YTB's J. Kim Sorensen Named One of 'The Most Influential People in the Travel Industry'
YTB's J. Kim Sorensen Named One of 'The Most Influential People in the TravelIndustry'Travel Weekly List Includes YTB CEO with Richard Branson and Al Gore
WOOD RIVER, Ill., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International,Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: YTBLA) ('YTB' or the 'Company'), a leading provider ofInternet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-basedindependent representatives in the United States, today announced that itsPresident (President/CEO of subsidiary YTB Travel Network), J. Kim Sorensen,has been named one of the most influential people in the travel industry byTravel Weekly. YTB joins a list that also includes names like MGM Mirage,Virgin Atlantic Airways, TripAdvisor, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to Travel Weekly, Mr. Sorensen, " ... went, in a matter ofweeks, from a virtual unknown in the industry to its favorite target forvitriol (from traditional travel agents and some suppliers) or admiration
(from his tens of thousands of referring agents and, behind closed doors, somesuppliers). He has demonstrated some grace under fire, admitting thisorganization is still maturing, and we suspect that he and YTB will be aroundfor many years, forcing all parties to examine what constitutes a legitimateseller of travel and challenging suppliers to assess how, and with whom, theywish to do business."
The publication describes the people on their "most influential" list asthose who "had ideas that veered from the status quo and succeeded sospectacularly that the industry jumped out of its rut and followed." Among theother leaders who were recognized were Brad and Van Anderson, co-presidents,America's Vacation Center/American Express; Richard Branson, founder andchairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Group; Al Gore, former U.S.vice president and Nobel Laureate; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the United ArabEmirates; Ian Schrager, chairman and CEO, Ian Schrager Co.; and Andy Taylor,chairman and CEO, Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be included on this list," said Mr.Sorensen. "Especially since YTB is not about me, but about the great team andthe huge network of representatives and referring travel agents that werewilling to take a chance on a new way to sell travel. I speak for the entirecompany when I thank Travel Weekly for recognizing the huge potential of YTB."
This is not YTB's first honor from Travel Weekly. In 2007, the company wasnamed the 35th largest seller of travel in the U.S. for 2006, and the 11thlargest agency for primarily leisure travel by the publication.
ABOUT YTBI
Recognized as the 35th largest seller of travel in the U.S. in 2006 byTravel Weekly, YTB International, Inc. provides Internet-based travel bookingservices for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in theUnited States, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. It operates throughthree subsidiaries: YourTravelBiz.com, Inc., YTB Travel Network, Inc., andREZconnect Technologies, Inc. YourTravelBiz.com division focuses on marketingonline travel agencies through a nationwide network of independent businesspeople, known as "Reps." YTB Travel Network division establishes and maintainstravel vendor relationships, books travel transactions of online travel agents
(RTAs, now numbering over 130,000), collects travel commissions and pays salescommissions. Each RTA sells travel through a personalized Internet-basedtravel website. The REZconnect Technologies division builds online reservationsystems for suppliers within the travel industry. For more information, visithttp://www.ytbi.com/investor
Statements about the Company's future expectations, including futurerevenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release otherthan historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning ofSection 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the SecuritiesExchange of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation ReformAct of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertaintiesand are subject to change at any time, and the Companies actual results coulddiffer materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligationto update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring eventsor circumstances.
Media Contacts:
Greg Wilson
Levick Strategic Communications for YTB International, Inc.
Phone: 202.973.1328
Mobile: 202.210.6201
Email: gwilson@levick.com
Investor Contacts:
Garth Russell / Yemi Rose
KCSA Worldwide for YTB International, Inc.
Phone: 212-896-1250 / 212-896-1233SOURCE YTB International, Inc.Media: Greg Wilson of Levick Strategic Communications, +1-202-973-1328,Mobile: +1-202-210-6201, gwilson@levick.com; or Investors: Garth Russell orYemi Rose of KCSA Worldwide, +1-212-896-1250, +1-212-896-1233, all for YTBInternational, Inc.
