Joint
the Travel Revolution !!
Many people are attracted
to the travel business because they want to experience the excitement of
the travel industry, gain additional income and qualify for travel benefits.
In order to accomplish this, some people pay $50,000 or more to purchase
a retail travel agency to obtain nearly the same income potential and benefits
that you can have with a home or office agency affiliation with Vietlink
Travel & Service to open your own home based independent travel
agency.
As a home based independent travel agent and an Associate
of Vietlink Travel & Service, you can begin enjoying commissions income,
travel benifits and an indepenent lifestyle working right out of your home
or office on a part-time or full-time basis. The choice is yours, but
whatever your expectations, we want to help you make them a reality.
We provide all the training, manuals, access codes
and computer software you need to:
-
Use your computer to access airline reservations systems
to book flights
-
Book car rentals and hotel rooms all over the
world.
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Sell pre-packaged tours of all kinds to domestic and
international destinations.
-
Book cruises on any cruise line.
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Reserve seats on any passenger train anywhere.
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Custom build vacation packages for your customers.
-
Sell a variety of incidental travel services, including
theater tickets to Broadway, London and Las Vegas shows.
As an Associate of Vietlink Travel & Services,
a leading, fully accredited full-service travel agency, you will work directly
with the airlines and other travel vendors, all of your work will be processed
by Vietlink Travel & Service. You will be working under Vietlink's travel
agency umbrella and using our accreditation with the airlines and other travel
vendors.
You will be paid a commission on each of your sales
and your earnings will be limited only by the time you are willing to spend
in developing clientele and marketing your services. You may wish to join
the program on a part time basis or jump right in and devote all of your
efforts to making your new business succeed. Either way, you will benefit
from the commissions you earn and the fun of selling travel - and, when you
qualify, you will be able to enjoy all of the travel services you sell at
very favorable travel agent rates.
Our proven system gives you the opportunity to generate
success with a office or home based travel agency...through friends,
acquaintances, business contact, the organization you belong to, and virtually
everyone you know and come in contact with. Are you ready for the excitement,
income and benefits the travel industry has to offer? If your answer is YES,
please complete the Vietlink Travel & Service
Application Form and
Independent Associate Agreement. You can call
us at 1-801-973-4163 or fax to 1-801-973-2545 for additional
information.
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Travel
Products
You will have a full range of travel products available
to meet your clients' travel and vacation requirements!
-
Airline Tickets: Sale of airline tickets
has been the mainstay of many travel agencies for years. Our Training Program
will show you how the air transportation system works. You will become familiar
with the classes of service, fare structures, types of trips, terminology
and ticketing procedures. You will learn to use your computer to determine
availability of flights and fares and to book flights using your direct Internet
connection to the SABRE system.
-
Tours: Tours are easy to sell and pay
good commissions. Vietlink Travel & Service enjoys higher commissions
on tour sales due to the volume of tours we sell with our preferred suppliers.
By selling tours supplied by our preferred suppliers, you will share in these
higher commissions. Most tours that you sell will be prepackaged by our
wholesalers and will be inclusive tours. This means the tours will usually
include air transportation, hotel accommodations and transfers to and from
the hotel, all at a fixed price. You will learn about the offerings of our
more popular tour wholesalers and the protocol for booking tours using toll
free telephone numbers.
-
Hotel Rooms: Each time your clients travel
they will need a place to stay when they arrive at their destination, unless
they are staying with relatives. This fact is frequently overlooked in the
travel booking process. Any time an air reservation is made, you will want
to ask your client if he needs a hotel room. If so, you will earn a nice
commission for a few minutes work.
-
Cruises: Many believe this is the best possible
vacation. It is truly all-inclusive, since everything is included for one
price - roundtrip air to the cruise ship, accommodations aboard, all meals,
entertainment and use of the ship's facilities. The cruise lines pay high
commissions to their high producing travel agencies (including Vietlink Travel
& Service). You will learn about each of the more popular cruise lines
and their ships and how to read and explain the brochures to your clients.
You will soon be booking cruises and earning several hundred dollars each
time you do it!
-
Passenger Rail Service: If you are in
an area serviced by AMTRAK, you will have opportunities to sell AMTRAK tickets
and vacation packages. You will also be able to sell VIA tickets and passes
for your Canadian bound clients and Eurail and Britrail passes if your clients
are headed for Europe.
-
Group Tours: Organizing and conducting
group tours can be one of the most lucrative of all the travel services you
offer. Instead of selling one tour, you sell 20 or 30 at one time and earn
20 or 30 times as much money! Also, you can act as tour conductor and go
along free!
