Oh cripes, I see that Douggie has been ZamZuuasized:
How Does ZamZuu Stack Up? | Just Picture It Now
BTW, when did Steve Branch & TV Wilson quit? I haven't been keeping up. Where did they go and did they take any of the YTB sheeples with them?
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Oh cripes, I see that Douggie has been ZamZuuasized:
How Does ZamZuu Stack Up? | Just Picture It Now
BTW, when did Steve Branch & TV Wilson quit? I haven't been keeping up. Where did they go and did they take any of the YTB sheeples with them?
Monday, August 2, 2010, 2:34pm CDT
YTB convention to attract 5,000 to St. Louis
St. Louis Business Journal - by Kelsey Volkmann
"YTB International expects about 5,000 travel agents, representatives and guests to attend its annual national convention in St. Louis later this month, fewer people than in years past.
The convention is scheduled for Aug. 17-21 at America’s Center and the Renaissance Grand Hotel, according to a list of August conventions released by the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.
An estimated 8,000 people attend YTB’s annual convention last year.
The Wood River, Ill.-based marketer of travel agent Web sites, which is led by CEO and President Robert Van Patten, has restructured its management team, and trimmed overhead and corporate expenses in response to losses.
YTB lost $423,000 for its first quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of $1.9 million a year earlier. Total revenue for the quarter ended March 31 was $9.3 million, less than half of $21.4 million in revenue in the prior-year period.
Former Chairman J. Scott Tomer became the company’s chairman last fall after his father, founder J. Lloyd “Coach” Tomer, resigned.
YTB has suffered from cutbacks in travel and commissions during the recession. It has also been busy defending itself against charges it operates as a pyramid scheme.
In May 2009, YTB International Inc. (OTCBB: YTBLA) YTB agreed to pay $1 million and to stop charging agents for its travel Web sites to settle a deceptive marketing lawsuit filed by the California attorney general. The company also faced another lawsuit from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who alleges that YTB violated state laws regarding unfair competition and advertising."
Oaky, so if Crotch expects 5,000, then maybe 2,500 will show up.
Okay, now I realize that Douggie copied his entire blog that I linked above from here:
2010 August | ZamZuu Info
Some things never change do they?
Yes if YTB is predicting 5000 it will be less. My guess is about 2500 to 3000. If you look at Coach's Facebook fans he barely has 5000 fans. But then again, YTB does count the employees and children as attendees. Perhaps this year they will count the convention center employees.
Rod is attending again.
So from 15,000 in 2008 to 8,000 in 2009 -46%
8,000 in 2009 to 5,000 in 2010 -38%
And I just recounted on my blog that Doug felt that the Edward R Jones Dome woudl not be large enough to handle them in a few years!
It's not YTB bringing the faithful - it's Scamzoo. I always find the convention hilarious. Maybe they will bring back Foam Liberties head back for a visit. Of course Rod is going again. The man is brain washed and desperate for comraderie and pats on the back that he gets no where else.
Not sure about that, Bruce. Even DoucheBag Doug won't give him a hug any longer. He's a misfit and outcast. Remember last year when he protested that they had rock and roll music. That is Satan's Playground. He was overruled and they also had female impersonators for the entertainment. A double whammy for him. I'm surprised he's recovered.Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceShuell
It certainly didn't stop him from going which would have been the 'christian' thing to do. His level of hypocrisy is fascinating.Quote:
Originally Posted by Unsaved Trash
Oh Whip, stop! You're just trying to steal Rod's dream. He's only been in YTB for 6 years (I think) and has lost money each year. Lots of money. But "Coach" is a Man of God and although a certified scamming weasel, he could be forgiven for his sins when he reaches those Pearly Gates. Not a chance in Hell. But Rod thinks that's possible and he also thinks he's a qualified travel agent plus a mall owner. I wouldn't want to be a dream stealer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Whip
Now as for DoucheBag Doug and his wife, they've been in YTB/ScamZuu for as long or longer and how did that make them prosper? Bankruptcy. Nice, huh? And what's even more amusing is that they're still in it. And please don't forget, DoucheBag Doug said he would "pay back every penny" before he filed for bankruptcy. That didn't happen either.
