Mirror Mirror On The Wall....
Editors Note: I had posted about a Passenger Bill of Rights on Sunday concerning all the troubles Airlines are going through right now. It came to my attention yesterday afternoon that two more states, Rhode Island and Arizona plan to introduce the same type of Passenger Rights that went into effect January 1 in New York. Read Here.
I commented recently how I’ve never been the type of person who likes to guess at anything. Those that know me know that I have a way of digging up stuff and finding information. I’ve always been this way and it’s just part of my nature to do my due diligence to find out for myself what’s true, false, or maybe a little slanted. That’s not to say that I don’t run into others all the time that point out or provide alternate information that may contradict what I have found to be true.
What each of us focuses on expands. If our focus is finding why Network Marketing is bad, guess what, we are going to attract evidence that supports that belief. If you’re focus is on finding that Network Marketing can be a viable business model, that’s exactly why you’ve stumbled onto this blog. I’ve done some extensive reading, research and actual practice on “The Law of Attraction” over the last few years and I may expand on that later, or in a series, but not now.
While finding the report above concerning Passenger Rights, I also stumbled on Travel Weekly’s predictions of what may occur here in 2008. Based on what each of the editor's has been reporting on throughout 2007 each of them was asked to make a prediction of what they see happening in 2008.
I’m not asking any of you to take this as fact, I remind you that these are predictions and nobody has a crystal ball sitting in front of them. 2007 certainly didn’t turn out the way I thought it would, far from it. There were many twists and turns that were very unexpected.
What I do want you to look at is where we are right now in our minds. How the events of the past have formed our opinions of the future. Predictions can be very revealing as a barometer or a report card if you will as to how we are doing.
Travel Weekly asked Nadine Godwin, Editor at Large, Retail, what the “Many trends, unknowable ends” (Page 2) were for her. I found her comments revealing as to where YTB and others are right now.
“Multilevel Marketers, by whatever name, will continue to attract traveler-sellers to what are, in some cases, little more than costly travel clubs. But by aggregating the many sales of small producers, the MLMs will deliver impressive numbers for suppliers, forcing players to reconsider what constitutes a “legitimate” travel intermediary. That often heated discussion will continue to liven Travel Weekly’s pages.”
Travel Weekly gets us. They have met with and interviewed Coach as early as a year ago (01/08/2007) concerning the “Card Mill” and “Legitimacy” issues other have about us, and with all the focus and industry recognition of claiming the #35 spot on Travel Weekly’s Power List, and Kim Sorensen being named Most Influential in the industry for 2007.
Couple of key points on what they have learned in 2007 based on what they have written about and observed:
- Travel MLM’s are attractive for the average person.
- Some are nothing more than costly travel clubs.
- Our small producers create impressive numbers for suppliers.
- Others may need to change their view of what’s “legitimate”.
- It’s predicted that this attention will not go away during the current year.
It will be interesting to see what transpires this year compared to last year. I’m sure there will be hurdles and surprises around the corner. But what’s going to be even more interesting to me is how our opposition interprets some of the events we have planned.
- How will our expansion into Canada be viewed?
- How will a second consecutive year doubling travel sales of 2006 in Travel Weekly’s Power List be viewed?
- Will our new travel sales requirements for credentials actually make a difference for those that think YTB is a “Card Mill”?
- Will there be any other exclusive deals with suppliers?
- Will there be any other terminations from suppliers?
As 2007 unfolded last year, 2008 will do the same and given time, we will have our answers.
I commented recently how I’ve never been the type of person who likes to guess at anything. Those that know me know that I have a way of digging up stuff and finding information. I’ve always been this way and it’s just part of my nature to do my due diligence to find out for myself what’s true, false, or maybe a little slanted. That’s not to say that I don’t run into others all the time that point out or provide alternate information that may contradict what I have found to be true.
What each of us focuses on expands. If our focus is finding why Network Marketing is bad, guess what, we are going to attract evidence that supports that belief. If you’re focus is on finding that Network Marketing can be a viable business model, that’s exactly why you’ve stumbled onto this blog. I’ve done some extensive reading, research and actual practice on “The Law of Attraction” over the last few years and I may expand on that later, or in a series, but not now.While finding the report above concerning Passenger Rights, I also stumbled on Travel Weekly’s predictions of what may occur here in 2008. Based on what each of the editor's has been reporting on throughout 2007 each of them was asked to make a prediction of what they see happening in 2008.
I’m not asking any of you to take this as fact, I remind you that these are predictions and nobody has a crystal ball sitting in front of them. 2007 certainly didn’t turn out the way I thought it would, far from it. There were many twists and turns that were very unexpected.