-
Car Rentals: Be sure to ask your clients
if they will need a car when they buy their air tickets from you.
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Our Relationships
It is important to understand the relationships that
will exist between you and Vietlink Travel & Service and the travel vendors
whose products you will sell.
Airlines Reporting Corporation
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) is an
organization established and owned by all of the domestic airlines. ARC approves
agency locations for the sale of air tickets and publishes procedures for
properly accounting for and remitting funds collected by agencies on behalf
of the airlines.
International Airlines Travel Agent Network
(IATAN)
IATAN appoints agents with ARC approval to act on
behalf of foreign airlines. The also issue travel agent identification cards
that entitle professional travel agents to reduced price travel benefits
after a person earns $5,000 per year in salary or commission compensation.
You will be be eligible to receive an IATAN card when you qualify.
Other Travel Vendors
Other vendors of travel products, including tour
operators, cruise line companies, hotels and car rental companies are wholesalers
to the retail travel agency. They will not authorize the sale of their products
by travel agencies unless the travel agency has been approved by ARC and
provides their ARC number at the time of booking.
Vietlink Travel & Services
Vietlink Travel & Service is a fully accredited,
full service travel agency with appointments from ARC. In our relationship
with you, a Vietlink Travel & Service Associate, we perform the following
functions:
-
Complete the processing of each reservation made by
you, pay the vendors for services purchased by you on behalf of your clients,
issue air tickets and handle other travel documentation for you.
-
File settlement reports required by ARC including sales
made by you.
-
Aid you in the completion of unusual transactions,
including such itiems as air ticket refunds and exchanges, Miscellaneous
Charges Orders, Tour Orders, Prepaid Ticket Advices and complex travel
arrangements.
-
Account for all of your sales and issue sales reports
and commission checks to you.
-
Follow up to be sure we are paid commissions on all
of your sales so you are paid.
Vietlink Travel & Service Associates
You, as a Vietlink Travel & Service Associate,
will be an independent business person who agrees to promote the sale of
travel services from your home or place of business. You will be an independent
contractor and not an employee of Vietlink Travel & Service. You
will establish your own hours of operation, methods of marketing, office
layout, accounting systems, etc., as long as they conform to Vietlink Travel
& Service's procedures.
As a Vietlink Travel & Service Associate
you will avoid the high cost of becoming an ARC approved travel agent. You
will operate under Vietlink Travel & Service's umbrella to provide a
full line of travel services to your clients. Since you are not ARC accredited,
you will need to process all of your transactions through Vietlink Travel
& Service.
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The Basic
System
The Web Reservations service located
at our Web Site provides a superior connectivity solution
to the SABRE computer reservations system, allowing you to select air,
car and hotel availability, rates, and other travel information from more
than 50 car rental companies, 42,000 hotel properties and 450 airlines worldwide.
You will use your computer to access the SABRE Reservations
System through our Web Site to book travel for your customers. By utilized
this Sabre Reservations System you have the ultimate freedom and control
to shop for best fares, check the availability, book your clients flights,
make car and hotel reservations for your clients tickets, all from the
convenience of your own desk-top computer, and our easy-to-use Internet
Reservation System.
Our Web-Site is directly plugged-in to Real-Time
SABRE
Reservation System providing you having access to the same information
that we do on booking your customer flights, find fares and availability,
make car and hotel reservations, as well as other travel services -
24-Hours a
day! Once your clients are satisfied with
their reservation, you select "Buy Now". Your file will then end
up in our system for ticketing.
Remember, there is a $3 USD usage fee deduct from you
commission for each PNR you book through this system. Processing transactions
that exceed the level of 130 transactions per booking segment are charged
at the rate of US$0.01 per transaction above 130. You may let your
customer to incur this $3 service fee or share portion of this fee to recover
your cost. And of course, you could eliminated this usage fee by filling
out the Reservation Fax Sheet and fax to us at (801) 973-2545 or call us
directly at (801) 973-4163 to make reservation for you.
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The SABRE
System
You will use your computer to access the SABRE Reservations
System to book travel for your customers.
The SABRE airlines reservation system is the largest
and most sophisticated system in the world. More than 18,000 travel agencies
use the system to make flight, car and hotel reservations through 62,000
video terminals. There are over 650 airlines, 20,000 hotels and 50 car rental
companies included in the system. More than 400 million reservations are
processed annually. The worldwide reservations center is in Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
With this system you access the SABRE data base through
the Internet. No long distance telephone charges are involved. Using SABRE
you will be able to:
-
View schedules and availability's of hundreds of
airlines.
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View all fares and fare rules for all flights for all
airlines included in SABRE.
