YTB International, Inc.
Unveils Tours and Group Travel Training Program
New Course Teaches About the Popular Tour and Group Travel Market
WOOD RIVER, Ill., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International, Inc.
(OTC Pink Sheets: YTBLA) ("YTB" or the "Company"), a
leading provider of Internet-based travel websites and home-based independent
representatives in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and the Bahamas, today
announced the launch of the third course in its E-Campus Travel Training
Program. The new class, Course 103 - Tours and Groups, is part of YTB's ongoing
education made available to its RTAs and Reps.
"The group travel industry is growing so rapidly, it is important that
our RTAs have the training necessary to become experts in the market,"
said J. Kim Sorensen, CEO of YTB Travel Network, YTB's wholly owned subsidiary.
"This course will give the RTAs a competitive advantage in this lucrative
field."
Group travel is one of the fastest-growing areas of the travel industry with
80 percent of leisure travelers having taken a group vacation in the past five
years, creating an estimated $18-24 billion market according to a Yesawich,
Pepperdine, Brown & Russell poll. According to industry experts, 85 percent
of all tours are sold through travel agencies, making tours a perfect niche for
YTB.
The new course covers many of the finer points of group travel and tours,
and also provides insider secrets that will educate YTB's network of RTAs about
how this key subsection of leisure travel fits into YTB's travel business. The
new class is part of YTB's Web-based ten-course training program being designed
by Dr. Marc Mancini, one of the travel industry's most highly respected and
best known speakers, educators, and consultants. It is estimated that nearly
300,000 travel professionals worldwide have benefited from training programs
that he has designed or delivered via his company, Marc Mancini Seminars and
Consulting.
"We are committed to giving our RTAs all of the tools and support they
need to succeed," continued Mr. Sorensen. "That includes educating them
about every part of the travel business. With upcoming tours, such as our
exclusive Beijing tour packages with Shanghai Spring, it is even more important
that our team understand as much as possible about group and tour
packages."
About YTB International
Recognized as the 35th largest seller of travel in the U.S. in 2006 by
Travel Weekly, YTB International, Inc. provides Internet-based travel booking
services for home-based independent representatives in the United States,
Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Canada, Bermuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It operates through three subsidiaries: YourTravelBiz.com, Inc., YTB Travel
Network, Inc., and REZconnect Technologies, Inc. YourTravelBiz.com focuses on
marketing online travel websites through a nationwide network of independent
business people, known as 'Reps.' YTB Travel Network establishes and maintains
travel vendor relationships, processes travel transactions of online travel
agents and affiliates, collects travel commissions and pays sales commissions.
Each RTA directs consumers to the YTB Internet-based travel website. REZconnect
Technologies hosts a travel agency for traditional travel agents and offers
franchises of brick and mortar travel agencies. For more information, visit http://www.ytbi.com/investor.
Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future
revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other
than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and the Company's
actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect
subsequently occurring events or circumstances.
Investor Contact: Garth Russell / Yemi Rose KCSA Worldwide for YTB International, Inc. Phone: 212.896.1250 / 212.896.1233
Source: YTB International, Inc.
CONTACT: Media, Lauren Barker of Levick Strategic Communications for YTB
International, Inc., +1-202-973-1342, lbarker@levick.com;
or Investors, Garth
Russell, +1-212-896-1250, Yemi Rose, +1-212-896-1233, both of KCSA Worldwide
for YTB International, Inc.
Web site: http://www.ytbi.com/investor