What I do want you to look at is where we are right now in our minds. How the events of the past have formed our opinions of the future. Predictions can be very revealing as a barometer or a report card if you will as to how we are doing.
Travel Weekly asked Nadine Godwin, Editor at Large, Retail, what the “Many trends, unknowable ends” (Page 2) were for her. I found her comments revealing as to where YTB and others are right now.
“Multilevel Marketers, by whatever name, will continue to attract traveler-sellers to what are, in some cases, little more than costly travel clubs. But by aggregating the many sales of small producers, the MLMs will deliver impressive numbers for suppliers, forcing players to reconsider what constitutes a “legitimate” travel intermediary. That often heated discussion will continue to liven Travel Weekly’s pages.”
Travel Weekly gets us. They have met with and interviewed Coach as early as a year ago (01/08/2007) concerning the “Card Mill” and “Legitimacy” issues other have about us, and with all the focus and industry recognition of claiming the #35 spot on Travel Weekly’s Power List, and Kim Sorensen being named Most Influential in the industry for 2007.
Couple of key points on what they have learned in 2007 based on what they have written about and observed:
- Travel MLM’s are attractive for the average person.
- Some are nothing more than costly travel clubs.
- Our small producers create impressive numbers for suppliers.
- Others may need to change their view of what’s “legitimate”.
- It’s predicted that this attention will not go away during the current year.
It will be interesting to see what transpires this year compared to last year. I’m sure there will be hurdles and surprises around the corner. But what’s going to be even more interesting to me is how our opposition interprets some of the events we have planned.
- How will our expansion into Canada be viewed?
- How will a second consecutive year doubling travel sales of 2006 in Travel Weekly’s Power List be viewed?
- Will our new travel sales requirements for credentials actually make a difference for those that think YTB is a “Card Mill”?
- Will there be any other exclusive deals with suppliers?
- Will there be any other terminations from suppliers?
As 2007 unfolded last year, 2008 will do the same and given time, we will have our answers.
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Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
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Labels: "Card Mill", Coach, Kim Sorensen, Travel MLM, Travel Weekly, YTB Travel Network
I am not sure that Travel Weekly "get's you" or not. They said you are a costly travel club that ultimately does produce some numbers for the vendors. This will cause them (the players) to reevaluate what you are to them....Carnival is putting the pressure on a little as we speak. If you are Travel agents you should be paid as such. If you are merely refering people than you need to get a referal fee. I bet my money on it going that directions for sure
Posted by
Anonymous |
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
I never said YOU get us…I said THEY get us.
I understand that verbiage like “in some cases” automatically translates to “YTB”, and the word “impressive” translates to “some”, and the “players” translate to Travel MLM’s not suppliers.
Yet at the same time Carnival as a “player” is saving themselves an (estimated) $100 million from sinking to the bottom of the ocean this year by terminating their relationship with us. The pressure is not on us, but for them to find a way to keep both sides happy.
PS – Learn how to read!
Posted by
TravelPro |
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
I lumped "you" as and "us" meaning YTB? Was I incorrect? Does Travel Weekly NOT get YTB?
I don't get the comment. I am saying that the players are the suppliers--they are the ones that need to decide how to handle the situation.
As for CCL/RCI...strictly from a balance sheet POV, it woudl seem that the last quarter was considerably better for RCI than CCL.
Posted by
John |
Thursday, January 10, 2008
John;
Read the first "Anonymous" comment above.
Travel weekly never said "you" (meaning me in YTB) are a costly travel club that produce "some" numbers for the vendors.
Compare this quote with what Nadine actually said.
“in some cases, little more than costly travel clubs. But by aggregating the many sales of small producers, the MLMs will deliver impressive numbers for suppliers
Anonymous has effectively taken choice words and changed them to mean something else.
I take issue with that, and see it all the time in boards and threads. If people would simply verify quotes like this, we wouldn't have half the issues we do right now in our industry.
It's a trick I see MANY Travel Agents and Anti-MLM'ers using to "spin" things another way. While I'm sure this fools some, I know for a fact that it does not fool most.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Thursday, January 10, 2008
This is what John said...
"As for CCL/RCI...strictly from a balance sheet POV, it woudl seem that the last quarter was considerably better for RCI than CCL."
My question, how has John seen 4th Q numbers before wall street?
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, January 10, 2008
I would therefore think he would be speaking of 3rd quarter profits then. However those were profits made before all the terminations and partnerships.
Either way, it will take several quarters to really see how this all unfolds between the two cruise lines.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Thursday, January 10, 2008