel agent to get this benefit I am described above.  If you are not a travel agent and you decide to book a group, if you are the group leader, you could very well get these benefits (ask your travel agent they should inform you of any perks available).  This is the only way (outside of a frequent guest program) that a non-travel agent could get perks extended to them… so if you want to get some perks out of your trip…think in groups!

Travel Agent Contests

Another way an agent could go free could be based on sales volume for a specific property or destination in a particular niche.  Some travel vendors and agencies may offer free trips to top agents as incentive or awards for sales performance.  These kinds of awards are offered as contents too!  I’ve seen some really exotic destinations offered to contest winners in my agency, which makes it really worth trying to get your sales 

Travel Agent Perks Can Be Good

Travel agents can sometimes take advantage of extended ‘courtesies’ or perks, which is an added benefit of being in the travel industry.  We call them courtesies because no vender is obligated to extend perks just because a travel professional identifies themselves as such.  If an option for a room upgrade or car rental upgrade is available, agents will ask first if of course, and it’s up to the vendor to extend free services, amenities or perks to agents up presentation of valid credentials.  These perks may also include shows, attraction tickets, tours and much more.

Home-Based Travel Business Tax Deductions

This is the part I love about being a home-based travel agent!  It really is all free in the long run! How is that?  Travel professionals are allowed to legitimately write off their travel 100%.  Yes, they can, so regardless if you are a travel agent paid for their trip, they are in the business of travel, which makes all your travel 100% tax deductable.  So if you are a travel agent, the key is to document your trip and save your receipts so you can legally write off your trips at the end of the tax year!

Just to recap, there are 4 main ways travel agents can travel for free:

Booking groups and getting room, cabin, or monetary credit
Agency and Vendor Contests
Perks & upgrades
Write-off your travel 100%

Travel Agents… save those receipts and document, document, document!  If you are not a travel agent and you are an avid traveler, you are throwing money away.  Learn how to become a part time travel agent and get the benefits of owning a home-based online travel business.

Find More Travel Agent Articles

Becoming a seller on ebay can be daunting. Becoming a travel seller can be impossible, unless you know the secrets. My tips on selling on eBay can apply to all categories of items, but some steps are unique to selling travel.

The travel industry is highly regulated on EBay, as it should be. High standards keep out disreputable sellers and scam artists, and adds to your own company’s trustworthiness when you are approved by eBay..

1. Before you are even thinking about selling travel on eBay, it is important to get a username and email address just for eBay. Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. Register as a seller and you can use the same username to buy as well. Choose a name that reflects what you sell i.e., “Bermudabound” rather than “sexyblueeyes”. Other eBay members will come to recognize you by your User ID, so it’s a good idea to choose one you’ll want to use for the long term.

2. Your eBay name has sunglasses (i.e., read “shady character”) for the first 30 days, so don’t try to sell anything while you are wearing shades. Use this time to buy on eBay and learn good practices from other sellers.

3. Set up a PayPal account. EBay buyers feel more confident purchasing something from a seller who accepts PayPal. According to PayPal, “Listings that offer PayPal are 6% more likely to sell and experience a 5% average increase in final price.” Go to www. Paypal.com. Get a business account. Registration is free.

4. In the first 30 days, buy small items on EBay, pay for them promptly. I have always found eBay sellers to offer good values, provided that you check their feedback listing first.

5. Pay your seller promptly, because then you will always get positive feedback from your seller. Your feedback profile is the most important aspect of your reputation at eBay. Feedback is extremely important on eBay, as your future buyers can evaluate you at a glance. Even one strike against you counts heavily.

6. Create your “About Me” page on eBay. Use this page to tell other eBay users about yourself and your interests, your experience and your products.

7. While you are waiting the 30 days, also become a) ID verified and b)square trade approved. a) Get ID Verified through eBay as an extra sign of security for buyers. When a member gets ID Verified, a third-party company working with eBay confirms the member’s identity by cross checking their contact information across consumer and business databases. You’ll see the ID Verify icon in verified members’ profiles.

B) The Square Trade Seal is one way for sellers to show bidders that they are committed to high selling standards and have had their identity verified by a third party. You will need a credit card and your IATA, ARC, or seller of travel number. Both are requirements for selling travel, and you must place these numbers as the first lines of your ads on EBay. All members listing airline tickets, cruises, vacation packages, or lodging must be participants in the Seller Verify by SquareTrade Program. This program combines verification of sellers with ongoing monitoring. For instructions on this, go to eBay.com.

8. When you are ready to list your items at auction, sell small stuff first, building customers and credibility. Sell all items with no reserve, at the lowest price you can afford to accept, and fill all orders promptly.

9. Choose carefully what you will sell. You cannot sell some travel certificates, or vouchers and all listing must list the exceptions, blackout dates, and extra taxes and shipping charges. Travel agents, and other businesses selling travel services are regulated in eBay. According to the eBay rules for selling travel, “Businesses and individuals who sell and/or arrange air or sea travel or accommodations (but do not directly provide the travel service themselves) may list air and ship related travel items (i.e. airplane tickets and cruise trips), along with accommodations, on eBay only if they are licensed as sellers of travel lawfully able to do business in all 50 states and they themselves will be booking the travel for the winning bidder. Their listings should clearly set out their California seller of travel license number as well as any other license information required in other states. It is against eBay policy for travel clearinghouse affiliates, that are not actual agents booking the travel themselves, to list travel auctions on the site. Sellers are required to include the following disclaimer in all listings for travel exactly as it appears below and in a text size and color that can easily be seen and read by all bidders:

“By listing this auction I verify that I am the actual travel agent or travel provider and not a third party affiliate. The travel/accommodations in this auction will be booked directly through me and not an outside agency. I also verify that, other than the government taxes and related government fees stated within the listing description itself, there will be absolutely no additional fees, charges or after auction purchases associated with booking the travel within this listing.”