He might have paid back the pennies, it was the dollars themselves that he had trouble with.Quote:
Originally Posted by Unsaved Trash
:RpS_laugh:
I came accross an interesting discussion on the Home Based TA forum.... It seems that many in YTB are using Tripology ( a waste in my opinion) to contact REAL agents and have them put quotes together for them. They get a professional to do their work and then take the credit and commission. I'm sure this surprises no one.
IT doesn't surprise me. Been happening for a while. THe only good thing is that it is happening less as they ramp down the travel end of the business
LOL just looked at the stock. They are trying to pump it but the best they can do is from 4 cents to just below 5 cents. Sort of like cranking over a car that has a dead battery---it just ain't gonna work.
This has been happening from the beginning.Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceShuell
I can't go but I have a friend says he'd go down and hang around the entrance and take pictures during some of the up coming "con-vention". I don't want the poor shlep having to hang around any more than he has to, what'd be a "best time/date" to be there to get a best idea on attendance? Thoughts?
I say go for it. If he can email the photos to me, I will bring it as live as I can on the blog.
I watched Kim Sorensons video on Johns blog just now and all I can say is that man is a fool. He's perfect for YTB - a big fool leading all the little fools.
You're wrong. Kim said that no one out there knew what FIT stood for or what it meant, so he explained it to us in plain English. Of all these years I've been in the biz, I find out I'm wrong and it really means "Flexible Independent Traveler." I would assume he called Arnie Weissmann, the dolt that wrote the article below, or he called TW's Power List people who verify the amount of travel sold by YTB. This type of bullshit makes me glad I retired when I did.Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceShuell
Travel Weekly
Link courtesy of Ann, a real genuine TA. And a CTC at that.
Oh good Lord! Rovia/World Ventures again? Seriously? Travel weekly is so full of crap. No wonder no one takes them seriously any longer. The fact that YTB is on the Power Listing and some of the other articles I have read are bad enough. This is a new low for Arnie.
Ummm isn't FIT Foreign Independent Tour? Isn't that what TAs and Tour Operators do so by using components of travel from various and different and multiple providers for someone? I thought that was why there were actual FIT product lines available to people. They can kinda of build their own tailored trip/tour customized for what the client wants instead of some standard group/tour thing.
Not since one of the most influential people in travel renamed it.Quote:
Originally Posted by A Life Aloft
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...f?t=1281181065
I have always had the argument about the "T" being "Tour" or "Travel".Quote:
Originally Posted by A Life Aloft
But hey, Kim scored a 33% on that quiz. I wonder how the other most influential people did?
One of the new things you can sell at ZamZuu and will be trained on at the convention
Really hypocritical if you ask me. I wonder if they have a predator on staff or hired one as a consultant.:RpS_ohmy:Quote:
PROTECTING OUR KIDS WITH ZAMZUU CHILD PROTECTION MOBILE APPLICATION
Tim Woda
Protecting our kids from the dangers of sexting, cyberbullying, and sex predators.
Those are 3 vastly different subjects with widely different instructional information needed for educational purposes. Would be extremely curious how all 3 could be solved with a single mobile app. All I can think of is that Zamzuu is selling some kind of filtering software that is suppose to block certain words, thus solving the issue of a kid sending or receiving a text with a sex related word in it. Sorta like the **** that show up at the other site whenever anyone used a banned word. Doesn't help with cell calls or posting from a phone to a website, however, so no idea how either could be stopped with a mobile app.Quote:
Protecting our kids from the dangers of sexting, cyberbullying, and sex predators.
doesn't matter......like narcthatponzi and DNA, as long as it says something about allegedly protecting children, it has to be good and you just don't get it.
Ah, yes, of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Whip
As Helen Lovejoy, wife to Rev. Timothy Lovejoy from the cartoon The Simpsons, says "Won't anyone think of the children?".
John's blog says there's rumor of a possible Seven figure fine being leaved against YTB recently... Anyone heard anything about this yet?