Hey, are you open to a new travel idea? Want to find a better way of making a living? Travel and make money with World Ventures. Is this a pyramid scheme or what?
Some people say they’re a scam in disguise. You’ll find out what I discovered and it’s in this review.
You might already be familiar with seeing people holding a blue banner that says “You should be here!”.
Now you might be wondering what you’re missing when you go to their site. Everyone looks happy so you need to investigate and sign up. What is all the fuss about?
In this review, I’ll be focusing on the actual business side of World Ventures.
First, let me commend you for doing your research here. It’s the only way to keep yourself from being scammed and find legitimate ways to make money online.
I am not associated with World Ventures. My role is to research a product and offer recommendations.
Let’s begin…
World Ventures Short Review Summary
Product Name: World Ventures
Founder: 2005, by Wayne Nugent
Product Type: Multi-Level Marketing on Vacation Memberships
Price: $300 or $480 one-time fee and monthly fees to $100
Best For: Skilled MLM entrepreneurs who have the money to invest and people who enjoy travelling and being with large groups of people
Summary:
World Travel is not a pyramid scheme. They are a legitimate MLM company. South Africa and Norway seem to be undergoing lawsuit actions against them saying they are a pyramid scheme. What I find disturbing is 80% of the Independent Representatives did not earn income according to their 2016 Income Disclosure Statement.
My Rating: 20 out of 100
Is World Ventures Recommended? No
Table of Contents
What Is World Ventures?
Before I get into the review, here is a video that talks about what World Ventures is about…
The company was founded in 2005 by Wayne Nugent, Plano, Texas, so it’s good to know they’ve been around a long time.
Over the years, the company has impressively expanded to 34 markets with a huge growth of 927% from 2009 to 2016. They also say they have over 500,000 members,
The most important thing you need to know is what they offer:
1. The Business Side: This is where you network and do multi-level marketing. In other words, you are recruiting people into your downline by offering World Travel’s business opportunity.
2. Vacation Club Membership: This gives you the opportunity to use discounted vacation packages for you and your family.
Inside World Ventures – “Products”
World Ventures products are memberships.
If you’re a member recruiting people into the memberships, you don’t earn income, all you’re earning is savings on getting better-discounted vacations.
If you’re an Independent Representative you don’t get the vacation savings instead you earn commissions by the members in your downline.
Let’s look into the World Ventures memberships…
The name DreamTrips is World Ventures’s memberships brand.
Not long ago, they used to have 3 memberships. The standard/regular DreamTrips (DT) Membership was $199.95 one-time fee and $26.99 monthly fee. This was absolutely affordable in my opinion.
Well now, they only have 2 DreamTrips memberships.
During my research, I was watching a review of World Ventures for 2019, and it seems prices have gone up on the Gold and Platinum DreamTrips Memberships.
For instance, the Gold Membership was $249.98 one-time membership fee and $54.99 monthly fee. The Platinum used to be $399.98 one-time membership fee and $99.99 a month.
It looks like there was a price increase sometime in 2018.
Currently, as of this review, the DreamTrips Membership Fees as per their website are as follows:
#1. DreamTrips Gold Membership ($279.98 One-Time Membership Fee and $56.99 monthly)
The one-time fee went up $30 more.
You get the following benefits like the 24/7 Concierge Service that includes:
- Your own personal booking site to book your vehicle rental, airfare, hotels, entertainment and fine dining at discounted prices.
- When prices are lowered, your discounted rates go down too.
- Ability to do online shopping.
NOTE: Your yearly total is $963.86 USD.
#2. DreamTrips Platinum Memberships ($479.98 one-time Membership fee and $99.99 monthly fee)
Not too long ago, it was $399.98 USD one-time fee so the increase is $80. This is a substantial increase but at least the monthly fee remains unchanged.