For travel services other than air or sea travel, businesses and individuals may offer gift certificates or coupons that are issued by a specific provider of travel, such as a gift certificate to a particular hotel. They may not, however, offer travel club memberships or “choice travel” certificates.”

10. Setting your price

Selecting your starting price requires balancing between how much money you want for the item, and what buyers will pay for it. As part of your pricing strategy, you can research the ending bids for similar items. You can look at similar item completed eBay listings using the completed listings search.

Be sure to include in your price enough to cover your insertion fees, final value fees, and your paypal fees. Set the LOWEST possible price you can afford to accept, but don’t offer something at a price you really don’t want to accept. Buyers expect bargains on ebay purchases, and you may, in the beginning, only get one bid on your item.

Attractively priced items (such as those priced at 99cents) may receive many bids, but unless it is a really outstanding items, the winning bidder may not have bid anything near your cost.

Setting your price involves not only deciding the starting price of your item, but also selecting pricing options based on which selling format you select.

Pricing for the auction-like listings:

The starting price is the lowest price you are willing to sell your item. Bidding will start at this price. Sellers have found that setting the starting price too high may discourage bidding.

If you do not want to sell your item below a certain price, you can specify a reserve price. A reserve price is an option you can use to stimulate bidding on your listing and reserve the right not to sell below the price you want. I do not recommend this option as it discourages buying.

Pricing for fixed price listings: In my experience, this is not a good way to sell anything, since the ebay method is based mainly on auction items. Enter the price at which you wish to sell your item or items as the Buy It Now price.

11. Build a store. EBay stores are free for the first 30 days. Afterwards, they are a small fee per month. ($15.95 / month) According to eBay, Store sellers see on average a 25% incremental increase in sales the 3 months after opening their Store.” Here is where you can list all those other items that are higher priced, but good value at a low listing fee – at Insertion Fees of .03-.10 per month – use good til cancelled

Note: The Insertion Fee covers a single listing (with any quantity of items in the listing), whether you list 1 or 1,000 of the same item. Final Value Fees range from 12.00% of the closing price for cheap items to

Over $1,000.01

12.00% of the initial $25.00 ($3.00), plus 8.00% of the initial $25.01 – $100.00 ($6.00), plus 4.00% of the initial $100.01 – $1,000.00 ($36.00), plus 2.00% of the remaining closing value balance ($1,000.01-closing value)

Auction and Fixed Price listings appear in your eBay Store as well as in eBay Search and Listings. The store allows your buyers to peruse your other items in addition to your auction items. Go to: http://pages.eBay.com/storefronts/openbenefits.html

12. Completing a sale: Remember, your reputation is of utmost importance. If your item sells successfully, the sale needs to be completed. This includes contacting your buyer, accepting payment and shipping the item.

13. I also recommend a “buy it now” listing, using the actual price of your item, i.e, what you really want. Using the “best offer” option allows members to make you a lower offer. Tip: Set a limit on “best offer” minimum bids, or you will get absurd offers of 1 cent or more.

14. Don’t use Listing Upgrades when you are new. Use your own hosting for pictures or eBay Picture Hosting.

15. For free templates for use on ebay, I like http://www.template-o-matic.com/

16. Examples of actions that are not allowed on eBay:

Bidding on your own item, or having family members, roommates or employees bid on your item (called shill bidding). For policy and examples, see Shill Bidding.

Interfering with another member’s transaction.

Accepting payment and sending an item that is significantly different from the item described in the item listing. For policy and examples, see Seller Non-performance.

Refusing to accept a buyer’s PayPal payment using a credit card when the seller included the PayPal logo in the listing.

Charging buyers an additional fee for their use of ordinary forms of payment including acceptance of checks, money orders, electronic transfers or credit cards.

If something goes wrong, including having problems with your buyer, there are options to help with your transaction problems.

17. Some ebay fees:

When you list an item on eBay, you’re charged an Insertion Fee. If the item sells, you are also charged a Final Value Fee. The total cost of selling an item is the Insertion Fee plus the Final Value Fee. The minimum insertion fee is 15 cents and goes to $4.00, depending upon the starting price of the auction. Final Value Fees:

Item not sold No Fee

$0.01 – $25.00**

8.75% of the closing value

$25.01- $1,000.00

8.75% of the initial $25.00 ($2.19), plus 3.50% of the remaining closing value balance ($25.01 to $1,000.00)

Equal to or Over $1000.01

8.75% of the initial $25.00 ($2.19), plus 3.50% of the initial $25.01 – $1,000.00 ($34.12), plus 1.50% of the remaining closing value balance ($1000.01 – closing value)

For examples of travel stores on eBay, take a look at: http://stores.ebay.com/Travel-Ireland-and-Britain_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

Ellen Mc Nulty is President of Lynott Tours, specialists in travel to Ireland and Britain.. Lynott Tours has been selling travel for 38 years, and can be found on the Internet at www.lynotttours.com and www.cruisetourplanners.com as well as www.australiatravelmaster.com

Going on vacation is what many individuals spend their entire year dreaming about. For some a simple vacation means visiting family and friends, but for others a vacation means getting away to a destination that is exotic, fun and exciting. Maybe you desire an extreme adventurous holiday or maybe you in search of peace and serenity, whatever your holiday idea is, travel agencies have the tools and expertise to help you find a perfect destination.

