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Insurance is something everyone needs from time to time. I suppose travel insurance is no different from auto insurance or home insurance if a person is thinking about a safety net. Years ago, I remember a insurance salesman telling me, insurance is the one thing a person really needs but hopes to never use. Hopefully, the occasion won’t arise when we do need insurance; especially travel insurance.

If a family saves money for that special once in a lifetime trip around the world, travel insurance is a must. Why? These days, it is affordable and it seems silly not to buy at least ticket travel insurance. I mean, what if I get sick just before I am supposed to leave? What if my mom was to get sick again and I can’t leave the day of my flight?

I remember the last time I bought my ticket at the travel agency. I have used the same agency for years. As Barbara was finishing up my ticket and flight information, I was staring at the brochures on her desk and waiting for her to suggest to me I buy one last little thing; travel insurance.

Actually, I had to tell her to sell it to me. She apologized and asked if I would like to buy a policy, it made me think about how simple things are these days with the Internet. I had a month before my flight, so I told her I would come back before I left town.

Over the next few nights, I searched the Internet for Travel Insurance. I was amazed at how many companies offered Travel Insurance. Actually, it was a bit confusing until I made a few phone calls and found what I was searching for; great customer service, helpful agents and the prices were really cheap.

I can tell you I felt much more at ease knowing I had invested a few dollars in travel insurance just in case something happened I didn’t expect. I’m glad to say, I didn’t need to use the travel insurance I purchased. I just thought it was the safe thing to do to protect my family and myself. One of the main reasons I always buy travel insurance is because of the memory of a trip to Egypt, a few years ago.

The day my wife and I arrived at the hotel in Cairo, one of my friends with the company I worked for at the time was very sick. While we were walking into the lobby, he was being carried out on a stretcher. We later learned he had accidentally swallowed some water while he was showering. I know from his misfortune to use caution when visiting a foreign country. Be careful with the water and foods you eat when traveling. But, if you do get a little sick, be sure to seek medical advice as soon as possible. Cheap travel insurance is another way to protect you against financial loss.

If you are someone who is considering the Your Travel Biz opportunity then you might have come across the statements above. Everyone wants to get a piece of Your Travel Biz while enjoying life but you need to get to know some actual facts before making a decision.

That is why this review was created for your convenience. No more searching on Google for hours and hours. Instead, you will get both the total overview of Your Travel Biz and some unheard news.

1) The Heart Of Your Travel Biz

Your Travel Biz is also commonly known as “YTB Travel Network” or just YTB. We wind the clock back to the year 2001 where a man named J. Lloyd Tomer; a retired Senior Sales Director from a well known insurance company had a vision.

He teamed up with J. Scott Tomer and Kim Sorensen with the goal to make Your Travel Biz a highly profitable company. It must also deliver a product with great value to the customer. Additionally compensates its members with the potential to have no income limits in the travel industry niche.

2) Just How Does Your Travel Biz Works?

Okay, here’s the snippet and we will be quick. Your Travel Biz provides travel booking services, vacation packages and entertainment packages through various travel vendors. You become a Your Travel Biz member by registering as a Referring Travel Agent (RTA) with a local sponsor.

Since online marketing has become a great hit now for home businesses even for Your Travel Biz, you need a website. Hence, you will have access to Your Travel Biz (YTB Travel Network) replicated website with a ready made templates.

3) Your Commissions With YTB Travel Network

You have to admit that Your Travel Biz seems pretty alright on commissions. If you are a YTB owner and someone books a travel package via you, your commissions will be up to 75%. Let’s not forget the costs too.

You pay $500 up front followed by monthly payments of $49.95. The thing is, Your Travel Biz leverages on a network marketing type of structure. So, you will have the most rewards by having a large group of people who signs up as an RTA under you.

An Honest Opinion

You could say that Your Travel Biz is a fair opportunity. The secret here is that you need find a way to earn instantly and not have to wait. Also, the key is to “market online effectively”. Remember to invest in yourself by learning this simple business principle.

Travel Insurance is important to understand, since like health insurance coverage, the customer may be refused coverage. Many insurance companies will offer a surplus of coverage for individuals and families. The company will consider few aspects of the policyholder, by reviewing the risk factors involved. If the policyholder is a high-risk the company may cover the holder, but the premiums will be higher than standard in most instances. Travel Insurance on the other hand, can refuse customers if they pose a high-risk.

