Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Del Toro.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I helped my parents in their travel agencies in Brownsville, San Antonio and Cancun from 1983 to 1997, and upon graduating from Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas, I went to work for American Airlines at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport as a passenger service airport operations bilingual agent. I soon became a customer service manager at the international terminal. I shortly realized that my colleagues and I loved our flight benefits, and so in 1998 I came up with the idea of creating an exclusive vacation savings program to offer airline employees so that they can receive significant savings at resorts, hotels, cruises and other travel-related services through pre-negotiated discounts and rates! Furthermore, I was able to develop a similar concept to the free flight privileges airlines offer their employees, but in the hospitality industry, providing free luxury stays by just paying the equivalent of taxes and government resort fees at select AAA-Five Diamond Category Private Residence Clubs, Estates and Resorts around the world. In 2001, I was also able to include government personnel in my subscriber-base. We have now launched to offer these same benefits and privileges to the general public worldwide, not profiting on the vacation reservations, to pass all the savings to our subscribers, and we just profit off of the affordable subscription service we offer! Additionally, our subscribers receive their subscription service for free, after the rebate program we have through restaurant gift cards that can be used at over 18,000 restaurants nationwide in the USA. These restaurants are small businesses, as we prefer to support them, rather than large corporations and franchises. I am passionate about helping families be able to afford luxury vacations around the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The travel industry is one that always suffers when some crisis is going on in the world. We have been through several in the past 23 years, I can remember that in Y2K many canceled their travel plans, then shortly after 9/11 happened, several years later the swine flu crisis in 2009, the Mayan Calendar ending in February 2012, Ebola in 2013-2014 and currently, COVID19, to name a few. We have been very blessed, however, to have a 96% loyalty rate, and thanks to our subscription model, we have been able to survive all these difficult financial times of the world. We have had several corporate giants offer to acquire our company, all of which I have rejected because I am on a personal mission to leave a legacy to the world so everyone in the world can have the ability to afford luxury vacations and be able to explore the fabulous world God has created for us to see and experience.
As you know, we’re big fans of Five Diamond Club. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Unlike all other travel companies, we do not profit on the vacation reservations, and we do not lease the network. Therefore popular regular resort rates, travel sites and travel agencies that have to go through the GDS system are usually about triple the amount than our rates, timeshares and vacation ownership club maintenance fees are typically about double than our rates, and travel clubs, MLMs and travel network marketing companies are usually about 20 to 45 percent more than our rates. We also have the largest network offering more than 32,000 resorts; 700,000 hotels; and 3 million of other types of accommodations including homes, condos, apartments, igloos, bungalows, camping sites, glamping, cabins, yachts, and more! Furthermore, we offer a one-stop-shop full service, as we offer you the best airline rates and deep savings on your cruises, vacation packages, car rentals, trains, buses, ferries, excursions, tours, concert and show tickets, theme parks, water parks, golf, spa, movies, and other entertainment worldwide in 195 countries and all continents. Finally, our subscribers receive 20% to 50% savings at 547,000+ restaurants and at over 360,000 stores and services for their daily expenses!
The main privilege of our subscription is the deep discounts you receive at luxury resorts, estates, residences and private residence clubs!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I learned rapidly that it was best for us to offer an affordable subscription service rather than follow the regular travel agency or travel site business model. I did not want to profit from reservations like other companies and wanted to pass on all the savings. This permits me to compete against major corporations in the travel industry, and it permits me the time freedom I enjoy by providing online access to all my subscribers. It also affords the ability to have an incredible lifestyle of living on vacation permanently, as it permits us to have a sustainable passive income.
Pricing:
- Monthly Subscription for only $50, after a one-time enrollment fee of $200
- Annual Subscription for only $600
- Permanent Virtual Subscription at only $3,000 + $30/month (locked-in forever)
- Permanent Plus Conciérgé Level Membership at only $10,000 + $100/month (locked-in forever)
- Visionary Partner for only $9,975 + $95/month
- Ambassador Referrer Program with Benefits, Incentives & Overrides to Earn Residual Referral Fees at only $45/month
- Affiliate Partner to Earn Ongoing Referral Fees with no benefits at only $1/week
Contact Info:
- Email: lic.michaeldeltoro@fivediamondclub.com
- Website: https://www.fivediamondclub.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivediamondclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefivediamondclub
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaeldeltoro1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVTjg8OhAyg&t=20s
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/five-diamond-club-fort-worth-3
- SoundCloud: https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/fort-worth/profile/travel-agency/five-diamond-club-0825-1000194452/#sealclick
- Other: https://calendly.com/fivediamondclub