The benefits are:
- Get access to all pre-sales and DreamTrips exclusive vacations
- Royalty treatments like early check in and late checkouts, and ability to upgrade airport transfers
- 20% more points
- 50% off to upgrade hotel rooms
- Theft protection
- Roadside assistance services
NOTE: Your total cost for 1 year is $1,679.86 USD
Wondering where your paid fees go to?
Both of your fees go into your “vacation piggy bank fund”. By doing this, your vacation prices are lowered. In other words, every dollar you put into that piggy bank is equal to 1 DreamTrip point.
$1 = 1 DreamTrip Point
For every DreamTrip point you save, for example, let’s look at your DreamTrip Gold Membership.
Your total yearly fee cost is $963, so your total DreamTrip points are 963 points and you can use these points to get yourself a further discounted vacation price.
The catch is, you cannot use the DreamTrip (DT) Points until after your 1 year is completed.
World Ventures know they need to keep you happy and get you started on points so they will automatically give Gold Members 200 DT Points and 300 DT Points to Platinum Members.
I don’t know if you think this is a good deal. To me, it isn’t and the Standard/Regular Membership made more sense. It was affordable to many of us. Don’t you think?
The thing you need to realize is, all you’ve paid so far is just the membership fees. You haven’t paid for your “discounted” vacation and it doesn’t even include the cost of your airfare.
You can book your airfare thru World Ventures and earn 100 DreamTrip Points per flight but I still don’t think that’s such a good deal.
I book all my flights thru RedTag and use my Airmiles points accumulated from my credit card.
If you’re here to make money, you’re going to have to do it by recruiting people to buy World Ventures memberships.
Whichever DreamTrip Membership you choose, if you refer 4 people into a membership, your membership monthly fee is free for the next month and continue as long as you still have those 4 people.
For instance, if you’re a Platinum Member paying $99.99 a month, you won’t have to pay the next month’s fee and future monthly payments as long as you keep 4 active members in your downline.
For your efforts, World Ventures will still put in DreamTrips points in your vacation piggy bank.
Other Ways to Earn DreamTrips Points Towards Your Vacation Piggy Bank:
- Shop online on their site. For every dollar you spend, you earn 1 point each
- 50 points when you refer a friend
- 100 points when you refer a friend to the Gold membership
- 200 points when you refer a friend to the Platinum membership
World Ventures Compensation Plan
If you’re not familiar with the MLM(Multi-Level Marketing) business model, no worries! Take a look at the image below…
With World Ventures, the way you will earn commissions is by recruiting other people into their memberships. This means you need to introduce this as a business opportunity.
The Compensation Plan is rather complex at least to me it is. CLICK HERE to read the PDF if you’re interested.
From what I can comprehend is:
#1. Representatives must purchase World Ventures Representative Business System (RBS) a one-time fee. The amount is not disclosed in the attached PDF and there is no mention of it on their site.
#2. You still have to pay a monthly membership fee.
#2. Lineage and Binary Organization is the method of their MLM compensation structure
#3. To be a qualified Representative, you must have referred 4 people in order to start your downline.
Folks, the World Ventures Compensation Plan will tell you they have a simple Compensation Plan. Most “normal” MLM companies will only have 1 MLM compensation structure.
As you can see, they have 2, the Lineage and the Binary Organization. The Binary Organization is the most common and popular one.
Thankfully, World Ventures has a decent support system so that’s the next section.
World Ventures Support and Training
The good part of World Ventures is they seem to have strong support and training for their representatives to make more money. You’re really going to need it for this MLM business and you will especially want to hone in on your sales techniques.
1.DreamTrips App
World Ventures call this their “mobile-preneurship” because the idea is to be able to run your MLM business successfully anywhere in the world.
The training teaches how to build your business and operate it efficiently.
2. QUICKCOACH Video
Here is a short video of what’s inside the QuickCoach Video. I really like this. It’s too bad, the MLM companies I was involved with years ago didn’t have this kind of quick “coaching”. Who knows, I might still be doing MLM.