Still, few travel insurance companies may consider customers that pose a high-risk, yet the company will pose a steep premium with minimal coverage. If the customer fails to inform the agent that he/she is a high-risk while filing for coverage, then the claims may be invalidated when submitted to the company if you are insured. Thus, travel insurance primary focuses on risk factors to conclude eligibility.

If the policyholder is traveling with others, then the travel insurance should cover those travelers, and the policyholder is obligated to inform the agency of any potential risks. In addition, if the policyholder is pending medical treatment for current conditions, then the policyholder must inform the agency. The policyholder must also inform the agency of any restrictions from medical professions, if the professional has advised the customer not to travel. The policyholder must also inform the company if he/she is traveling to receive medical exams, or if the customer has a chronic ill over the past year, seeking medical treatment, then he/she is obligated to inform the agency.

Incurable ills and treatments are also expected to be noted on the polices. Thus, it is possible to receive Travel Insurance with the conditions listed; however, again the premiums will be high. Furthermore, the companies do have the right to deny you coverage if you are pending any of the stated conditions.

There are a few types of Travel Insurance Polices available and each policy varies. Travel Insurance companies often present “comprehensive coverage” and sometimes the premiums are steep. Few companies offer comprehensive policies with lower premiums, therefore, researching the marketplace is essential to spare cost. If you are searching for comprehensive coverage, you may want to go online and get Quotes from the online Brokers, since these people only specialize in Travel Insurance. The Brokers will often provide a surplus of information to consumers to help them determine which policy is best for them. Once the consumer has made a decision, the Brokers will link the consumer with a company that offers comprehensive coverage, coupled with affordable rates and lower premiums.

There are many reasons to take out Travel Insurance. If you frequently travel then you are aware of the hazards lurking in the crevices. Thus, traveling frequently will call for “Annual Travel Insurance,” since your risks are in constant need of protection. The Standard Coverage is for those that travel lightly, while the Family Plans are for those that take periodical vacations and do not wish to cover the family under Single Policies. The Group policies are for those that travel with others, and the policies will often cover up to ten travelers. As you can see there are different types of packages offered by Travel Insurance companies, therefore, frequent travelers should compare research and find the best plan that suits their traveling needs.

Travel Insurance Policies will often cover the expenses incurred from “cancelled trips.” The “Cancellation Policy” covers the policyholder’s losses. The policies will not cover in most instances, pet damages; therefore, if you are traveling with your pet, you may want to consider an extension policy known as the Third Party Insurance Plan.

To learn more about Travel Insurance and Third Party Policies, again going online and getting a Quote may be your best option. The policies vary and there are several packages offered. Since, you are the only one that knows what you need; it is up to you to find Travel Coverage to suit your needs. Be advised that few companies on the Internet are swindlers; therefore, investigate the company before signing contracts.

Question: What is one of the easiest ways to get a sustained increase in sales in your travel business?

Answer- track and monitor the amount of people you give a quote to versus the number people who buy. Look at ways of improving the conversion rate to sale.

Now this sounds simple but in theory hardly any travel business or any business does this effectively. But I am convinced after coaching 146 businesses that this is one of the easiest ways to get sustained improvement.

Please consider this example: If ten people come through your travel business and all get a quote from you for some future travel arrangement. Obviously some will buy; usually 30% of people on average. Consider the ramifications if you were able to double this ratio to 60% over a 12 month period.

If you can do this you have just doubled your business. What a great travel business opportunity this is. And I assure you it is possible.

So how do we achieve a higher conversion rate to sale? The idea is to have uniqueness about how you deliver information to your enquirer. The worst thing you can do is to give a quote out just like your competitors. You need to stand out.

The best thing to do is to add as much information into your quoting system to really impress upon people all the advantages and benefits of dealing with your agency.

You see there is more to everyone’s decision than just price. They need to know if they can trust you as the consultant, the agency, the service or product you offer them and whether you will give them the service they require.

Therefore to alleviate these thoughts your quotations should become travel plans of action.

What I suggest here is to make your quotations completely stand out in the industry by including in a professional looking information pack. This quotation system could include:

a) An introductory letter welcoming them.

b) Vision and mission statement.

c) 7 Reasons why you should use your agency.

d) Guarantee in writing.

e) Testimonials from delighted previous clients.

f) A brief bio about you as their consultant and information on the agency.

g) The quotation on their travel arrangements.

h) Any supporting brochures or flyers on the product you are offering.

Do this and you will stand out. People cannot just judge you on price alone. People now have the facts on how you will benefit them in so many ways. Prospects have price, service, professionalism and reputation to consider when making a decision to use you or not.