Why Use A Travel Agency?

There are many people who feel that it is not necessary to make use of a travel agency. From flight arrangements to booking accommodations, there are several aspects of planning a vacation that many individuals feel are simple. A common question is: Why spend money having someone plan a vacation for when you can do it yourself? This may be true in some instances; however, there are many benefits to using a travel agency.

Remember, making travel arrangements and vacation plans can be a very stressful experience. Having to phone dozens of places and speaking to many front desk operators can be frustrating. You might think that this does not sound so bad, but setting aside enough time to do the appropriate amount of research can be difficult with a full time job, not to mention a family as well. A scenario such as this can lead to plenty of stress, or worse, a slip up with the vacation plan itself. Hotels, airlines and tourist attractions may be overlooked. The best options are sometimes not advertised. A seasoned travel professional (i.e. a travel agency) most likely will be better suited to provide you will the best options available, whether they are advertised or not. Yes, working with a travel agency costs money, but the service provided can relieve you of many hassles and save you time too.

Inside Tips

The biggest advantage of travel agents is that they work constantly with hotels, resorts and other individuals in the travel industry. This means that you can be sure the arrangements your travel agency chooses fit your budget and your lifestyle. In addition, because travel agencies deal with vacations on a daily basis, they will also be able to inform you about the hottest destinations. You will not only receive the advantage of knowing what places are great to visit, travel agencies might also be able to give you great packages that will save you money.

What Services Do Travel Agencies Offer

When it comes to travel agencies, many people think that they offer a money wasting service. This is false; you get what you pay for and it relieves you of travel anxiety. The rule that everything will and must go wrong is no longer your concern

Travel agents will advise you on the best locations there are and try to arrange a discounted package for you, which, if you were picking your own location, you would not be able to get.

They also take care of all flight and traveling arrangements. They will book your flights both locally and internationally and confirm it just before you leave for vacation. For instance, if you need a car rental service, your travel agency will make all of the necessary arrangements.

They will also finalize all accommodations at the hotel or resort of your choice and arrange for any special requirements you or your family has. Travel agencies will also create an itinerary for you. They will give you a list of places to visit and go sightseeing, and can make the all of the reservations as well.

Travel agencies also offer great customer care and will check with you to see everything is going as planned. They want to ensure that your vacation goes smoothly and that you do not run into any complications. If you do find that you are having trouble on your holiday, the need to sort the problem out yourself is not necessary. Simply call your travel agent to deal with any hassles such as problems with your room, amenities, etc and they will correspond with the resort staff to ensure your stay is pleasant.

An Added Advantage of Travel Agencies

Besides the fact that travel agencies know where all the hotspots are, they sometimes have the advantage of knowing about a certain place or resort before anyone else does. Usually travel agencies will be notified first about new places opening, which is an advantage to you. Because they are notified first about these destinations, you get a chance to visit a location that no one has been to before.

Another advantage is that sometimes these new resorts require reviews and will allow travel agencies to refer customers to them in order to try the place. This is usually offered at a lower rate and so you save money for an equally fantastic vacation.

The travel industry is one of the booming businesses today. Start-up costs can be quite modest for someone who is willing to start small and grow. If you like to travel and would like to share your travel adventures, and make this your primary business, it is a good idea for you to know how to set up your travel website for optimal success.

The travel business opportunity from home is a good option since travel is a growing industry and there is no stocking of any product involved. Business and corporate travel is a profitable specialized market too. Perks of starting your own travel business include low cost travel and cheap hotels.

Travel is most commonly for recreation (as part of tourism or to visit friends and family), for business or for commuting; but may be for numerous other reasons. It is a wonderful way to relax, recharge and it is something to look forward to no matter what stresses you face every other day of the year.

Travel may be local, regional, national or international. It is a way of getting more from life and rewarding yourself for all that you do. It is a form of business and leisure life that will always be in existence and is rapidly moving to the top of the “to do list”.

When setting up your travel website there are many resources that you can include to earn a referral fee. For example, you can include information on car rentals, jet ski rentals, boat rentals, restaurants, hotels and inns. This is only limited by your imagination and creativity.

Contract with the company you plan to refer to make sure you will be able to earn a referral fee for referring the customer. Additionally, hotels see an opportunity here and would gladly provide you with attractive discounts and free room facilities for getting more business for them.

Unlike a travel agent, you specialize in your destination. It’s your “niche” — a place you know better than the back of your hand. Use that hand and the other to keyboard your way to travel profits by including resources like photos, information on scuba diving destinations, cycling and/or hiking routes, extreme adventure travel, golf courses, or about an off-season story or treasure that you found.

You can include travel tips on how to work, what to pack, where to sit, whether a shuttle is headed for an orbit in deep space or just circling over O`Hare!

Travel review sites provide wonderful insights and will be valuable to many baby boomers as they retire and travel over the next twenty years. Include your FREE Travel Newsletter with great vacation ideas and special offers.

State tourism officials along with industry leaders will share innovative marketing strategies and provide key insights on new travel trends and recreation.

A travel agent engages in purchase and sales of tour and related services of travel. Travel agents can be employees or they can do business independently. In the tourism industry if travel is considered as the leg for the industry, then the travel agents are the very important backbone of the whole system.

Even though the Internet has created revolutionary changes in the tourism industry, travel agency cannot be replaced. You are using the Internet as a travel agent for arranging your travel services. Websites of travel agents and travel suppliers are providing you their services depending totally on your needs.