The videos are a quick way to help you do presentations, do team training, and weekly webinars.
Rather than contact your sponsor for instant help, the QUICKCOACH videos are supposed to be your training solution to get answers.
3. Events
These are live events where you can get motivated, get more training and tips by industry experts and hang out with kind-minded independent representatives.
In addition, you meet the executives of World Ventures and learn the latest in the MLM travel industry
4. Bootcamp
This is a weekend training to get you to become a top earner. You’ll be hanging out with World Ventures trainers who will push your mindset and get you energized to achieve success.
5. Workshops
The workshops are for self-development, self-discovery, and business building,
Who Is World Ventures Best Suited For?
If you have the following:
- Self-confidence
- A leader and motivator
- Capital to invest
- Experience doing Multi-Level Marketing or Network Marketing
- Can handle rejection
- Enjoy travelling with groups of people you don’t know
If you have these, you have the potential to do very well.
What I Like About World Ventures
1. Over a Decade of Success
World Ventures has been around for over a decade and have over 600 employees.
They also have some impressive rankings:
- 25th in the Direct Selling News Global 100 List
- #1 in the Top US Mid-Market Companies with sales of $926.6 million
- #1 in Consistent Growth from 2009 to 2016 of a 927% increase
- #2 in the $100 Million Growth Club in 2016 to $233 million2.
2. Price Guarantee
This one impressive!
If you book a DreamTrip and find a lower price within 7 days of when you booked your trip, they refund all your money and still book your trip.
3. Discounted Luxury Vacations
Members are saying they are getting top-notch luxury vacations on their discounted prices and are receiving more value than what they expected.
4. On-Site DreamTrip Host
You are welcomed by a host at the point of your destination who gives an orientation of how your vacation is planned and also present during your tours,
5. Monthly Fees Are Used For Your Future Vacations
Your monthly fees are converted into DreamTrips Points and accrued for your future vacations.
6. WorldVentures Foundation Fund
Since 2010, World Ventures has given back helping children’s lives all over the world by providing resources and hours of volunteer work.
What I Don’t Like About World Ventures
1.Expensive Memberships
If your intention is to make money with World Ventures, you need to have enough money set aside to pay the one-time fee and monthly fees.
The DreamTrips Gold Membership yearly as of this review is $963.86 USD and the Platinum Yearly Membership is $1,679.86 USD.
AND don’t forget the one-time fees, $279.98 for the Gold and $479.98 for the Platinum.
NOTE: Keep an eye out for price increases.
2. Solo Traveler
I travel alone and when you book your vacation with World Ventures, the discounted prices are based on 2 people. You can still book for 1 person but the prices are a lot higher and in my opinion, you can get a better deal thru Expedia and Red Tag for single.
You might want to consider having a friend or family member join you.
3. Discounted Vacation Trip Availability May Be Full
You may want to do your booking research first because the vacation you want may already be full which brings up the airfare.
4. Your Airfare is Not Included in DreamTrips Discounted Vacations
Be aware, unfortunately, DreamTrips discounted vacation prices do not include airfare.
You will need to do some researching on airfare and that will take up some of your valuable time.
The time frames will be a challenge when dealing with other party’s schedules. I use Red Tag and Expedia to book my airfare. You can also get some pretty good deals on discounted vacations and all-inclusive, especially on Red Tag.
5. Your Accrued DreamTrips Points May Not Be Fully Useable
To use all of your saved points, you will have to have at least 3000 points or have recruited 30 people in the Gold DreamTrips Membership or have recruited 15 people in the Platinum membership.
6. You Can Only Book Your Vacation On Their Specified Dates
World Travel is not flexible on booking the date you want to travel.. You have to go with the dates they give you.
7. Must Be Active To Earn Commissions
In order to earn commissions, you have to be actively recruiting people to the plan. This means a lot of “chasing after people” to get them to join.