If there is nothing different about you, prospects will only buy from you because of convenience and price – nothing more. Therefore you will be committing business suicide in a price driven industry.

It becomes very difficult to effectively come out of the price spiral once you have entered. Because your prospect will come to you expecting the cheapest price and the times you are not their cheapest option they will often move on to the opposition.

You have probably experienced the situation where the prospect goes back and forth between you and the other travel agency competing only on price. You undercut the other agency that in turn undercuts your price. This is a dangerous situation for your margins especially.

So you see uniqueness is critical to your success. Stand out in the way you quote people. Put a big effort into getting this right. Uncover what is special about you and the agency and then shout it out loud. Advertise it if necessary and put it on your stationary. Then stand back and watch your conversion rate to sale increase.

Implementation

You must stand out from your travel agent competitors so your prospects remember you and see a point of difference.

Uniqueness gets lots of attention.

Include in your Travel Plans all the information that makes you stands out, delights your clients, and anything that promotes your expertise.

Include testimonials or third party endorsements.

Never just focus on price but focus on ALL the great things you can do for your client. A great travel business opportunity awaits you. Take action and see for yourself the difference this can make.

These 7 easy home businesses are for you - that is, if you enjoy cruising down the Nile in the moonlight, gazing at the Alps from your sidewalk cafe, or falling hopelessly in love in Venice.

The travel industry has been through a huge shakeup, causing new businesses to spring up. And this spells new home-based business opportunities for you to make money.

Here are a few of these easy home businesses for you to get into.

Yacht Charter Broker - This is a unique business that is growing more popular by the month. In this business, you market to clients who want to charter a luxury yacht equipped with a captain, crew, and chef - and carrying plenty of fresh food. Clients spend their vacation cruising, swimming, sunbathing, diving, and dining on gourmet meals. You receive a good commission from the yacht management company for each booking.

Jet Charter Broker - As a jet charter broker, you are assigned a certain geographical area and a list of clients to contact. These clients chartered jet planes in the past and are regular fliers. Clients can charter the entire jet or just one seat. There are over 1200 jet charter companies in the United States. Flights cost thousands of dollars although “empty leg” trips go at discounted prices. Your commission is paid by the charter company.

Travel Affiliate - In this business, you market trips, tours, travel vacations, hotels, cars, cruises, and other attractions from your Web site. You receive a commission on each booking you make.

Tour Organizer - As a tour organizer, you set up a tour in any part of the world that you are familiar with. Many tours today are based on a theme. For instance, there are single tours, archeology tours, safari tours, and ancestor research tours. There are also underwater diving tours. If you are a diving instructor, you can take the students on a tour of dive sites in the Caribbean and other areas. Once your business grows, you can make more money by outsourcing the work of the tour guide.

Travel Agency - You can open your own home-based travel agency. Here is how to do it: Work with a host agency that operates as a middleman between you and the travel supplier. Also, join a travel association such as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). They have good benefits and help you to network with other professionals.

Cruise Broker - The demand for cruises is huge today. You can make a lot of money in this business. Getting started is easy. In this business you offer cruises to individuals, clubs, colleges, businesses, and organizations. You receive a commission for each booking from the cruise line. To help you, join the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).

Travel Products - Travel products are fast selle4rs and there are thousands to choose from. You can sell such products from your Web site, blog, or email. It is easiest to have the products drop shipped. Some best sellers are the combination pocket recorder/MP3 player/camera, luggage with laptop briefcase, secure passport belt, boarding pouch, and travel atomic clock with flashlight.

These 7 easy home businesses are for you - that is, if you enjoy cruising down the Nile in the moonlight, gazing at the Alps from your sidewalk cafe, or falling hopelessly in love in Venice.

The travel industry has been through a huge shakeup, causing new businesses to spring up. And this spells new home-based business opportunities for you to make money.

Here are a few of these easy home businesses for you to get into.

Yacht Charter Broker - This is a unique business that is growing more popular by the month. In this business, you market to clients who want to charter a luxury yacht equipped with a captain, crew, and chef - and carrying plenty of fresh food. Clients spend their vacation cruising, swimming, sunbathing, diving, and dining on gourmet meals. You receive a good commission from the yacht management company for each booking.

Jet Charter Broker - As a jet charter broker, you are assigned a certain geographical area and a list of clients to contact. These clients chartered jet planes in the past and are regular fliers. Clients can charter the entire jet or just one seat. There are over 1200 jet charter companies in the United States. Flights cost thousands of dollars although “empty leg” trips go at discounted prices. Your commission is paid by the charter company.