As the travel industry is very competitive, being a travel agent is not an easy one. Travel agencies are under constant pressure like facing stiff competition among them and also with online portals and they have to survive with lower profit margin. There are travel agencies specializing on packages like honeymoon, health, water sports etc.

In the past, the travel suppliers used to sell their packages to the public through travel agencies. Nowadays, the usage of Internet for travel service by travel consumers has been increasing and so all the travel suppliers are opting for online travel agencies. The Travel Industry Trade Associations are linked with many Travel suppliers, Travel Wholesalers and Consolidators, though the travel suppliers have web sites on their own. The Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) supports travel agents like home based, Independent contractors and outside sales agents with 100,000 members in it.

Being a travel consumer you can access the catalog e-vacation that includes reading of needed information and watching online videos of the destination you want to travel without any verbal communication with the travel agent. Some travel agents offer packages or services with mark up price and there are others who offer the product for the same price charged by the supplier and there is always a debate of these travel deals offered.

The United States State Department encourages group travel of US citizens while traveling abroad. The travel agencies understand this silent push and they offer services that are affordable to everyone at unbelievable price. Being a holidaymaker, there are stories revolving around them for bad services and rip-off stories. You must be wondering how to find a creditable agent for your travel services. Here are some ways by which you can find many travel agents who offer good travel services for you.

First, be clear with your travel objectives and look for travel agents offering all types of packages and travel services. Flexibility in the price offered for your travel service will make you feel comfortable with the travel agent and so a good agent must be ready for negotiation of prices with a customer. Get recommendation from other customers who have used the travel agency for their needs and always feed back is very powerful. Your network of contact will help you a lot and will give an idea of the travel agents’ competency.

Always choose agencies that wish to sustain good relationship with customers. These agents will give you the utmost benefits on the services provided by them because of expecting repeat business and for having long-term association with you. If you have found an agent who keeps his word and has offered you his best services, then you stick to him for all your travel needs.

Think about it for a minute.  Are there really Online Travel Business Opportunities?  Well, the answer is yes, absolutely.  The hardest question to answer for most people is who, what, where and why ? 

These are exactly the same questions we had here, and so we decided to search out the answers.  We looked at numerous online travel business opportunities.  Some were not opportunities at all, some were over exaggerated opportunities, and one stood out above the rest.  The criteria we used on reviewing online travel business opportunities were simple. We wanted a company with a proven track record, a real future, an easy to use system, extensive connections in the travel industry, a strong management team, and very importantly a company we could make money with and grow with.  As travelers we wanted to be able to book our own travel and earn a commission.  Basically we wanted to get paid to cruise and travel.  But we also wanted to be able to grow our online travel business and keep traveling.  We also wanted to present the opportunity to others as we traveled.  Sounds impossible, but it is not.  It is being done right now.

Ok , so who is the company.  The company that we feel is the best online travel business is YTB   Online Travel. 

What is YTB Online Travel?   YTB Online Travel Business brings you the perfect opportunity to transform your life through combining the fun of travel with the speed of the Internet, multiplied by the power of referral marketing to provide you with the ultimate home-based business solution. YTB Online Travel Business is taking the industry by storm!!  By combining an advantage-rich, home-based business (built around the Internet) with an extremely lucrative (and copyrighted) compensation plan, YTB Online Travel Business has become “The Choice” for thousands of opportunity seekers. In today’s marketplace, myriads of companies seek your time and attention, each claiming that their opportunity is the best.  By combining the powerful information handling capability of the Internet with the world’s most dynamic product (TRAVEL) and the personal touch of independent, home-based business people, YTB Online Travel Business has joined these three trends together in a flawless combination. The Internet is opening the doors to the riches of travel as never before. By utilizing the YTB Online Travel Business simple strategies and proven techniques you will learn how to leverage your time to generate a residual income 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  YTB Online Travel Business leaders work with you from the very beginning to set up and promote  your online travel business.  They  are experts in online marketing.  They teach you the secrets to success.  

Where is YTB Online Travel?  YourTravelBiz.com (YTB), is a wholly owned subsidiary of publicly traded YTB International Inc., and located in Wood River, IL.  Each YTB Online Travel Business has their own travelsite, maintained and updated for them by YTB.  Reps work from home, everything is completely internet based.  It’s better and easier than “plug and play” hardware.  No computer geeks here and we did it with no problems.  Setup takes only a few minutes.  And YTB Online Travel Business experts do this for you.  YTB International Inc is celebrating their 7th. year in business.  Subsidiary YTB Travel Network is the fastest growing travel company in America and are building for the long run. 

Why YTB Online Travel?  YTB is a top 35 US travel seller, and based on current rate of growth is set to sell $1 BILLION of travel in 2008.  YTB has proven their stability and paid out several million dollar bonuses to its top Directors, which may set a network marketing industry record.  YTB Online Travel Business has grown impressively over the years.    The company is 7 years old and has just entered exponential growth. They’ve grown from 3,209  reps in 2003 to 8,348 reps in 2004, 21,399 reps in 2005, 60,063 reps in 2006 and 132,700 plus reps in 2007.  At present they are well over 140,000 reps. 

YTBI has five times more retail customers the RTAs purchasing their travel.  This is one of the highest customer to RTA ratios in the direct sales industry.  This fact alone makes it hard for anyone or any authority to not recognize the YTB Online Travel Business as a legitimate retailer of travel no matter how the network marketer model is structured.

