Hey there, you wildly successful travelpreneur!
After sending out last week’s newsletter issue which was the first in our series about networking at travel or blogging conferences I got a lot of replies with questions.
One of the main questions was: Do I need an invite to attend travel or blogging conferences?
The answer: It depends on the conference.
Let me explain.
Some travel trade conferences are by invitation only. Some are open for everyone to attend but have a fee unless you register as a media attendee. Blogger conferences, on the other hand, are open to anyone who blogs but they tend to have a fee attached and since everyone who attends is technically “media” you can’t avoid the cost by registering as such as you would for a travel trade show.
The first conference I ever attended was the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Africa, at the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in South Africa’s beautiful Mother City (Cape Town).
Now, ILTM is a rather exclusive and intimate travel trade conference. But since I was senior travel writer & editor for Rare Magazine (now TrooRa) at the time, I was invited to be one of the 6 hosted media attendees. They paid for my flights, accommodation, selected meals, and activities. Plus, I got to network with PR agents and travel brands in the luxury travel market (worth more to me than the sponsorship).
Immediately after the ILTM I also attended the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa, which was a much larger travel market open for anyone to attend. For this conference, I simply registered my interest in being a media attendee which gave me free access to attend over the 3 days while also setting up meetings to network with key PRs and brands.
As you can see, it’s important to spend some time researching the conference you want to attend to find out whether you need to be invited, register as media for a free ticket, or pay to attend.
Because of the state of the world (pandemic/war) and the fact that we’re traveling with a baby (who is still getting used to traveling) I’ve decided to only attend local conferences this year again. So, in April we’ll be heading to Cape Town to attend the WTM Africa and I’ll be tuning in to the virtual version of ILTM via Africa Travel Week.
Will you be attending one of these this year? Reply or leave me a comment to let me know so that we can connect!
Travel/Blogging Conferences to Attend in 2022
*Please note this is just a small selection of options - there are tons of others happening all around the world. Here is a comprehensive list.
Wanderfest - New Orleans for travel bloggers/influencers.
TravMedia IMM – Australia for all types of travel media.
Meet The Media - Dublin for bloggers, influencers & travel media.
Work Wanderers Retreats – Cape Town for digital nomads.
Adventure Travel Show - London for travel bloggers, writers & photographers.
TBEX Europe 2022 - Spain for all types of travel media.
Digital Travel Summit - USA for all types of travel media.
NATJA – North American Travel Journalists Association - Puerto Rico for travel media & DMOs.
Women in Travel Summit 2022 - Kansas for female travel bloggers.
Digital Travel Summit APAC - Singapore for travel industry experts.
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All Roads North is looking for a Destination Specialist with a passion for the United States as a destination and luxury travel. Learn more about the position and apply here.
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Paid Writing Opportunities ✍️
Nat Geo Travel’s associate editor has tweeted, “Looking for spring TRAVEL stories with a superlative & timely hook. Leaning away from people/company profiles, galleries/listicles & food/drink stories.” “We love relevant and timely travel articles that provide a deeper look at destinations, trends, and travel experiences through the National Geographic lenses of science, culture and history, wildlife and wild spaces, conservation, and community.” They will pay $800 to $1,000. If interested, email starlight.williams@natgeo.com. For more information, refer to their associate editor’s Twitter thread and their pitch guidelines
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Interesting Reads... 📰
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Bonus Content 🤩
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Creator Shout-Out 📣
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Travel Plans ✈️
This week we’re heading to another Garden Route gem for Kai’s second trip. We’re partnering with Gondwana Game Reserve and can’t wait for a relaxing stay in one of their luxury Bush Vilas! Follow along on my Instagram or Twitter accounts to see this beautiful destination.
What are your upcoming travel plans? Please share them with us in the comments 👇 and link to your platforms so we can follow you along your journey!
Until next week…
With love,
Daniella
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