Are You Booking Your Travel Online? 

Brick & Mortar vs. Click & Order 

More than 200,000 brick and mortar travel agencies have closed down since the introduction of Expedia, Hotwire, and Priceline. But the truth is, even these online travel giants are losing market share. Why? Because, thanks to YTB and its partnership with Travelocity, it's possible for people to purchase travel through their own booking engines. In the past couple of years more than 135,000 people started home-based travel agencies with personalized booking engines, and that number is growing every day.

Isn't it worth taking a look?

Should You Be Your Own Travel Agent? 

For a low monthly website fee, you receive a state-of-the-art search engine powered and supported by our partner, Travelocity. Your personalized website offers the same inventory and competitive pricing as Travelocity.com which includes more than 60 airlines and 74,300 hotels. You'll have immediate access to thousands of pages of content, millions of dollars of inventory... and you'll make a commission on every single purchase. All transactions booked through your site are backed by Travelocity's 24-hour, 1,200 person customer support center. It costs nothing to check it out and you can even sign up for free as a Rep and upgrade later.

You're the Boss! 

• Airline Tickets
• Cruises, Hotels & Resorts
• Foreign Currency Exchange
• Car Rentals
• Golf Tee Times
• Floral Delivery
• Limousine Services
• NASCAR Tickets
• Concert & Show Tickets
• Theater Tickets
• Honeymoon Registry

What it Means to Travel as an Insider 

Travel Agents never pay full price. Every day my email in-box is full of offers like this...

Round-Trip from Dallas to Cancun
6 Days, Ocean-View Suite
All Meals & Drinks Included

Cost of Trip: $2,357
Less Commissions: -$300
Less Typical Tax Deduction: -$657

Net Cost: $1,400

This example represents a real trip taken by a Referring Travel Agent.

How About This... 

Round-Trip from Los Angeles to Tahiti
5 Days, Bungalow Upgrade for Two People
Travel Agent Price: $1,398
Best Retail Price: $6,558

Total Savings: $5,160

This example represents an actual trip offered to travel agents, as compared to the best price available to tourists through other online booking websites.

Tourist vs. Travel Agent 

Which would you rather pay?

Travel & Tourism Facts 

• The Travel Industry represents 10% of the U.S. economy
• The Travel Industry is growing 23% faster than the global economy
• Online travel is a 50 Billion Dollar industry
• Online travel is the fastest growing sector on the Internet
• Forty cents of every dollar spent on the Internet is spent on
  travel or travel-related services
• More than 200,000 travel agencies have gone out of business in the past 10 years, primarily due to the Internet

Let's Compare 

Tourist 1-Week Cruise Including Air
Cost of Cruise: $4,400

Travel Agent 1-Week Cruise Including Air
Cost of Cruise: $1,400
Less Typical Tax Deduction: -$560
Net Cost: $840

Total Savings: $3,560

Tourist vs. Travel Agent 

Which would you rather pay?

How Would You Like To Write Off... 

• Cell phone charges
• Internet connection charges
• Telephone add-on services like, 3-way calling, forwarding and voicemail
• 48.5 cents per mile on business-related driving
• Entertainment deductions like business meals and golf
• Home office supplies like paper and printer cartridges

As a Travel Agent, You Do! 

There are nearly 500 laws that allow small business owners to save money on their taxes. The minute you sign up for your own online travel agency, you're entitled to a number of tax deductions. In my case, the cell phone and Internet deductions alone more than offset the monthly website fee. My parents, who are retired, are now able to write off tens of thousands of dollars for their personal travel because of this business. They no longer take vacations... they take Pay-cations! Anyone who travels and understands the power of tax advantages will want to take a serious look at this business.

It Gets Even Better... 

If all you received were travel and tax benefits, your own travel booking engine would still be well worth the signup fee. But there is another component to this business. You're rewarded for bringing new partners in who also purchase their own booking engines. This is purely optional. There are no requirements to recruit other business partners.

Testimonials 

I initially got into the travel industry to make money. While on an Alaskan cruise, I realized the perks were worth almost as much to me as the income. We saw whales from our stateroom suite, went white-water rafting, mountain biking, and had hot-rock massages. When I found out the couple staying next to us paid $4,800 for the same treatment and we paid $750, I almost felt... guilty. Traveling as a travel professional is the only way to go!
~ Cameron

On a trip to the Italian Riviera, we stayed at several four-star hotels in the $325 per day range. By simply presenting our Referring Travel Agent credentials, the prices were lowered to an average of $125 per day! That included the best of rooms, certain meals and extra first class treatment! And it was entirely tax deductible.
~ Gary & Diane

One of my favorite trips was to a resort in Mexico offering a $180 standard room for only $50. At check-in I was upgraded to a 2,000 square foot suite normally costing $600 a night, saving me $3,300. Then my CPA said that as a Referring Travel Agent, who is promoting the travel industry, I could deduct the whole trip off my income taxes! I have already saved so much in taxes I would never even think of giving up this business.
~ Suzanne

If You're Not Familiar with YTB... 

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Additional Resources 

Se Habla Español

Welcome, Travelers! 

Please Sign the Guestbook

WalkaboutGadgets This is a brilliant idea! When I think of all the money I have wasted on vacations. Wow!. Thanks for the info. I'm definitely marking this lense as a favorite. Thank you. Posted April 29, 2008

grnteambuilder Great lens. Very informative. Posted April 28, 2008

AgathaRyan19 Very helpful information for travelers! I'll refer your lens to my friend who is always on business trips. He'll save a lot of travel expenses with your advice. Thanks! Agatha R. --------- Manage your business better with inventory software. Kindly drop by the link to learn more! Posted April 28, 2008

Applyit Great Lens 5*'s! Come tell me what you think of my lens on Cheap Key West Vacations Posted April 22, 2008

themistress Great lens, I actually didn't realise all the discounts that are available out there. My eyes have been opened! Shana | Camps Bay Accommodation Posted April 16, 2008

beachbum_gabby traveling is always in my list. Love to visit different place in the world. Great compilation lens. Posted March 26, 2008

LauraSchofield Great lens Kim! I used to work as an agent for Carlson-Wagonlit but am no longer an agent, our brick-and-mortar agency closed a while back. I do miss those trade shows though. I got a week at an Irish castle for free and a week at Hedonism for free! You are an inspiration with your fantastic lenses and being a small-business owner. Good luck to you! Posted March 22, 2008

billyannecrews Yes, I love your lens on becoming a travel agent! It's very good! We do travel for less! Billy Anne Crews Posted March 21, 2008

samie-wilson I really love to travel but I don't have much time to do it. :( Posted March 19, 2008

MyWebPages Loved Cancun and want to travel more! Thanks for the lens. - Bobbie Best Cancun Hotels Posted March 01, 2008

 

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Creative Commons License 

Plagiarism is No Laughing Matter

© 2008 Kim Giancaterino
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-
No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

The Fine Print 

Click on the Magnifying Glass for Additional Details

The YTB companies offer two unique and powerful business opportunities, that of referring travel agent or RTA and that of independent marketing representative or Rep. The travel agent opportunity has an initial fee under $500 and a monthly license fee of $49.95. There is no fee or travel agency purchase required to be a Rep. You may choose to participate in one or both opportunities.