FAQ

YTB Travel & Cruises
(The Travel Agency)
What is an RTA? A Referring Travel Agent (RTA) is a person who has purchased an On-Line Travel Agency in an agreement with YTB Travel & Cruises and pays the $49.95 monthly fee for the personalized website and its "Back Office". (We will use the term "RTA" from now on). RTA's simply refer people to their website (On-line Travel Agency) to book travel and can earn commissions on travel booked through their personalized site.

If an RTA wants to sell YTB On-Line Travel Agencies to others, he/she must complete the appropriate paperwork to become a BIZrep (an Independent Marketing Representative with yourTravelBiz.com).

RTAs CANNOT SELL YTB On-Line Travel Agencies, only BIZreps can.

What is the YTBnet On-Line Travel Agency? The YTBnet On-Line Travel Agency includes:

1. YTBnet - Personalized Business Site including E-Commerce equipped Internet Travel Site/Booking Engine and access to company Intranet.

2. RTA Reference and Training Materials

3. Contract with YTB Travel & Cruises for commissions earned on travel sold on either through the RTA's On-Line Travel agency or referred by the RTA to the company's toll free number.

What are RTA Credentials? This entry level credential identifies the card holder as an outside Referring Travel Agent with YTB Travel & Cruises. Many RTAs have used this credential to receive valuable perks and professional courtesies worth thousands of dollars. Your credential will show your YTB Travel & Cruises ID # and company ARC/IATAN #.

What is my YTB Travel & Cruises ID #? The number assigned exclusively to you to track travel commissions. Give this number to all your prospective clients and customers and include it on all travel related correspondence.

What is an IATAN number? The IATAN Number is the number assigned by ARC (Airlines Reporting Commission) to YTB Travel & Cruises. It identifies YTB Travel & Cruises as a travel agency to both ARC and to our vendors. This number can be found on the front of your Credential and is registered to YTB Travel & Cruises, not you personally.

How do I get my RTA Credentials? To receive credentials, a new RTA must submit the following information to the Home Office:

1. Referring Travel Agent Application and Agreement

2. YTB Travel & Cruises Acknowledgements Form

3. Picture of Primary Applicant and Secondary Applicant (if applicable).

Travel Industry Perks and Courtesies

What are RTA Perks and Courtesies? The travel industry may extend discounts and/or special pricing to travel industry professionals. These perks are solely at the discretion of the property or company and ARE NEVER GUARANTEED to anyone, including RTAs. However, most of the time RTAs will be extended the same Perks and Courtesies as other travel professionals if the RTA:

1. Actively pursues the travel business as a business and not a hobby

2. Acts, speaks and dresses professionally

RTAs may also be eligible for FAM (Familiarization) Trips.

What are FAM Trips? Cruise lines, resorts, tour operators, travel vendors, wholesalers, and others offer Familiarization (FAM) Trips at substantial savings in order to attract travel agents. Many include airfare, lodging, sightseeing and even meals. You can expect the "Red Carpet" treatment but be prepared to spend some time touring the facility. You get a great deal and they get to show off their facility, hoping you will tell all your customers about them. It's a WIN-WIN!!

Advanced Travel Agent Credentials

How do I earn my Full IATAN Card? In order to obtain a personal IATAN Card you must earn travel commissions of $5,000 in a calendar year. You will be placed on YTB Travel & Cruises IATAN list and issued your card by IATAN. You must qualify in subsequent years with $5,000 in earnings.

What is a CLIA Card? An identification card provided by the Cruise Lines International Association. This is a photo ID card and is very highly regarded in the travel industry. It is accepted in lieu of an IATAN card with many vendors. This card is a valuable enhancement to your YTB Credential. You must attend an RTA Certification Course to be eligible to apply for a CLIA card.

RTA Commissions

How Much are RTA Commissions? RTAs earn 60% of the TOTAL commissions paid to YTB Travel & Cruises for any and all travel purchased on their personalized travel site. If a person is referred to the YTB Travel & Cruises Agency for assistance, then the RTA will be compensated 30% of whatever commissions are received by the agency excluding airline tickets.

When are Travel Commissions Paid? Travel commissions are paid on the 25th of the month following:

1. Completion of travel by the customer in the previous month

2. Receipt of commissions by YTB Travel & Cruises

Note: It is the responsibility of the RTA to trace unpaid commissions on travel to foreign countries not booked with American based companies. YTB Travel & Cruises will not trace commissions unless the travel was booked through either the Web Site or Toll Free Number.

