Ultra Travel

The purpose of this article is to compare the new generation of price comparison websites against the traditional vacation search websites or online travel agencies. This is in reference to finding the cheapest deals for hotel stays around the world.

When websites like Expedia and later Laterooms were launched, they were revolutionary for consumers. To find deals on accommodation beforehand, you used to have to go to your travel agent and rely on them to look at the prices of different hotels, but these websites put the power of the travel agency systems in the hands of the end user. This enabled vacationers and business users to choose the best place to stay within their price range. This was later enhanced by user reviews submitted by independent members of the public and providing an average score of many different experiences.

So those are the traditional flight and hotel search websites that are essentially online travel agencies. The hotel price comparison websites are not agencies, because they search for and compare prices between the different sites like Expedia and Laterooms. It’s true that the first part of a search is the same, in that when you select the destination city, dates and number of people, they tell you what hotels have availability. But the next stage is when they retrieve prices from numerous merchants, and then provide the links to those merchants who are able to offer the hotel room for the cheapest price. This latter sort of comparison website do not actually sell anything to the consumers, they provide a free service to enable people to find the best deal.

Now the additional features of websites like Expedia have been transferred to the comparison websites like 2save.co.uk, whereby you can filter hotels by star rating, amenities, specific location and read and submit user reviews. These are not taken from the merchant website, but rather are a separate source of information.

So, which kind of website should you use to find cheap hotel deals? Eventually you will end up at the former category of website, because these are the companies that actually take payment and accept bookings for your stay. Using the comparison website is an extra step that is done beforehand (although any loss of time is made up because you do not need to search again on the second website). This is the step that lets you get the best price even after you are happy with your choice of where to stay in the city. So we thoroughly recommend that you compare and search all in one, rather than just searching and hoping that you’re getting a cheap offer.

YTB Travelmore an affiliate marketer for YTB (Your Travel Biz) is currently seeking travel agents through its travel agent marketing website Your Ticket to Paradise

YTB Travel Biz (YTB) 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 Your Travel Business – An online travel agency offering home business opportunities to get you fully licensed as an agent allowing you to build your very own professional online travel agency as well as receive all the travel perks that travel agents enjoy. We have a solid team and systems in place.

YTB 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 is taking the industry by storm!!

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.

Gay Travel Demographics:

The gay and lesbian community are self-identified travelers have a median age of 47, mostly coupled, median income of $80,000 and a history of taking three or more leisure trips per year.

“Do you have to be gay to sell gay travel?”

This is the most often-asked question among travel agents attending TAG marketing seminars. The answer is always posed as another question: “Do you have to be Jewish to sell a synagogue tour of Jerusalem? Or sight-impaired to serve a client with a vision disability?” Based on their own, experience, the answer is an obvious “no.” By becoming sensitive to a gay client’s needs and preferences, by maintaining a resource library of gay travel guidebooks and maps, and by developing relationships with dependable gay travel suppliers, a retail travel agent can successfully build a loyal gay and lesbian following. But again we advise: Be realistic. The gay market cannot be won overnight. It takes a steady approach.

Your Own Specialty:

You can’t pick up a travel trade publication these days without reading the words: Specialize to survive. Identifying the gay market is already specializing, but now, savvy gay travelers are looking for further specialization within the gay market: Gay scuba trips, lesbian rafting adventures, gay Australia, etc. The possibilities are endless. With the advent of toll-free numbers, the proliferation of newsletters for gay clubs and organizations, and the increasing popularity of internet, you can identify and serve a specialized gay following from around the country or even the world. Don’t just pick a specialty because you think it might be “lucrative.” Pick something you love. If you love sailing, and that’s what you do with your own weekends and vacations, you can flourish by developing this specialty for the gay market as well. Then you have the best of both worlds: Doing what you love, and earning your living in the process.

Be a Joiner:

“It’s all about who you know”. This is an advantage for travel agents developing the gay market. Participating in gay travel industry organizations such as the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) and the Travel Alternatives Group (TAG) as well as gay community organizations in your own area will allow you to network with key players. Through these organizations, you will have the contacts to identify powerful alliances with suppliers, participate in co-op advertising and marketing programs, develop group, association and corporate sales, and become known as a specialist in your own “niche within the niche.”