YTB Online Travel Business is in its seventh year  and the majority of all RTA’s that have ever been with YTB are still active.  That is, every RTA including all six previous years according to YTB Online Travel Business.  That is a phenomenal record in direct sales. 

Although you can start earning fast in the YTB Online Travel Business and earn bonuses up to a million dollars as many Directors have, over and above the commission structure, YTB Online Travel Business wants to be known as the large, long term residual company.  It already has more than 100 Reps earning six figures annually with many earning $50,000.00 a month or more.    In fact, six are earning six figures a month.  That’s right, per month, not just in a year. Of course the phenomenal RTA retention rate contributes to the ease of creating a large, long term residential income.  The above incomes are extra ordinary and being made by a small number of established Directors of YTB Online Travel Businesses and are not indicative or guaranteed as to what you will make.  However the YTB Online Travel Business is still a great opportunity for anyone who likes to travel,  wants to get paid to cruise and travel, wants to earn additional income (YTB has a program that guarantees $6,000.00 first year income)  from an internet home based business, and would like to share this opportunity with others. 

In the nearly ten years that we have been researching MLM or network marketing we have never found any company willing to guarantee “BOTH” the first year profitability and the residual income derived from ones efforts.

In fact, much to the industries detriment, companies all too often made outrageous income and life style claims to lure the unsuspecting into programs where true success was all but impossible except for a select few. These few would be paraded across the stage, given huge bonus checks to perpetuate the dream, or more aptly put, the myth of a success full home based business.

The blame was always assigned to the individual. The most egregious of companies were closed and or failed but the industry as a whole supported, promoted, and taught the flawed approach of “through enough against the wall and some will stick” or “if they fog a mirror sponsor them”. With very few exceptions the industry has never focused on insuring success with a valid business plan nor have they promoted retention by guarantying that the average person would have a chance to leverage their success through duplication.

Sadly, until now, most companies actions showed they cared little for the individual once their application fee had cleared.

Well, we’ve succeeded in making a short story long. We’ve made our point. This is the first instance we’ve found where a company has addressed the above mentioned problems. In our estimation they’ve found a solution. Their product, “travel”, may not be a uniquely differentiated but it can be marketed to every single niche market without exception.

The company is 7 years old and has just entered exponential growth. They’ve grown from 3209  reps in 2003 to 8348 reps in 2004, 21399 reps in 2005, 60063 reps in 2006 and 132700 plus reps in 2007. 

Simply put, this is the easiest opportunity we have ever found to market. One that we can finally say, with full confidence, that any person joining can make a profit without any reservations.

YTB Online Travel Business looks at every RTA who joins the travel company as a group waiting to happen.  Each RTA is a center of influence and brings a warm market to YTB.  The company has an infrastructure in place to help them with family reunions, church groups, fundraising trips, etc.  Over 60 percent of YTB’s cruise business are groups and YTB Travel is working on tools to help its RTA’s with land group sales also.    

For more information on the YTB Online Travel Business Opportunity go to 

www.travelveracity.biz         

Travellers or Travelers today, whether experienced or not, have unlimited choices, so why use a travel agent?

Savvy travellers or travelers, when in need of information relating to specific destinations or activities, seek out travel agents with knowledge, experience and expertise of those destinations and activities.

It is not always easy choosing a travel agent. Many agents are called specialists, but sometimes the qualification to be a specialist is a simple test run by a tourism office or tour operator. Sometimes, these tests do not require the agent to have ‘been there, done that, got the t-shirt.’ Some of these tests are too simple and could harm the reputation of the travel industry if allowed to continue unchecked. A ’specialist’ can mean, ‘I know the brochure product’ or ‘I have seen a training video’ or ‘I have taken a test given by a Tourism Office.’

If you find a specialist, ask about their expertise. Ask them if they or their colleagues have any direct knowledge, experience and expertise of where you want to go and what you want to do, after all, it is your hard-earned money.

Experts are out there. Find them locally or use the internet and then do your bookings with them. You may have to use different experts for different destinations and activities, just as you would select any other professional for accounting, legal, medical or mechanical matters, except in your lifetime you will probably (or hopefully) spend more on travel than all of the others put together.

Reality Check: “I once tried a major chain of travel centres to get 2 tickets to Mexico from Canada. I was only offered 2 airlines. I then used an internet search and came up with 5 airlines and made my bookings online. Perhaps the travel centre did not earn commission or was not able to charge a fee for the booking or did not want an ‘air only’ booking or did they only offer their ‘preferred products’ which limits client choices?” The Nomad

If you do not need an expert agent you can use the internet to find all kinds of global travel choices and then you can make your booking directly with an online agent or travel operator. If you decide to make your own bookings directly with the travel operator you should not have to pay the full retail price which has a built-in amount for commissions to be paid to sellers of their travel products. Retail agencies that have their own in-house tour products which are sold through other agencies should also be prepared to sell at a net price for a direct booking from a consumer.

It is only fair that agents and agencies earn commissions and fees from travel providers such as hotels, lodges, tours, cruises or mark up their own tour products to allow for a third-party sale. They all have overheads which have to be covered to give local consumers the convenience of local shopping and it is important to support your local businesses as long as they offer excellent pricing and service. At the same time, it is only fair that consumers who make their own bookings directly with travel operators should not have to incur this extra cost. Fair fare prices should be available for consumers who want to handle their own direct bookings.