What is a CBS or Commission/Document Claim Form? A required form used when booking travel directly with any vendor. This includes hotels, resorts, car rentals, cruises, tours, etc. When travel is booked by any means other than your YTBnet travel site (your On-Line Travel Agency) or the toll free agency number, this form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to YTB Travel & Cruises. You must submit the CBS form immediately upon booking the travel to ensure your customer receives their travel documents in a timely manner. Without this form YTB has no way of knowing that the booking exists. A copy of this form is included in your YTB Credential packet or you can complete and submit the form online from the RTA page in your back office.

Build an Organization

What is a REP? A person who has signed an Independent Marketing Representative agreement with yourTravelBiz.com is called a Representative. (We will use the term "Rep" from now on).

• They can sell On-Line Travel Agencies, enroll RTAs, and sponsor other Reps.
• They earn commission on personal On-Line Travel Agency sales.
• They can earn overrides on On-Line Travel Agency sales made by Reps on their teams.
• They do not receive travel credentials and cannot sell travel.

What is Your 1st Team? Your 1st Team is made up of personally sponsored Reps plus the Reps they sponsor and so on. When you are qualified to override by having 4 active personally enrolled On-Line Travel Agencies (RTAs) [your own On-Line Travel Agency can count as one], you will earn a 50% match of the commissions earned by all personally sponsored 1st Team Reps. Your 1st Team is considered complete when you:

1. Personally sponsor 3 or more Reps and
2. Have 6 active RTAs enrolled (On-line Travel Agencies paying $49.95 monthly fee) by you and/or your 1st Team Reps

What is the PowerTeam? Once your 1st Team is complete, you qualify to start your PowerTeam with additional personally sponsored Reps. Your PowerTeam includes the 1st Team of every Rep in your PowerTeam through infinity.

Example: Joyce qualifies to start her PowerTeam and personally sponsors Max. Max's personally sponsored 1st Team members are Josh, Sarah, and Amy who personally sponsor at least 3 Reps each (9 total). If those 9 each personally sponsor 3 Reps, there would be 27 additional reps in Joyce's PowerTeam. All 40 of these Reps, and ALL additional Reps sponsored into subsequent 1st Teams, are in Joyce's PowerTeam (this continues through Infinity).

Remember, the 1st Team of every Rep in your Power Team is not complete until there are 3 or more personally sponsored Reps and a total of 6 active On-Line Travel Agencies (RTAs paying the $49.95 monthly fee) sold by them and their 1st Team Reps. Every sale that is made by any of these 1st Team Reps is considered a PowerTeam sale for you and commissionable to you.

What is the DreamTeam? When one of your PowerTeam Reps (regardless of depth) starts a PowerTeam, that PowerTeam becomes a 1st Generation DreamTeam to you. When a 1st Generation DreamTeam Rep starts a PowerTeam (regardless of depth), that PowerTeam becomes a 2nd Generation DreamTeam to you. This continues through six (6) generations of PowerTeams and comprises your DreamTeam.

How You Get Paid When Are Commissions Paid? Every new sale (On-line Travel Agency) that is entered into the system by 12 (Midnight) Eastern Time Zone on Thursday will be paid Friday of the following week. This includes $50 Direct Sale Commissions, $50 PowerTeam Commissions, all DreamTeam Commissions, the 50% Match of your personally sponsored Rep's Commissions and the $1000 LeaderShip bonuses. Residual commission is paid on the 20th of the following month.

What Are Direct Sale Commissions? Reps earn $50 for every personal On-Line Travel Agency sale they make regardless of whether or not they are qualified to override. Once they have qualified to start their PowerTeam, they also receive the $50 PowerTeam Commission (if qualified to override) on all additional personal On-Line Travel Agency sales.

How Do I Qualify to Override? You qualify to earn override compensation by making 4 personal On-line travel Agency sales and your own purchase can be counted as one. You will continue to be qualified as long as you maintain at least 4 personally sold YTBnet Subscribers. A YTBnet Subscriber is an RTA who is paying the $49.95 monthly fee for their On-line Travel Agency. Once you are qualified to override, you will earn a 50% Match of the commissions earned by the personally sponsored Reps in your 1st Team.

What is the 50% Match? This is calculated by multiplying the commissions earned by your personally sponsored Reps by 50%. If one of your personally sponsored Reps earns $1,000, another earns $2,000 and a third earns $5,000 in commissions ($8,000 total), then your 50% Match would be $4,000. The 50% Match includes Direct Sale Commission, PowerTeam Commission, DreamTeam Commission and all Residual Commission. The Leadership Bonus, Dream Bonus, and 50% Match are not included.

How Do I Get Paid on My PowerTeam?