The Key to Your Success:

Community Involvement Programs Gays and lesbians depend on non-profit organizations for almost all aspects of our daily lives. From health concerns such as HIV and breast cancer, to social and recreational organizations like “Frontrunners,” “Different Spokes,” and city gay community centers, to business organizations such as the IGLTA and local gay chambers of commerce, to political organizations which are protecting our basic human rights from attacks by the religious right these non-profits play a pivotal role in the day-to-day lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Most gays and lesbians belong and actively participate in some sort of organization, supporting them with both time and money.

Often mainstream agents and suppliers ask if they can be effective entering the gay and lesbian market. The answer is “of course!” but only if you work within the community; and are not seen as targeting the “gay buck.”

There are two very important reasons for any travel agent or travel supplier to have a Community Involvement Program. First, and foremost, it’s the right thing to do. Our network of non-profit community agencies needs every individual and every business to contribute in order to thrive.

Secondly, community involvement is a cost-effective marketing tool which can bring substantial results, increasing your business far beyond your charitable investment.

Many businesses serving the gay and lesbian market have ongoing community involvement programs. These businesses almost universally report that “being involved” leads to bigger profits and better morale among employees. Ultimately, profit comes from increased business. But business grows through increased customer loyalty and new clients, both of which result from an effective Community Involvement Program.

If you are interested in becoming a Referring Travel Agent (RTA) contact Brent Vanderstelt at 231-206-5333 or visit YTB Travelmore, Book Flights, Hotels, Car Rentals, Vacations and Cruises

These days, there are so many different ways that you can save money on flights and other travel expenses in general. Traveling has gotten to be very expensive lately, and the unsuspecting consumer ends up paying for multiple different expenditures that they did not plan for in their budget.  In the past, it was more expensive to go through a travel agency due to the fees that you might have to pay to the agency. These days, that could not be further from the truth as it is actually much cheaper and stress free to book flights and other travel accommodations through a travel agency.

Finding flights on your own can be a stressful hassle due to the array of airlines, times, locations and layover possibilities that you need to be aware of.  Many times, airlines will tack on additional fees to your flight costs which will leave you spending much more on your flights than you expected, and, in turn, much more on your overall vacation. Recently, certain airlines have added an additional fee for carry-on luggage and additional bags that go underneath the plane. A travel agency will be able to inform you of these fees that you might otherwise not know about. They can also help to get you on an airline that will not charge extra for the bags that you need to bring with you on vacation, while attempting to get you the best price for your flights. Travel agencies will find you the lowest rates for flights as well as being able to help you plan each portion of your trip.

There are several reasons that travel agencies can help you by providing you with cheaper flights. Travel agencies work very closely with the airlines, enabling them to always be aware of any discounts that might apply to your overall situation. This means that if there are any discounts available at the time you are purchasing your tickets, you are going to hear about them through your travel agency. While you will be able to find many different deals on your own, you are not always going to be able to be eligible for those deals without the accompaniment of a travel agent. A travel agent can usually find more deals than you can by just searching the internet through their massive contact list.

It is much easier for travel agents to work with airlines to find cheaper flights, as well. In many cases, they have already purchased and booked flights through the various different airlines with previous customers, which give the travel agent an upper hand and insight as to what the airlines are offering.  Also, many times travel agencies are offered bulk or special rates, because the airlines are rewarding them for sending business their way. This means that there are deals that are specifically set aside for the travel agencies. These deals you will not be able to find anywhere else. These deals you will only be able to take advantage of if you are using a travel agent.

There are plenty of other reasons to go with a travel agency as well. With a travel agent you can find other deals on accommodations such as car rentals, and other aspects of your travel. This means that no matter where you are going on your vacation, and no matter what you feel like doing on your retreat, you are going to be able to find a lot of great deals to get the best value for your money.

One of the best things about booking your vacation with a travel agency is that you can be confident in knowing that they are only a phone call away while you are on your vacation, should any problems arise. If something goes wrong on a travel-agent booked trip, you are going to be able to have their help and support to allow you to find better deals, and fix problems as they take place. Having a friendly person on your side makes a great difference, and often takes a big weight off of your shoulders. If you had not booked with a travel agency and a problem come up with your hotel accommodations, you are left to fend for yourself. With a travel agency, they will gladly take care of any problems so that you do not have to waste another minute of your well-deserved trip worrying.

Therefore, if you really do want to have an excellent vacation, you can make sure that you not only have a wonderful time, but for a great price with the help of a travel agency. Although it might be tempting to try to book your plans on your own, in today’s economy, it is really much smarter to use a travel agency in order to take advantage of all of the amazing deals and discounts they have to offer. Using a travel agent can help you make good choices about your costs, while helping you save money overall.