8. Complicated Compensation Plan
Earlier I was trying to explain their Compensation Plan and when you look at their PDF, it’s extremely complicated. They use both the Binary and Linear MLM structure and all kinds of bonuses.
9. Potential Income is Low
Wondering how much MLM Representatives are possibly earning? Take a look at World Ventures 2016 Income Disclosure Statement (I can’t seem to find the 2017 and 2018 Statements).
- The Average Commission for a Representative is $245.11
- The Average Commission for an Active Representative is $243.44
- The Average Commission for a Qualified Representative is $1,125.34
Something is missing here…
Ya, this is what I did too… I looked at the Average Commissions first, BUT did you notice the percentages? They don’t total to 100% That’s because the rest of the Representatives weren’t making anything.
There are only 20% of the Representatives making money and that means 80% are not making anything. You can see this below…
10. Banned In Some Countries
South Africa banned World Ventures thru their National Consumer Commission saying it “may not fit well within the legal profile of an MLM business in Uganda”. World Ventures is fighting this as they have many Representatives there. Published March 28, 2019.
Norway is another country, where the Norwegian Supreme Court “declined WordVentures appeal” Published June 18, 2018.
11. Misleading
When I went into their website, I was unable to view any of the discounted prices of their vacation packages. Before you join and pay, wouldn’t you want to know whether you’re getting a good deal on your vacations?
To me, I found this misleading.
Is World Ventures A Scam Or A Pyramid Scheme?
World Ventures is not a scam. Pyramid schemes, in the US, are acceptable as long as the business provides information to the Independent Representatives so they can make their own informed decision.
This is why MLM companies need to have some kind of an Income Disclosure Statement showing how much Representatives can potentially make. While World Ventures has a 2016 Income Disclosure Statement, I haven’t been able to find their 2017, and 2018 Statements.
World Ventures does use the traditionally old “pyramid scheme” method. That is…
To recruit people, you have to pay for your membership(s) and make it back from what your recruits pay so someone is losing money for you to get paid.
What I like about World Ventures is they give you real vacation trips and also provide the necessary support and services so this is a very good thing for them and for you. If they didn’t do this, they would be a pyramid scheme.
I was involved with 3 MLM businesses at different times of my life and I know what It’s like to always be “chasing after people”. My family and friends, and their friends are too important to risk losing relationships and so I quit MLM.
As I previously mentioned, I’m a solo traveller… I’m not getting a good deal from World Ventures for travelling alone. I can get excellent discounted deals with Red Tag.
Don’t forget, you’re still paying the monthly fees if you can’t recruit 4 people and you also have to pay the airfare which is not included in your discounted DreamTrips vacation.
What if I told you that you don’t have to keep “chasing people” to make money?
What if I said, you can start your own online business for FREE? Would you be interested in learning how to do this?
The business model I’m talking about is my #1 Recommendation, Affiliate Marketing.
By now, you probably guessed I’m a member of Wealthy Affiliate. They are also my #1 Recommended Online Affiliate Marketing Training Platform. Why? They have a proven training system.
Meet RD40… CLICK HERE to read his story.
Meet Eric… CLICK HERE to read his success story.
Why choose Affiliate Marketing? Here are some more reasons…
- People come to you. You don’t have to chase people.
- No inventory.
- You can travel anywhere in the world and earn income while you sleep.
- You can have your own online business in any niche you like and help people by offering useful solutions to their needs or issues.
- Have the opportunity to earn and learn.
- FREE to join
Interested?
I hope I was able to give you helpful information. If you have any questions or comments or currently a member of World Ventures It would be awesome to hear from you. Please put them in the Comment Box below.
Thanks for reading,
Monica
Wow so glad you wrote about this Monica!
I have a first-hand bad experience with World Ventures when they were promoting DreamTrips to me. They asked me to come to their office in Publika Mall which is here in Malaysia for a get-together and where I got there, you’d be surprised how scary and awkward their place looked like.
