Jim Miller founded MTI Vacations in 1972. Jim had spent 3 years following graduation from Michigan State selling affinity group travel programs for American Express. Like most entrepreneurs, Jim simply decided that he preferred independence and subsequently began putting large groups together on his own. That business was boom or bust, with a little too much of the latter. When, in 1975 the govern
ment finally legitimized marketing charters for the general public, Jim was one of the 1st to capitalize on that new opportunity by starting back-to-back charter operations from Chicago to Las Vegas. For 6 years, MTI Vacations was a small but prosperous Chicago-based charter operation with programs to Las Vegas, the Bahamas and finally Honolulu. The company developed a reputation for good value and integrity...and especially for delivering what we promised. Despite the fundamental simplicity of the charter business. MTI invested heavily in systems and technology in order to assure a smooth, fail-safe, low cost delivery capability. This marketed the beginning of MTI's long-standing tradition to invest heavily in technology...a tradition that expalins much of MTI's success. In 1978, the airline industry was deregulated...and that marked the beginning of the end for a lot of charter operations and for a lot of tour operators who eventually did not survive more hostile, complex times. Believing that charters were becoming "fossilized", MTI redirected its attention to more conventional package vacation distribution via bulk-fare and tour operator programs. To support this marketing direction, large investments were made in hardware and software development with Trips I going on-line in 1982. MTI's mission was to offer unsurpassed value, convenience and reliability ...nationwide ... to popular vacation destinations which included Las Vegas, Reno, Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean and California.