-
Secure the lowest priced itinerary between any two
cities on any day and book flights for your customers.
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View room rates and availability's of all major hotel
chains and many independent hotels all over the world and book hotel rooms
for your customers.
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View car rental rates and availability's of all major
car rental companies all over the world and book car rentals for your
customers.
-
Through SABRE's Cruise Director system you will be
able to access major cruise line computer data bases to determine availability
and cost cruises throughout the world and book cruises for your
customers.
-
Through SABRE's Tour Finder you will be able to book
tours with many of the leading tour operators.
Your costs for this system are as
follows:
-
SABRE Shared Access option: You will share access
ports with other associates. With shared access you may occasionally
experience a busy signal when you try to access the system. The enrollment
fee is $200 which includes all of the software installed and material that
is part of the Start-up package. A monthly access fee of $25 is charged.
If you book more than 30 airline tickets per month there is NO monthly access
fee.
-
SABRE Dedicated Access option: You will have
a port dedicated for your use only and unlimited access to Sabre.
The enrollment fee is $300 which includes all of the software and material
that is part of the Start-up package. The monthly access fee is $75.
This fee is offset by commission you receive for booking 10 airline
tickets at an average sale of $180 per ticket.
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Equipment
Required
Much of what you need to go into the travel business
is furnished with your start up package. However, you will need a computer
and furniture.
Computer Equipment
You will need an IBM compatible personal computer,
CD-ROM, hard disk, high speed modem (fax modem preferred) and compatible
ink jet or laser printer. The operating must be Windows 95/98 for SABRE Net
Platform Access.
Software
The following software is required:
-
On-Line Software: You will need to subscribe to a Internet
Service Provider in your area. This will enable you to access the SABRE Web
Reservations system through the Internet and this Web Site to perform travel
research through the World Wide Web or connect to SABRE Net
Platform.
-
Sabre Net Platform Software: The Netscape Communicator
4.5 or higher, Checkpoit SecuRemote Client, Microsoft Dial-up Networking
1.3 (those softwares included on Sabre Net Flatform CD-ROM).
-
Fax Software: If you want to use your computer to fax
information to us then you will require fax software.
Communications Equipment
You will need the following equipment to communicate
with SABRE, the Vietlink Travel & Service Center and your
clients:
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Voice Telephone: You probably already have this. If
you want a voice telephone dedicated to your travel business you will need
to get one.
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Computer Telephone Line: You will need a dedicated
telephone line for your computer.
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FAX Machine: Your FAX machine will be used to transmit
and receive information to and from Vietlink Travel's Service Center and
between you and your clients. If you have installed FAX software in your
computer you may not need a FAX machine. However, if you do get a FAX machine
you should consider getting one that will also make copies.
Office Furnishings
You should dedicate an area of your home or present
place of business for your travel office, then decorate and equip it for
your travel agency. Equipment you will need includes:
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Desk: You will need room for your computer. A secretarial
style desk with a wing for your computer is ideal.
-
Chairs: One for you and a couple for your clients.
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File Cabinets: Two legal sized cabinets are recommended.
You will need to file your brochures and business records (travel
invoice/itineraries, customer profile sheets, etc.)
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Bookshelf: You will need a place to store your reference
manuals.
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Copying Machine: A copying machine is not absolutely
essential. You may want to wait on this. As mentioned above, you may want
to get a FAX machine that makes copies.
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Benefits
and Tax Advantages
Our philosophy is to provide an opportunity for individuals
to enter the travel industry using the home based or business based independent
travel agency concept and at a very low star-up cost. We then provide the
training, motivation and sales opportunities for you to grow in knowledge
and income earned. You can simply refer clients to our reservation center
and earn your commission....OR we can train you to be a professional travel
agent with our step-by-step training programs. Your Introductory Start-Up
Travel Agency Package provides you with the procedures, forms and training
which gives you the skills and understanding, self-reliant and
confident travel professional to start booking travel through Vietlink
Travel & Services immediately.
Benefits
As an associate of the independent travel profession
through our program, many new doors will be opened to you in the form
of discounts and courtesies within the travel industry. Listed below are
some of the benefits you may receive:
-
Travel Agent rates at many hotels worldwide-usually
at a 50-75% discount.
-
Special rates from car rental companies.
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Reduced or free theme park/attraction entrance
fees.
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Travel shows and receptions.
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Discounted rates for cruises.
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Free upgrade to first class.
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Discounted trips throughout the world.
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75% agent's discount on airfare (when required sales
level is reached).
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Agency sponsored familiarization trips and
cruises.
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Received the treasured IATAN identification card.