If you are comfortable with dealing over the internet directly with the travel providers and you want to get fair fare prices you can check out a travel website that was launched in April 2008 that, for members only, offers free travel vouchers that saves them the commission or fee elements in retail travel prices. The site offers thousands of travel vouchers for travel in over 70 countries ranging from simple B&B accommodations to complex adventure travel, all at net of commission prices. This travel site is operated by an online travel club that does not sell travel or make reservations and all monies therefore, are handled directly between the members and the travel operators.

The internet has just about everything a traveller or even a traveler could want, whereas agents and agencies can only offer limited selections of brochures from travel providers and operators. There are thousands of travel businesses that never get to see the inside of a travel agency or brochure, but they would still be prepared to pay commissions to sellers of their products. This online travel club allows travel businesses to promote their products and services at no cost except the requirement to issue travel vouchers that represent the normal commissions and fees in the retail price. 100% of these savings are then passed on to members who do their own direct bookings. As a member, all travel vouchers are free but if you do not want to join there is an associated website that sells the same travel vouchers without requiring a membership fee.

A tip from the website. When you make your own direct bookings, do make sure that the time in the time-zone that you are calling is appropriate as “it is embarrassing to wake up a Greek Sea Captain at one in the morning somewhere in the Greek Islands to discuss their listing.” The Nomad at The Top Travel Club.

This site is continually adding new travel selections and as long as you are comfortable and prepared to be a D.I.Y. Traveller or D.I.Y. Traveler over the web, you might find some interesting trips and adventures, some of which are not readily available elsewhere.

In closing, I hope you find the little bits of attempted English language humour humorous and as I consider myself 1 L of a Traveler, I say 2 L with travellers but at last I am happy to have found a web travel centre centered around saving me money. Apologies to both Websters and Oxford dictionaries.

The Impact Of The Recent Terror Attacks On The Travel Industry And It’s Importance Of Travel Insurance In The Current Scenario

If you want to travel abroad, you also have to bear in mind possibilities such as terror attacks along with travel hazards now, and not just the normal issues that crop up like booking tickets, visas, and so forth. This is becoming more important now as the world has been shaken up with terrifying terror attacks recently – take the terror attacks in Mumbai for example. Thus, when you are planning foreign travel to any country in the world, you should not forget about something which is imperative, and that is travel insurance. We have still not recovered from the impact of the recent terror attacks that shook up Mumbai. Such terror attacks were unprecedented in India. Plenty of globe trotters visit India when they think about foreign travel. They don’t travel abroad to other exotic country but visit India because of its lovely tourism as well as excellent hospitality industry. However, who could have ever thought that travel hazards could appear in the form of terror attacks here?

The travel industry in India has suffered a deep scar because of these terror attacks and the subsequent travel hazards. No one wants to travel abroad and risk his or her life. The impact of the terror attacks in India is already being felt. Business travelers, for whom foreign travel is a regular feature, are canceling their flight tickets. In fact, the world is no longer a safe place to travel abroad as it used to be. Life threatening travel hazards can affect anyone anywhere. However, if we have the assurance of travel insurance, then we won’t need to feel scared about foreign travel. In the current scenario of terror attacks, travel insurance gains primary importance, especially for foreign travel.

Terror attacks are not restricted to countries like India alone. We are all aware of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. When there is loss of life because of terror attacks, then that loss cannot be replaced, but losses during foreign travel can surely be covered, provided you have the right travel insurance plan. Today, with the rising threat of terror attacks, you can have terrorists right inside your hotel. To combat that, you can opt for terrorism insurance.

Even your best-planned foreign travel tour or travel abroad trip can get disrupted with travel hazards and emergencies. Even if there are no terror attacks, your foreign travel vacation or travel abroad trip may not be a smooth ride. Travel hazards could range from anything like loss of baggage to medical injuries while you travel abroad. You have no idea what kind of travel hazards may attack you. You may fall sick, hurt yourself, injure yourself while driving, or need medical treatment. All these travel hazards can prove to be very costly. You can say goodbye to all these problems and travel hazards during your foreign travel with the right travel insurance policy. If you choose a good travel insurance plan then you can relax all through your foreign travels. Your travel insurance plan takes care of all kinds of travel hazards. If you want to stay safe from the time you leave home, travel abroad and return back, then go for a good travel insurance plan. Many travel insurance companies in India offer travel insurance plans designed to address travel hazards and help in foreign travel. It is a good idea to weigh the pros and cons of different travel insurance plans and find out which travel insurance suits you best for your travel abroad vacation.

Get travel insurance plan that provides the best coverage including baggage loss, medical evacuation, and travel abroad trip cancellation. Now you can travel abroad in peace without any worries!

Traveling in business class flights is no more a luxury enjoyed by the business travelers. The convenience and comfort in cheap business class airlines have made more and more people opting for it. Generally the services in executive class flights would differ in each airline. The large carriers offer more luxurious services to the passengers compared to the small carriers. This is because in large carriers, the executive class would be competing with the first class for providing more luxury and comfort. People are willing to pay for such luxury thereby accomplishing the target of the carriers.

Sometimes if the flight is not fully booked, the airlines would allow passengers to upgrade the position from economy to business class seats. Generally in executive class, basic amenities like tooth paste, mouth wash, travel kit etc would be given to the passengers. It would be better if you could manage to get a seat in front of the plane. This would help you to be the last one on and first one to come out. It is better to take advantage of pre-boarding too.

It is a known fact that if the basics or the fundamentals of flying are not clear then it could gravely affect the performance of a pilot in the later stages of pilot training. As a commercial airline pilot the individual has the added responsibility of other passengers who are on board and thus it is vital to possess quality education on aviation. Usually the start-up CPL course lasts a few months and in this period a lot of emphasis is laid on theory and flight instructors take added measures in detailing all the elements of aviation. For students aspiring to be pilot the start-up CPL course is a significant step and introduces them to the incredible world of aviation.