Travel Affiliate - In this business, you market trips, tours, travel vacations, hotels, cars, cruises, and other attractions from your Web site. You receive a commission on each booking you make.

Tour Organizer - As a tour organizer, you set up a tour in any part of the world that you are familiar with. Many tours today are based on a theme. For instance, there are single tours, archeology tours, safari tours, and ancestor research tours. There are also underwater diving tours. If you are a diving instructor, you can take the students on a tour of dive sites in the Caribbean and other areas. Once your business grows, you can make more money by outsourcing the work of the tour guide.

Travel Agency - You can open your own home-based travel agency. Here is how to do it: Work with a host agency that operates as a middleman between you and the travel supplier. Also, join a travel association such as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). They have good benefits and help you to network with other professionals.

Cruise Broker - The demand for cruises is huge today. You can make a lot of money in this business. Getting started is easy. In this business you offer cruises to individuals, clubs, colleges, businesses, and organizations. You receive a commission for each booking from the cruise line. To help you, join the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).

Travel Products - Travel products are fast selle4rs and there are thousands to choose from. You can sell such products from your Web site, blog, or email. It is easiest to have the products drop shipped. Some best sellers are the combination pocket recorder/MP3 player/camera, luggage with laptop briefcase, secure passport belt, boarding pouch, and travel atomic clock with flashlight.

Who doesn’t like to go out on holidays, especially after a long and monotonous stretch of the daily boring work that keeps us busy like a bee. Holidays surely look like a breath of fresh air after the crazy office work that occupies the major chunk of our lives. If you are planning to go on a holiday in the coming vacations, then you need to plan your trip accordingly.

Normally, people like to explore various new found lands that they set as a priority on their travel charts. Obviously, it is tough for everyone to locate all of the sightseeing destinations on their own in a new area and that too in a limited period of time. So, the best option is to opt for a travel package that takes care of all of your holiday planning without much hassle. All you have to do is to find the suitable holiday destination and state your travel agent about the arrangement of the travel package according to your budget and suitability.

Amidst all of these preparations, the main point of concern is also your travel agent, who should look into your budget and provide you with an option accordingly. Also, the travel agency should be a reputed and credible one. And if nothing else works, you have another alternative of looking in to the World Wide Web for finding the perspective online travel agencies and the most exotic and alluring travel destination across your country or the world.

There are numerous destinations that you are unaware about and that are also possibly not known to your local travel operator as well. All such places are covered by these online travel agencies. They take care of the hotel reservation, air fare(if you need that, or the transportation charges), and sightseeing as well.

When you travel you always want the best deal available so here is how to get the cheap tickets for flights, cruises, your honeymoon and more importantly travel insurance. Many people see the ads everywhere claiming the cheap airfares with a guarantee and to the layman you would think they must be the cheapest agents around. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

Here is how they do it.

The Major cheap travel agents. These travel agents are not trained but rather sales agents, they receive a small base and then top it up with commission. The same agency, different offices will quote differently depending on how much they want to make off you. Also when you deal with one person no one else will deal with you as they will not make any money from you and will tell you to wait til they are available.

These companies as well as Franchise chains receive “advertising” money from certain wholesalers to book through them but they get lower commission than independent travel agents who are more likely to discount the price. Some other online travel agents charge booking fees so always ask.

Many people believe airlines are cheaper but in fact the opposite applies they charge full price no discounts at all.

Shop around for Travel Insurance to get the best price as agents get commission and some are more likely to discount than others. You do not have to buy insurance from where you buy your tickets. Of the industry’s top 10 travel agents the majority are independents. Bring your cheap airfare quotes along to www.ozead.com.au and compare the savings.

If your passion is travel, imagine going it first class for much less then what you are paying for now. Imagine receiving upgraded accommodations, VIP treatment and much more as you travel the world’s most exciting destinations.

Travel is the largest and one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

- Over US$6 trillion is spent on travel annually.

- The travel industry is growing 23% faster then the world’s economy.

- Travel is the number one product sold on the internet.

- Approximately 80% of all vacations are booked via word of mouth recommendations from friends, family and co-workers.

An explosion is taking place in the travel industry. More luxury cruise ships are being built now then ever before. Resort builders, hotels and other vacation properties are building more properties to accommodate the boom in the travel and vacation market.

The travel industry is exploding because of a group of people born between 1946 and 1964 known as the baby boomers. The baby boomers are a billion people worldwide and have been shaping the world’s economy for decades. When the were young, they put up companies and factories as they got older. The baby boomers are beginning to retire. In fact one in every eight seconds for the next 20 years to come, giving them their desired freedom.

