Travel Meet-Up at BlogHer '08

 Hey Pam,

We missed you at the Travel meet-up.  As predicted, 40 minutes was not nearly enough time.  We went around the filled room at the St. Francis with brief introductions and Moderator Suzanne Reisman put up some topics for discussion and then it was time to clear the room for the next group. 

Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby ( http://www.deliciousbaby.com ) generously offered to compile a list of names and contact information from attendees.  It was also suggested that we track back here to leave our contact information.

There were several public relations executives in attendance expressing interest in reaching out to our group.  Uptake.com ( http://www.uptake.com ) was interested in creating a community for travel writers.  We also discussed the importance of a travel panel for 2009.  If the BlogHer organizers agree with the travel panel, I would like to put my hat in the ring as a panelists.  The idea of regional travel meet ups was suggested.  I would happily coordinate a Bay Area meet up if we have the interest.

Im off to central Oregon for a week.  Adios.

Nancy Brown

What a Trip ( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-a-Trip/ )

Twitter ( http://twitter.com/WhataTrip )WhataTrip

( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-A-Trip/ )

And did you blog about it?

You know I want to know your thoughts, right? Blog links, right here, stuff you want to say privately to my email. 

Please and thank you.

pam (at) nerdseyeview (dot) com

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

I hope I am not wearing out my welcome here with multiple posts.  Frankly, I was surprised and disappointed that BlogHer didn't have a travel session at the conference.  As this is my first time attending I will hold off on further comments until I have fully experienced BlogHer.

I always enjoy panel discussions at travel writer conferences because multiple opinions are offered from experts.  Having a knowledgeable moderator with a sense of humor is key for a panel's success.  We had an awesome blog panel at the 2007 Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference in Corte Madera last August.  You can read my review of the conference here. ( http://writetotravel.blogspot.com/2007/08/guest-bl... ) 

If successful travel bloggers are willing, it might be fun to have a newbie blogger paired with a pro travel blogger for brief one-on-one sessions to review a blog.  This could be done in advance of the conference if folks signed up for a mini blog review. 

BlogHer could offer a travel blog field trip where bloggers visited a site near the conference, wrote about their experience and then met up for a session and discussed the field trip.  What made the visit unique?  Why would a reader want to visit your blog to learn about this destination?  Yadda, yadda.

I can't imagine 40 minutes is adequate for a travel writer meet-up.  I'll see how it goes, but if I were planning a session I'd ask for bios from all participants with links to websites, as Suzanne did, and I would send a list to participants ahead of the conference so folks could "pre-function" before the conference.  I'd also schedule a dinner for anyone who wanted to get together during the conference and further discuss travel.  It could be a pay-your-own-way dinner, or if I had time, I'm sure I could find a travel website who wanted to *sponsor* a dinner or cocktail party open to travel bloggers.  Afterall, we are an influential segment of the blogging community aren't we?

I'm sorry you won't be attending Pam.  It would have been great to meet the BlogHer Travel Editor IRL.  Suzanne, I'm looking forward to the Meet-up.

Nancy Brown

http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-a-Trip/

( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-A-Trip/ )

Personally, I'd like to know what would make you, travelbloggers, more likely to come to the BlogHer site in search of travel information. And if BlogHer were to have a full blown session devoted to travel, what you'd find worth your while. 

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

Hi,

My name is Nancy Brown and I write a travel column "What a Trip" and have a blog by the same name on the Bootsnall website.  You can read more about me on my BlogHer profile by clicking here. ( http://www.blogher.com/haystackprofile/viewprofile... )

This will be my first BlogHer conference and I look forward to attending the newbie party and Friday's meet up.  Pam has been very patient with all of my blogging questions as I am a travel writer first and a blogger second. 

I would love to hear your take on what makes a successful travel blog.

What about social networking for travel bloggers?

How to dial in your your audience.

If you have the chance, I'd love any feedback you'd like to offer on my What a Trip ( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-a-Trip/ ) blog. 

I select Bootsnall to host my blog because I know nothing about HTML or SEO.  The site is easy to post to, but I am not able to utilize buttons such Digg, StumbleUpon, etc. because I don't have access to the programming.  Are these features important to a successful blog?  (More a general blogging question than a MeetUp question.)

So many questions, so little time.  I look forward to meeting you and learning as much as I can at BlogHer.

Nancy Brown

What a Trip ( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-a-Trip/ )

( http://blogs.bootsnall.com/What-A-Trip/ )

My name is Debbie & I blog about traveling with kids.  On my blog, I share my own experiences and tons of tips and advice for making travel with kids easier and more fun.

i'd mostly love to hear about what others are blogging about & why, but I would also love to talk about:

-keeping the blog alive when I'm not traveling

-creative ways to fund traveing

-different types of travel articles (news, tips, journals, etc) what do you find that your readers like/don't like 

 Debbie Dubrow

making travel with kids fun @ www.deliciousbaby.com ( http://www.deliciousbaby.com )

Thank you for the kind introduction, Pam! I am disappointed that you will not be able to attend, but looking forward to meeting all the other great travelbloggers! PLEASE leave comments and links to your URL on this post, as I would definitely love the chance to "meet" you before the conference. The more input you have, the better our session will be.

Last year, I blogged about my trips to London; Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur; southern Florida; Florence, Milan, and Rome; Memphis; Chicago (where my parents live and I grew up); and the exotic New Jersey shore. As Pam mentioned, I currently live in New York City, and I just wrote a book about visiting some of the more unusual and off-beat attractions in my adopted home. Again, I can't wait to meet you, hear where you've been/are going, and talk about travel blogging and writing.

Suzanne Reisman ( http://blogher.org/member/suzanne ), Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender ( http://blogher.org/topic/feminism-gender )
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants ( http://cussandotherrants.com/ )

I'll be there on Friday & am looking forward to meeting everyone. I'm curious about social networking for travel bloggers, too, and also striking the right balance between good (if not always exciting) travel information and travel inspiration (which is fun to read but not always practical). I also wonder if there are specific methods to increase the likelihood that people will comment on posts - I know people are looking at my site, but they don't tend to comment. I'd love to have more interaction with my readers.

Thanks!

Jessica
One Stop Italy Travel Guide ( http://www.italylogue.com )