tvi-express-logoDespite being banned or under investigation in the US, Australia, China and parts of Africa, some countries seem to be happy to allow TVI to conduct business within their borders.

Some are even actively encouraging TVI Express to flourish. Take Indonesia for example who recently awarded TVI an ‘International Good Company Award. Apparently it was for TVI’s ‘best service excellence for year 2010-2011‘, but I haven’t been able to track down any independent information (in English or Indonesian) about this award or the ceremony, so who knows.

TVI are claiming the award is ‘one of the most prestigious business awards‘ in Indonesia and that it was presented to them by ‘Sjarifuddin Hasan, the Indonesian minister of cooperatives and small & medium enterprises‘, so you’d think there’d be at least some government or media coverage. Maybe I’m not trying hard enough but I’ve personally yet to see any.

Even the company supposedly organising the award ceremony, International Achievement Foundation, doesn’t appear to have any kind of web presence in English or Indonesian. I couldn’t find anything further about them as an organisation.

As such details about the nominations process, selection and eligibility criteria of the awards remain a mystery, or at the very least as vague as being awarded for being a ‘good company‘.

There is however some coverage of one of the other winners on the night, TimeZone (they run arcade gaming machine centres). This particular article acknowledges that TimeZone was ‘awarded International Good Company Award under the category of Best Entertainment & Service Excellence‘, so it appears as if the awards are legit.

Curiously though, the article also states that the awards were held on ‘on February 18‘, begging the question as to why only now, a month later, the results are being made public.

In other TVI news, TVI recently ran it’s March bootcamp training sessions in Dubai and it appears that CEO Tarun (Tharun?) Trikha himself made an appearance.

For a company that boasts ‘over three million members‘, the turnout appears to be rather small.

Trikha also names Thailand, Las Vegas, Australia and Uzbekistan as hosts of future bootcamps.

Australia being mentioned is particularly interesting as last I heard the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) weren’t too fond of TVI declaring it to be a pyramid scheme back in May last year.

Other announcements included

  • a proposed TVI office in Dubai
  • temporary incorporation of TVI Express from ‘something offshore’ which apparently counts as a trade license (jurisdiction unknown)
  • partnership with Priceline Partner Network (a hotel accommodation affiliate program)
  • the completion of ‘30% of our work for the lowest (?) international air flights‘ which appears to be a partnership with Pacfic Royale Airways.

Partnership with Priceline Partner Network appears to be non-exclusive as from what I can tell anyone can sign up to be an affiliate.

The partnership with Pacific Royale Airways however is interesting as the airline will operate as an Indonesian airline and is being funded by private investors;

Samudra Sukardi targets to launch the operation of his airline under the brand of PT Pacific Royale Airways by mid of this year, Investor Daily reported this morning.

Acting as project manager of Pacific Royale Airways, Samudra said the airline is jointly owned by investor from India and two local investors. He confirmed that Gunarni Gunawan is one of local investor.

Samudra Sukardi is apparently a former ‘Managing Director of Riau Airlines‘, but more interesting is the fact that Gunarni Gunawan is credited as the ‘Director of TVI Express Indonesia’.

Gunawan also used on TVI’s promotional image for their previously mentioned ‘International Good Company Award’ (I’m unsure whether she actually accepted the award on TVI’s behalf though).

Another investor in Pacific Royale is claimed to come from India, TVI Express Tarun Trikha’s home country… this particular investor hasn’t been named yet, but I reckon there’s a good possibility it’s Trikha himself.

At this stage the partnership between Pacific Royale Airways and TVI Express appears to be quite limited in a global sense;

He (Sukardi) said the international routes at an early stage is to connect cities in Indonesia and India.”Yes definitely going to India, because one of his shareholders from India”.

“”Currently we are conducting a feasibility study on domestic routes, potentially”.

So unless you’re living in Indonesia or India and wanting to travel between the two countries, TVI’s partnership, whatever the extent, probably isn’t going to have much of an impact.

Trikha claims Pacific Royale Airways is set to open in July this year, I guess we’re going to have to wait and see just how invested TVI is into this venture and what it means for the company as a whole.

Still, it’s the first I’d ever heard of it and as far as I know, the first direct investment in an airline by any MLM company ever.

Ambitious? You betcha!