If proper research is done then you will find a number of ways to avail cheap air tickets. Travel industry is facing a tough competition and you can take advantage of this. Many travel sites offer cheap air ticket and discount deals. Sometimes you may even get the last minute offers to avail cheap air tickets. You have to be very sharp to find out the fluctuating prices. You have to find out when and who provide these cheap tickets.

Most airport lounges are owned by the different airlines. They will offer you a variety of business services such as phone, fax, and Internet access among others. They will also offer you certain refreshments and a much quieter atmosphere than that noisy and crowded airport terminal.

Passengers who want to avoid the airport chaos can benefit from these airport lounges for a few pounds. Airport lounges offer a haven from noisy children and provide you with privacy so that you can complete your official work or simply read a book with a snack and a drink!

Ayushi Travel comes up with following important documents which every Indian traveler have to carry when they are travelling to India.

1. Passport
2. Valid Visa
3. Photo ID
4. H1B1 Visa for non-immigrant visa.
5. New H1 approval notice.
6. OCI Card and US Passport.
7. POI and US Passport.
8. Your companies HR Contact.

If you are transiting through Europe make sure you have valid visa stamp on your passport. Most of European country required to have valid US visa stamped on their passport. Lots of non-immigrant traveler had a very bad experience at the airport if they don’t have valid visa stamped on their passport.

You will need European transit visa in case you don’t have valid visa stamped on your passport

Make sure you have everything ready to travel. Bon Voyage

About Ayushi Travel

Ayushi travel is a leading travel company offering low airfare to all international destinations. Ayushi Travel was established in January 2004. Our mission is to offer you the highest quality service at the lowest possible prices. At Ayushi Travel, the customer relation continues after the purchase of air tickets. We care our customer 24/7 a year. We are your money saving source for US domestic and International airfares. We are the best choice for cheap airline tickets. We work with the largest wholesalers and consolidators within the travel industry to ensure lowest possible fares for our valued customer. Our well-trained professional staff is always there to help you in all your travel needs. They are committed to provide hassle-free service to you in order to make your trip enjoyable and affordable.

A visa is a travel document that gives a person permission to enter a specific country and stay there for a certain amount of time. Contact the embassy or the consulate in the country that is being traveled to for information on visa requirements with help from a travel agent in this free video on international travel tips and preparation. Expert: April Smith Contact: travelleaders.com Bio: April Smith has been in the travel industry for 11 years, with two years as a gate agent with Continental Airlines, and nine years with Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Westlake, Ohio. Filmmaker: John Lorince

Transportation is becoming faster and more comfortable. However, there is one major drawback, it can be expensive to go on long trips.

Traveling exclusively for pleasure is expensive but if you can find work in the travel industry or find a job at your desired destination, you can achieve your traveling goals while earning a living.

Travel jobs are the solutions to your wanderlust predicament. Unless you are wealthy, there is no other way more that is more practical or effective. If you have definite traveling goals like a preferred destination for instance, you should research what kind of jobs you can get in that location.

You can find jobs that are offered in a particular place through the Internet Search for jobs that are offered to foreigners like you. There are a lot of opportunities you can take advantage of.

Then again, if you are not really as selective about your destination and just want to travel and explore, you are able to increase your options. You can find work while traveling almost anywhere no matter what skills and expertise you possess. When finding travel jobs, the obvious industries to consider are tourism, hospitality, business, and the health care industry.

Travel is parallel with tourism. If you are a person with exceptional people skills, you can work as a tour and travel guide. With organizational skills, you can become a travel organizer; you can create itineraries for groups. You may travel with them and lead the excursion.

You can land tour organizer/guide by attending seminars and training. Get a certification and research your preferred location; history, geography, and even folklore. Increase your chances with language and speaking training. You can apply at agencies and get experience from starting at the bottom. Eventually, if you want to make a full-time career out of it, you can become a freelancer or contractor.

The hospitality industry offers a lot of job opportunities as well. You can get entry level jobs with decent compensation. Tips can also help you financially. One good thing about hospitality jobs is you can climb the career ladder if you are performing well. Hotels offer most of the positions. The work setting is great; the more luxurious the establishment, the better the pay and benefits.

Like tourism jobs, you can search for hospitality jobs on the web. There are reputable agencies that can help you with the job placement. You just tell them where you would like to go and what kinds of jobs you can perform.

Medical and health care workers also have travel prospects in line with their profession. Travel nurses have a very high demand especially in places with staffing scarcity problems. Medical and allied health care professionals can work on a contractual basis in various hospitals or medical institutions all around the world.

Assignments are usually around 3 months or more. You can jump from city to city or country to country if you want to. Eventually, you can decide the perfect place for you to settle down with your career.

Are you looking for the best available travel resources? Lake Land Journals brings to you an amalgam of all kinds of travel information. Whether you wish to know the popular travel places to visit or the techniques to maintain a travelogue, this blog says it all. This one platform brings to you a collection of different topics that can interest any traveler. Try and see if you can miss the vital information on travel industry available here.

Lake Land Journals has a collection of essays and articles that can teach you about travel photography too. You can also enjoy the world travel photo log. If you have ever been interested in travel photography then this could be the place where you can learn its nuances. It has a section on travel photography jobs. This tells you how you can avoid the silly mistakes committed by amateurs in the world of photography. You can also learn the ways to make money online from your interest in traveling. You can get the latest updates of the tourism industry across the world.