The place looked empty as there were about 12 people only in total and they were trying to push everyone into joining their MLM. They were talking about how the travel industry is the second most money generating industry and that we can get a part of that and I wasn’t interested but they keep pushing and bothering me until I blocked them. These MLM people are just so annoying, I wouldn’t advise anyone to join anything if their sellers act like that because they’re not trying to help you, they only care about your money.
Their offer does look interesting though but if you do not travel often, you can save up more and get a better piece of mind rather than having those DreamTrips recruiters calling you often and asking when do you want to travel. Seriously, why do they actually do that, don’t they get the message that we’re not interested?
Hi Riaz,
I’m sorry you had to go thru that. I agree, there was absolutely no need to harass you or other guests like that.
That’s why the multi-level marketing turns people’s stomach inside out. You’re right, it’s all about making money for themselves. MLM is a tough business and a lot of “chasing” after people.
Exactly, if you don’t do a lot of travelling, you can save up more.
Monica
Monica,
World travel is one of my ultimate goals. I have heard of World Ventures but I didn’t know they are an MLM company.
Like you, when I do travel, I go to discount sites to book my trip and hotel.
I have an aversion to MLMs because recruiting family and friends goes against my natural instinct. No matter what, just the cost of getting into this program is outside of what I would want to spend anyway.
That’s interesting, only 20% of their reps are making money? It may not be a scam, but it does not look like a good idea or a good deal to me.
Thanks for the information, I think I’ll stay away from them.
Gwendolyn J
Hi Gwendolyn,
You’re welcome and thanks for your comment.
Multi-level marketing is a tough business to be in. The easiest way to get started is to approach family members and friends, and their friends. It’s a way for reps to get started and feel comfortable with the MLM industry, especially for beginners.
Monica
“Someone is losing money for you to get paid”, wow just sounds dirty. In honest ways of income, you give some and you get some. There is a generally equal mutual benefit, and even if someone’s making more profit, at least you’re not selling the other short. But this just sounds like you’re straight up duping and using others. Let alone the fact that it’s deliberately set up in a confusing way to look like you’re not losing out with the whole point conversion system.
Yeah, these kinds of services… I mean, at least they are giving you good vacations I suppose, and I can understand why they are getting more and more popular in the kind of world we live in (no offence to anyone lol),
but they just seem nasty once you know what they’re about. Definitely not something I would want to get involved in.
Hi Faheem,
The discounted vacations are good for couples but not so good if you travel on your own. Either way, it’s still going to cost extra because the airfare is not included.
A lot of people get into MLM because they like the incentives but the sad part is so many of them lose a lot of money.
Thanks for your comment.
Monica
I am only interested in the business side of this company. However I am skeptical since it is deemed a pyramid scheme in some countries. Moreover, convincing people you don’t know to join such schemes is quite a challenge; I have joined a pyramid scheme before. By the way would the company care for your visas when you are a member? Thank you so much for the review.
Hey Seth,
I agree, I used to do MLM for a few years and can definitely say, convincing people to join was extremely challenging. Many of them were already skeptical of even the word “MLM”. It’s like they would come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid me. It was a continuous “chasing after people”. It wasn’t worth my time and I did lose money.
Good question… I don’t have the answer to that one. I can do some more researching and if I find anything, I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Thanks for your comment.
Monica
Excellent insights into how World Ventures work.
This seems like a very nice initiative to give vacations to most people and offer them luxury. But then, reading through I realized that the cons outweigh the pros. The price is too much for me to invest in and also with no clearly laid out means of earning cash and all these shady things associated with it, I’m not comfortable with it. It seems scary enough to invest in seriously.
Maybe if I learn more about them I might change my mind. Thanks!
Hi Darrick,
Sadly, I couldn’t come up with more pros, lol…
I’m glad you did your research here. We all need to do our due diligence and protect our investment.
Thanks for your comment,
Monica