Tax Advantages
A major advantage of being in the travel industry
is that whenever you travel you can deduct a variety of expenses because
travel is part of your ongoing industry training and familiarization. Every
time you fly, cruise, stay in a hotel or visit a theme park you are evaluating
your experience in order to assist your clients with their future travel
plans. Consult with your tax advisor for specific details.
-
Be eligible for thousands of dollars in new
deductions.
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Deduct the cost of vacation travel.
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Deduct automobile, home, phone and personal computer
expense.
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Deduct restaurant, golf and recreation expenses.
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Much more!!!
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Marketing
The success of your home or business based travel agency
will be dependent upon your skills in marketing your services.
Sources of Business
Your very best source of business is people you already
know - your circle of acquaintances:
-
Relatives: Hopefully you are on good terms with all
of your relatives and they will immediately begin to come to your for their
travel needs.
-
Neighbors: Neighbors would rather buy their travel
from you than from some unknown travel agent across town.
-
Friends: Send your agency brochure (included in your
start up kit) to all of your friends.
-
Civic and Social Clubs: A built-in source of business.
Also, an excellent source for lucrative group business!
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Place of Worship. You see your friends every Sunday
at your church.
-
Business and Professionals: You are giving your business
to various professionals and trades people every day - your doctor, dentist,
attorney; your grocer and plumber. The list goes on and on.
-
Your Present Clientele: If your travel agency is to
be a part of your present business, the people you presently do business
with.
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Professional Associations: The members of professional
or business associations you presently belong to.
-
Nearby Businesses: All your business neighbors in the
shopping center or office building where you have your existing business
or near your home.
-
Bird Dogs: People you know who will solicit business
for you.
Prospecting
Prospecting refers to the never-ending process of
finding people who might be customers. At the beginning, prospecting will
be your top priority. "Nothing happens 'til somebody sells something," the
old saying goes, and to sell something you have to have someone to sell
to.
The first step is to develop your own list of sources
of business. You can select sources from the list shown above and then add
other sources you can think of. Arrange your source lists according to your
chances of securing business from the source. Relatives first, friends second,
church members third, etc.
Next, add prospect names for each of your sources.
As a part of your start-up package you will receive a Marketing Kit including
a Prospect List Form. Set up a page or pages for each of your sources then
start contacting people beginning with your "most likely" source. There are
several ways to do this:
-
Mail a letter with your brochure announcing you have
started a travel agency.
-
Telephone your prospects.
-
Have a grand opening.
Be sure to record the results of each contact on your
Prospect List and follow up on your leads. Don't be discouraged by negative
responses - that's part of selling no matter what the product!
Be sure to carry your business card. Pass it out at
every opportunity. Make a goal for yourself of the number of prospecting
calls you will make each day. Keep at it and your travel business will
grow.
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Commission
Schedule
We have negotiated high commission levels with our
travel vendors. You will earn half of these commissions for the travel products
you sell!
Commissions We Are Paid
The commission we are paid by a particular vendor
is based on the amount of that vendor's product we sell. The more we sell,
the higher our commission will be.
Commission Schedule
The commissions paid us by our preferred suppliers
change frequently. New vendors are added to our preferred supplier list as
we negotiate higher commissions. Old vendors are dropped when they don't
measure up. The commissions paid by existing vendors on the list change as
we, as a group, sell more of a vendor's product.
There are more than thirty travel vendors on our preferred
supplier list that pay us premium level commissions. To keep you informed
of all of the preferred suppliers and the commissions they pay, we maintain
a list in our Internet site. You will be given a password to enter this site
so you can determine at any time who our preferred suppliers are and the
commissions they are currently paying.
Our preferred suppliers pay us between 12% and 18%
commission. Many of the leading cruise lines and tour operators are included
in our preferred supplier list.
Your Earnings Potential
As with any business, the amount you earn in your
travel business will depend on many things - the time you spend, your sales
ability, the number of contacts you have, etc. Your business plan should
include a projection of earnings. You may want to use the following information
to help.
-
Book a cruise - average sale of $3,000 @ 15%
commission - total commission earned $450
-
Book 2 air tickets - average sale of $750 @
8% commission - total commission earned $54
-
Book a tour - average sale of $2,500 @ 13%
commission - total commission earned $325
-
Book a 1 week car rental - average sale of
$280 @ 10% commission - total commission earned $28
-
Book a 1 week hotel stay - average sale of
$900 @ 10% commission - total commission earned $90
The above information is for planning purposes only.
Actual commissions and percentages may be more or less than shown.
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Frequently
Asked Questions
We get lots of questions about our program. Some of
them may have occurred to you. Here are some answers. If you have other questions
email us!