And now the baby boomers are beginning to inherit the wealth of the previous generation, “savings generation”. What do you think they will do with the money?

Industry analysts state this money will be spent in record amount on travel. There is never been a time for you to get involved in the travel industry.

The world is changing and the number of traditional “brick and mentor” retail travel agencies declined worldwide by 11% in 2002 and 19% in 2003, while on-line travel continued to prosper. Travellers are now making bookings at the comforts of their homes as independent travel agents.

Being an independent travel agent, you will enjoy fantastic lifestyle benefits. The fantastic discounts you will receive will allow you to travel more then you thought possible. Whether you are traveling the world or journeying on business, as an independent travel agent you will get a world of discounts and savings which include:

- Upgrades to first class on airlines.

- Get travel agents discounts on hotels.

- Save on car rentals.

- Discounts on world cruise ships.

- VIP attention.

- Vacation packages and many more travel perks.

- Profits by getting commissions when booking on your own travel, family travel and colleagues travel. And also just by introducing them to be independent travel agents.

As an independent travel agent you can own your own “brick and mortar” travel agency at the comfort of your home and take advantage of travel agents discounts and upgrades worldwide.

When you start a home based travel business, you get the best of all possible worlds. First of all, you can make a high income. Secondly, you can work full time or part time in the comfort of home. Thirdly, there is the fun part.

If you like to travel, this is the right business to be in. Why not spend a week in Cagliaria, Sardenia enjoying the warm evenings in the open air Caffè degli Spiriti? Cool off in the refreshingly cool Roman baths of Szechenyi in Budapest. Or, island hop between Jamaica, Martinique, and St. Lucia. Plus, when you are not traveling, you can work from home in comfort.

How to Get Started.

When setting up your work from home business, it is important to check out your state and local laws. You may have to register as a seller of travel. Be sure to open two bank accounts. One is a checking account for your business. The second is a trust account to hold your clients’ money in escrow.

As an independent travel agent, you may want to work with a host agency. This is a travel agency that works solely with independent travel agencies. They do not sell travel to the public. The host agency is the middleman between the supplier such as the airlines or cruise lines and you, the independent travel agent. The host agency can help you get on your feet.

There are a number of first-rate travel agent associations to join. They offer support, education, training, certification, resources, networking with other professionals, and trade fairs. Here are a few of the best:

* The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is the largest association of travel agents in the world. They offer education, training, and jobs.

* The National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA) offer their members seminars-at-sea. Here is where you learn while on the job.

* The International Air Transport Association (IATA) provides you with accreditation and a useful ITAN Travel Agent ID card.

* The Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) has many great benefits.

Clients like to see credentials. Your membership in a big travel association such as ASTA, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, and the Better Business Bureau builds confidence.

How to Make Money.

You can make a lot of money in the luxury travel business. This can include around-the-world cruises, leisurely first–class train trips through several countries, an African safari, or 5-star stays in big cities of the world.

One of the best paying travel businesses right now is the cruise business. Travelers love to go on cruises. The big cruise lines are well-known for the type of travelers they attract. For instance, Carnival is known for carefree fun. Royal Caribbean caters to families. Princess Cruises are for adventure-loving types.

In your own travel business, you may find you will attract more customers if you focus on specific types of travel. For instance, you could specialize in honeymoon travel, seminar cruises for investors, and celebrity cruises. You could also concentrate on cruises and travel to the South Pacific. Holiday cruises are big sellers – particularly at Christmas time.

River cruises throughout the world are extremely popular. France is famous for its romantic canal cruises on luxurious barges with gourmet food. The Midi Canal cruise goes through ancient Roman cities. Another favorite is the Burgundy Canal cruise.

Tourists also rave about the great canal and river cruises in Germany, Russia, Belgium, Great Britain, Holland and Italy.

When you decide the cruise travel business is for you, you may want to find out more about it. One of the best places to get a thorough understanding of the travel business is Princess Cruises. They have the Princess Academy which offers quick, in-depth courses.

To keep customers coming back to your agency, be sure to pass on good deals to them such as discounts on trips and hotel stays.

If you decide to start a home based travel business, be prepared for adventure. At any time, you may be offered a free or low-cost FAM (familiarization) vacation trip by travel suppliers in hopes that you will recommend them to your customers.

The most important part of starting a home based travel business, though, is that you love your work. If you want to travel, meet people, and make money, there is no better home business. If you start a home based travel business, it could be the happiest adventure of your life.