WT Society, Travel agency? Latest money making scheme?

by dropoffyourkeylee 23 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Newly Enlightened

  I've talked to a few elders I know that have put these packages together in the past. I don't know about nowadays, but in the 90's I was told that the WTBT$ gets some 'comp' rooms in those cities, and other 'perks' from the city & businesses, they offer them to the poor publishers at astronomical costs and pocket almost 1/2.

  Don't know if it's true or not. But I do know that a letter to the body of elders for visiting NY headquarters that the WTBT$ gets your reward points for staying at the listed motels. This is from an earlier post. Thanks again Atlantis

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/243848/1/Bethel-Tour-anyone-Stay-at-any-of-these-hotels-Pay-with-your-credit-card-but-the-Bethel-Branch-will-get-the-Reward-Points-NOT-YOU
• 

  blondie

  There are several hoops to jump through to qualify "spiritually" to go on one of these tours. No party boys or girls, at least not obvious ones. Then after those hoops are jumped through and you qualify, you find out the price. So an organization that discourages higher education, trying to get ahead financially, has trips that only people like that can afford. Some save for some time, one sold her car, etc., for this "privilege."

  Many times any side trips are extra and pricy. Remember these are tours and where you stay, where you eat, travel arrangements are pre-determined. Hard to save on that. I'm sure you don't get a breakdown of the charges. Remember many times jws can get better prices for hotels at the conventions on their own than through the WTS.

  Just as in rooms for conventions, these companies (owned by jws) get a kickback and certain people get free trips.
• 

  tiki

  in this age of internet applications, travel arrangements are very easy to make and a little patience and brain power and you can really knock down the cost. You don't need a middle-man these days to get a cut of the action......make your own plans, people.......
• 

  MrFreeze

  For the international convention in Germany we used the WT's pre-arranged stuff and with tours/hotels/some meals (came with tours)/airfare, I think we paid 2000 per person for a week. That didn't include restaurants we went to on our own as well as souvenirs and other stuff.
• 

  88JM

  It's funny you should say that, Blondie, about "no party boys" at the Internationals...

  I lost my virginity at my first international convention (well not at the convention itself, but at the hotel of course). The next international, I was sneaking my dates back through the hotel lobby in the morning afterwards. Visiting other places is a great opportunity to meet people - not always JWs either!

  This will all be in part 3 of my story if I ever get around to writing it!
• 

  blondie

  http://www.wegieltours-wcs.com/PARJW/ParisBrochureWegielTours.pdf

  http://www.wegieltours-wcs.com/POZJW/PoznanBrochureWegielTours.pdf
• 

  Bella15

  They get comps, rebates at the end of the year like any other company or business.
• 

  Anony Mous

  $2500 for 1 day in Paris (half at the WTHQ) and 4 days in a stuffy convention hall? Better be some really good boxed lunches. Back and forth from NYC to Paris is ~$400 for the flight, staying in Paris is about $100/night and 5 boxed lunch @$20 is another $100 so that's $1000, the shuttle, breakfast etc is usually included, dinner isn't included in these trips it seems like. 1 day in Paris " passing by the major landmarks" is ~$20 for the bus, all the WT stuff is free. And for only $500 more I get to have a boat ride on the Seine ($20) and a visit to Versaille ($30 incl. fare).

  I've been to Villepinte (used to live near there) the JW's open the doors as running the airco was too expensive) which if you were in the section near the doors got you sun burn and the heat in or near Paris mid-summer is deadly not to mention smelly as hundreds of busses start up when the program ends (European visitors will spend about $300pp and 6 hours on chartered busses each way getting to and from the place - wake up at 4am to get to the congregation chartered bus at 5:30 to get there right as the song starts and then leave right away to get home a little before midnight)
• 

  Scott77

  	As wise men over the globe and over time have discovered to their financial delight, there is more than one way to fleece willing sheep... Baaaaa Hum bug...
  	steve2

  I think, that was a noteworthy comment. " ...to fleece willing sheep" really caught my attention. Anyway, what can you expect from an evil organisation?

  Scott77
• 

  smiddy

  "Their is more than one way to skin a cat"...remember a cat has nine lives , so using that analogy the WTB&TS can screw you over 9 times , or put another way, nine ways they can suck the money out of you , and beleive me thats their agenda , making money .You want proof ? I`m sorry I cant give you proof , though my wife and I went through the societys arrangement years ago for a convention they were organizing from anywhere in Australia to the Isle of Tasmania ,Hobart .In hindsight we could have got a much better deal and been a lot closer to the assembly venue .And their were a few who confided in us as to what they paid what we paid and what we got for our money .The bottom line is their were not a few who were satisfied with their deal .But dont forget at that time we were full blown beleivers .This would have been well before 1990`s

  smiddy