• $50 PowerTeam Commission - You earn $50 on ALL On-Line Travel Agency (RTA) sales made by Reps in your PowerTeam.
• $100 on personal On-Line Travel Agency sales - You receive the $50 PowerTeam Commission in addition to the $50 Direct Sale Commission on all new personal sales once you have qualified to start your PowerTeam.
• 50% Match - You earn a 50% match on the commissions earned by personally sponsored PowerTeam Reps. If they make a personal On-Line Travel Agency sale and earn $50 Direct Sale Commission, you earn a 50% Match of $25 plus the $50 PowerTeam Commission for a total of $75
• 4% PowerTeam Residual - RTAs pay $49.95 per month for their On-Line Travel Agency and business building tools. The PowerTeam Leader who receives the initial $50 PowerTeam Commission will also receive a 4% residual commission ($2) on all On-Line Travel Agency renewals of $49.95
• Bonuses - see YTB LeaderShip and Dream Bonuses.

Note: You must be qualified to override in order to receive any of the PowerTeam Commissions, Residuals, or Bonuses described above.

How Do I Get Paid on My DreamTeam?

• 1st Generation - Your DreamTeam begins when a Rep in your PowerTeam, regardless of who sponsored them, qualifies to start their PowerTeam. That PowerTeam becomes your 1st Generation DreamTeam and you earn $30 on new On-line Travel Agency sales made by those Reps (and their PowerTeam) plus 4% Residual ($2) commission on all On-Line Travel Agency renewals of $49.95. If the PowerTeam Leader that starts your 1st Generation DreamTeam is also personally sponsored, you qualify to receive a 50% Match of their $50 PowerTeam Commission ($25) plus your $30 DreamTeam Commission, or a total of $55.
• 2nd Generation - When a Rep in your 1st Generation Dream Team qualifies to start their own PowerTeam, their PowerTeam becomes your 2nd Generation DreamTeam. You earn $20 on new sales made by those Reps (and their PowerTeams) plus 4% Residual ($2) commission on all On-Line Travel Agency renewals of $49.95.
• 3rd Generation - 3rd Generation DreamTeams are started when a 2nd Generation DreamTeam Rep qualifies to start their own PowerTeam. You earn $10 on new sales made by those Reps plus 4% Residual ($2) commission on all On-Line Travel Agency renewals of $49.95
• 4th, 5th & 6th Generation - yourTravelBiz.com has a total of 6 Generations of DreamTeams that pay overrides. On your 4th, 5th and 6th Generation DreamTeams you earn $5 on all new sales plus 2% Residual ($1) commission on all On-Line Travel Agency renewals of $49.95.

Note: You must be qualified to override in order to receive any of the DreamTeam Commissions and Residuals described above. There can be multiple PowerTeams in each DreamTeam Generation.

How Do I Qualify for the Leadership Bonus? Once you qualify to start your PowerTeam, you have unlimited time to earn your $1,000 Leadership Bonuses. The first is earned when the total active On-Line Travel Agencies sold by your PowerTeam reaches 6 or more at the end of any weekly pay cycle (12 Midnight Thursday Eastern Time Zone). LeaderShip Bonuses will be paid WEEKLY on Friday of the following week for any Pay Cycle where the Active PowerTeam Enrolled RTA total reaches 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30.

Example: If on midnight (EST) May 6, 2004 (end of Pay Cycle) you have 5 Active PowerTeam Enrolled RTAs, then on the following Friday (May 14, 2004) you would receive a PowerTeam Commission of $250 (but no Bonus). If in the following Pay Cycle that begins Friday, May 7, 2004 and ends at midnight (EST) on May 13, 2004, you add 7 sales which brings your Active PowerTeam Enrolled RTA total to 12, then the following Friday (May 21, 2004) you would receive a PowerTeam Commission of $350 plus TWO $1,000 LeaderShip Bonuses for a total of $2,350 just from your PowerTeam! (One for each six RTAs)

There is NO TIME LIMIT to receive these bonuses. Once you accumulate 30 Active PowerTeam Enrolled RTAs you start back at zero and receive the bonuses when your Active PowerTeam Enrolled RTAs again reaches 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30.

How Do I Earn the $10,000 Dream Bonus?

• Continue growing your PowerTeam, and when there are total of 100 or more active PowerTeam enrolled RTAs at the end of any weekly commission cycle you qualify for the Dream Bonus.
• You earn additional $10,000 Bonuses every time you add another 100 active PowerTeam enrolled RTAs.

Note: On-Line Travel Agencies are considered active for the Dream Bonus if the $49.95 YTBNet subscription fee was paid in the pre-qualifying and/or qualifying month(s).

How much (dollars) did YTB sell in travel in 2006?

YTB sold 300 million in travel in 2006. We do not have numbers available for gross travel sales prior to 2006.