Moreover, you can also learn how to write travel journals and how to maintain travelogues. It will show you how you can maintain a travelogue while you still enjoy your trip. Get different travel tips and links to travel accessories and travel agents too. Find out the cheapest air fare deals and latest books on travel & tourism. Get the best travel resources under one roof and make the most it. Find out hot places to visit, learn to maintain travelogues, and read latest travel news through travel journals.

YTB Travel Presentation. Learn more about YTB Travel – YTB brings you the perfect opportunity to transform your life by combining the powerful information handling capability of the Internet with the worlds most dynamic product travel – and the personal touch of independent, home based business people. YTB has joined these three trends together in a flawless combination. By utilizing our simple strategies and proven techniques we can show you how to leverage your time to generate a residual income 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The elements of honesty, morality, and “being in the right place at the right time” are all in place today at YTB – and we plan to revolutionize the travel industry. Come join us as we change the way the world travels! Learn more at: www.ytb.com

I did some research on this and found out that the Online Travel industry is growing fast and the best part is that it is generating numerous jobs and many people around the world are setting up their own online travel companies.

How do they do that? I did that assignment too and I wanted to share the information I learned from those who have succeeded and who have been earning way more than the average income from their previous jobs.

There are sites that are currently providing all the stuff needed to start a new career in this industry and they are termed as Online Travel Consultant or Online Travel Booking Agent. One site I saw provided me some hints on how to do this even in your own home. One company that really got my attention is The Personal Travel Group. Here is what they told me:-

First, you must watch their informative video which explains the business opportunity to you. After this you complete an online registration application on their web site. You will then be invited to one of their information centres for a full explanation. Once accepted and signed up, they will provide you with access to their system, your own web site and a password.

Once they have issued you this, you can access their booking engine through your site. You are then able to search, place a booking on hold for 24hrs or book and pay immediately. Once you start making bookings, you will start receiving commission from your own pre-set margins!! (interesting…….).

I did a search on their site and they are an accommodation supplier and even other services such as to make transfers, car hire, golf and insurance and these products are exclusively available online.

They even have a full team of professional, experienced support agents who are standing by for any queries or questions. Bookings can be made either on line or over the telephone and you can ask your support team any questions or doubts you have. I think this is very important for self-starters.

The most interesting part is how you can earn money from this. They take online bookings in real-time and payments are made through their web site. They even offer different payment methods that will suit your business and that can be stated in the contract given to you by their company.

To cut things short, they handle everything and everything is automated. Your task is to expand your clientele and let all the tasks be handled by them. Take note, once it is set up, the running costs are very low. It is a really great idea. No need for customers to go to a travel agency, everything is online. That is the power of The Personal Travel Group technology today.

But be also aware that there are other companies or sites that offer similar start up packages, but I found that there were some details that were not quite clear, unlike the one I have discussed above, and the commissions seemed to be much less.

The important thing here is that a career as an Online Travel Agent or Consultant is one of the best alternatives to increase your income. This could be the best year to get started in the Travel Industry and it is one of the best options to generate a first or second income. With a small investment and your TIME and EFFORT, you could make a great success of this type of business. The objective here is to share this information so that it will be helpful to my readers.

Since last year, I have heard of several people making good money working in the travel industry as a home based online travel agent. The good news is that you can, too. In fact it’s easy! These people have done it honestly, legally and ethically with the proper guidance of knowing all the details in this new online career. Once you know the basic steps then you can start making real money.

There are two options to start with and those are; either to be a part timer in the first 3 months, giving you time to become more acquainted with the business flow of being an online travel agent from actual transactions and later dedicating yourself full time to your new career.

Then, there are those that start straight away as full timers and are now successfully supporting themselves and their loved ones. The fun part is that they started seeing the world together with their family, something that may have been just a dream when they were still in those clerical jobs. Their often find that their entire lifestyle has dramatically changed in just a short period of time.

In definition, a home-based online travel agent markets travel products offered by travel companies and suppliers that has a vast inventory of vacation package deals. The position is often referred to as “independent sales representatives.” “Independent” due to the fact that you are not working inside an office space of a travel company whose products you represent.

As an independent travel agent, you may deal directly with a travel supplier or through a middleman (host agency). Because you are not an employee from any of them, you are not on their payroll list or have employee benefits.

The bottom line here is that you make your own money and get paid through commissions on whatever travel products that you can sell and there is no limit to the income you want to generate from your own time table (weekly or monthly sales). These is achieved by negotiating your own commission level or get the best offered commission package from either the host agency or the travel supplier of your choice. Earning capacity is generally unlimited from commissions and it will steadily increase as you grow your network.

To gauge your success as an online travel agent is easy! When you sell more, you earn more, sell less and you earn less.

Important advice here is that when you are independent and on your own, remember that you should never be completely alone and do all of the work with no support. There are travel suppliers who offer great packages for independent travel agents that are all automated and can mean easier work for you, giving you more time to focus on expanding your client listings. Remember that you must constantly work with others who have all the resources that will help provide the best service to your clients. To have a good understanding of what I am saying here, check out this travel supplier, http://www.personaltravelgroup.com. and you will see the difference!

Personal Travel Group offer full professional support to all of their agents and their motto is “We do the work – you make the money!” You don’t need qualifications and they pay out 70% of the available commission! It’s the best one I’ve seen – check it out for yourself…

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOHt3_qBmuo"]Watch this video on how to be a Travel Consultant. [/url]

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