What is Vietlink Travel & Service
Vietlink Travel & Service is a full service travel
agency established in 1994. The company is bonded and approved by the
Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the International Airlines Travel Agent
Network (IATAN). Vietlink Travel & Service is fully licensed and
authorized as a Seller of Travel Products.
How do I find my clients?
Everyone you know or meet is a potential client. Start
with family, friends, church, temple, sport organizations, business associates,
neighbors, teachers and clubs.
How does your program compare with others I have
heard about?
Several of the other programs offer little more than
an ID card they claim can be used to obtain reduced rate travel. Our program
is a comprehensive program that enables you to become a fully trained functioning
travel agent. You get everything you need up front - there are no hidden
costs. Some programs require you to purchase the material you need after
you pay the enrollment fee. With our program you receive complete training
supervised from our home office, all of the procedures you must have, computer
software, use of our internet site to research travel, a procedures manual
and a marketing kit including all of the forms and stationery art work you
will need including a brochure custom designed for your agency. You also
receive support from the home office staff of travel experts and from our
Internet site. We take care of the complicated airline accounting and commission
follow-up chores for you. You also participate in the benefits of our
professional travel agency credentials and will be recognized as a travel
professional by the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the International
Association of Travel Agents (IATA), the American Society of Travel Agents
(ASTA) and the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA).
Will I be eligible for reduced rate travel
benefits?
Yes, you will receive extensive travel benefits from
being a travel agent, but only after you qualify. This means you must earn
commissions of $5,000 per year. You are then eligible to receive the IATAN
Identification Card, the only industry-wide accepted proof of your professional
standing. This is the only card that will enable you to receive travel
benefits.
What travel benefits can I receive?
We receive announcements of travel benefits every
week and publish them in our Internet site for you to examine. These benefits
include such things as 75% reduction in air travel, all-inclusive cruises
for $35.00 per day, hotel rooms at 50% off, free familiarization trips to
resort destinations, deeply discounted car rental rates and free dinners
and cocktail receptions provided by travel benefits at their seminars.
May I refer business to you for you to take care
of?
No, we require that you become a travel agent and
either book travel yourself or complete necessary research so that we can
book the travel for you. We insist that all of our associates be travel
professionals and our training enables you to become a professional agent
offering valuable services to your clients.
Vietlink Travel & Service is in Salt Lake
City and I am located a long way from you. Isn't this a problem?
Since we produce airline tickets for your bookings,
the job of delivering the tickets to you and your clients for immediate travel
used to be a problem. Recent technological advances now make it possible
for us to produce electronic tickets for 80% of the air travel you book.
The boarding passes are held in the airline's computer. Your client simply
presents a reservation number and photo ID at the ticket counter to get a
printed boarding pass. The time from the time you make the reservation to
when you receive a fax from us with the reservation number can be as little
as 15 minutes.
How much will I earn as a Vietlink Travel &
Service Associate?
Only you can determine the answer to this question.
Your main challenge will be to obtain clients for your new business. As you
learn the business and promote yourself to the public through the use of
the marketing materials we provide, your business will grow. As it grows
your earnings will increase. Ultimately, your total earnings will be based
on your success at marketing your services.
Whate is the rate of commissions I will be
paid?
You will be paid 50% of the commissions paid to Vietlink
Travel & Services. Total commissions range from 8% to 16%-18% paid
us by our preferred suppliers, so your share will range from 4% to
8%-9%.
What system will I use to book air
travel?
Your computer will be connected direcly to the SABRE
system and you will have full reservations capability as if you were operating
a reservations computer here in our office. Complete information is available
under the discussion of Basic System
and SABRE System.
Why don't you use multi-level marketing to promote
the sale of your package?
We believe that most MLM programs are nothing more
than pyramid schemes to earn mony from the pyramid structure and not from
the quality or usefulness of the product being sold. We are promoting our
product as having extraordinary value and have reservations about the ethics
of MLM marketing. However, we do offer a $50 commission to our associates
who sell the program for us.
How can I compete with other local
agencies?
-
As an Associate of Vietlink Travel & Service
you will have access to extremely competitive cruise, tour and airline
pricing.
-
By utilizing the services of our discount cruise and
wholesale tour program, you will obtain the lowest prices available.
-
The above services, as well as good customer service,
will set you apart from agencies in your local area.
How do I get brochures?
Suppliers will send you brochures once you established
with them at no cost to you.
How do I keep current on specials, discounts and
special promotions?
You will have access to the Associate Hotline on our
World Wide Web Home Page.
How do I get started?
Complete and return the Independent Travel Associate
Application and Independent Associate Agreement.
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E-Mail for Questions or
Comnments. |
