TBEX - worth it?

[Islandboy50]

Is anyone signed up to do the Travel Blog Exchange event in NYC for 2010 or have some past experience with it as a participant -- and I mean, not as a speaker, not an instructor, not a vested interest holder of any kind in this event, just an attendee - who has some insights on what this is targeted at in terms of blogging in the travel sphere? Are the workshops or seminars aimed exclusively at the single-model blogger-only person with no active stake or experience in other media, or are they tailored to wider varieties of blogs beyond people who do the mass-marketing blogging from their own self-standing blogsite?

[Sheila]

Since I'll be there as a speaker, this is our golden opportunity for professional bonding. I look forward to buying you a libation of your choice.

I wouldn't have asked to be considered as a panelist if I hadn't been so impressed by what I heard about last year's event, from people I trust. I don't buy plane tickets lightly these days.

[Nancy D.]

Last year was the first TBEX conference, and, as such, the organizers did a fabulous job putting together the panels and panelists. I was speaking on the travel panel at BlogHer the prior day and attended TBEX as a main stream travel blogger, as well as a paid blogger for Uptake.com. Personally, I thought the conference was a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow bloggers in real life. The room was packed with enthusiastic bloggers of all levels.

I have made my plane reservations to attend this years TBEX in New York City. As for TBEX being worth the price? The TBEX organizers have bent over backwards to make this gathering affordable. The early bird ticket was a whopping $40. Granted, we don't know the NY location yet, so we can't begin searching for affordable lodging, but the conference itself is well worth the price.
@Nancydbrown

[Mary Jo]

I feel like there's some sub-text to your question, but will give it a go nonetheless.

The focus is on travel blogging, not general travel writing or other media. Bloggers range from individuals doing their own thing to those who are part of larger commercial sites. You'll find people for whom it's a hobby (and want it to be more) to people who have a blog as part of their portfolio of writing to people for whom it's a full time gig.

If you are looking for an event focusing on travel BLOGGING as opposed to travel WRITING, you'll probably like the event and get a lot of out it. There will be good discussions on topics ranging from ethics to technology to economics, and plenty of time for networking. If you're looking for somewhere to workshop your writing, or a more writing focused conference, this probably isn't what you're looking for.

[Islandboy50]

"I was speaking on the travel panel at BlogHer the prior day and attended TBEX as a main stream travel blogger, as well as a paid blogger for Uptake.com."

Well, at least you're frank about the extent of your working agenda, Nancy D., and that's fine actually. But your focus in a general way is on blogging, whether that's for your own site or on a larger site or promoting your visibility through appearing on an event panel. And that's not at all where I'm coming from. I'm much more marginally interested in just developing a working site that's just a sideline to what I do in print media, which will always be my primary focus. Now, if this TBEX was being staged at a location that was easier and more affordable to reach or at least coincided with other tasks I had to do in NYC -- meet up with publicists, do some possible interviews with people based in the city, or do any other necessary research on the ground there -- then that would be fine too. But that's not in the cards for June. And to be going instead solely for the purpose of TBEX and the off-chance of meeting people who are mostly totally into the blogosphere? With what airfare and hotels costs in NYC? (...and I don't get deep discount because I don't work as a FLIGHT ATTENDANT). Obviously, it would never be worth it in my case.

So, I wish you a swell and productive time since that's your media zone, Nancy. But personally? I think I'll be seeking out a conference that's organized by a mainstream travel writing or just writing organization and which possibly also has the type of workshops and speakers that speak directly to travel journalists who are growing more presence online, but do not identify themselves as the type of blogger who works mostly on the principle of driving massive traffic to a self-managed website or someone else's that they're working for.

[Islandboy50]

"Since I'll be there as a speaker, this is our golden opportunity for professional bonding."

Come at least half-way back to the world of print and we might actually find a meeting place to do all that, Sheila. Or at least a place where it's not all about how you have 40,000 twitter followers as the definition of success. Naming no names, and not referring to you, because I think from previous stuff you've said that you've at least reserved judgment about how the future in media is really really going to play out, and haven't put all your eggs in one basket.

But for aforementioned reasons outlined above, I don't think this particular event is either in my self interest or my budget. There are also some things that send up a red flag to me anyway as far as the personalities involved directly, most of whom would (a) not want me there at this point even if I were of a mind to attend, and (b) I likewise have doubts about their agenda and track record. Kim M a n c e doesn't answer twitters about this event, and there's other past stuff about her and the Galavanting shenanigans even on this small forum. Likewise, there are other travel bloggers involved directly in this and the other recent similar events -- i.e., the one they just had in Vegas -- with whom I have some major ongoing issues and vice versa. "East is east, and west is west" my dear

[Sheila]

Awww, IslandBoy50, was happy for the chance to look you in the eyeballs at last....

Seriously, I think you'd find that the event will draw plenty of folks who simply share a love of travel and like to talk about it with others, but yes, they want to talk about it online, probably not in print, so maybe SATW or ASJA or those conferences would suit you better. Now that I think about it, the perfect one for you might be the annual one in Corte Madera CA, Book Passage. It's August 2010 - http://www.bookpassage.com/content.php?id=45 Kinda pricey but I've heard wonderful things about it.

Yes, I do write for print, but mostly for "Texas Highways" these days (my latest articles were Sept 2009 and Jan 2010.) They're wonderful, the pay is decent and the editors are great, but neither article is online, and that's the problem. The future (hell, the present!) is online and mobile. I like both of those communications mediums and I'm good at them, so that's where I'm staying.

That doesn't mean that I don't love print - I do - but not enough to remain bolted down on the Titanic. There will always be room for print and I'll keep my hand in when it suits me; there are many advantages to it. I like to take conference notes in a notebook, for example, because it always boots up and I can spill things on it and drop it. Geeks laugh at me, but I don't care any more than I care about your judgment of me. I'm 48, I'm retired military, and if it isn't cancer or someone shooting at me, I really don't give a rat's ass.

So, come to TBEX and enjoy the company of fellow travelers who like to connect. Or don't. Whatever. Hell, I'll still buy you a libation someday if we're in the same town. I guarantee you'll enjoy it more than you think you will.

[Mamabeah]

I think I'm going to sign up for my first TBEX ever based on the good things I've heard about it. I'm not a "blogger" per se, as I don't have my own blog up (yet). But I do write for some blogs and I'm hoping this will be a chance to learn some things before I jump in and create my own site.

The good thing is, I can get to the city in less than 2 hours, so I'll be saving $$ on transport and hotel expenses, but I can see how that might be a deterrent for those who must travel far to get here.

My advice? Stay in Brooklyn if you can and save loads of $$.

[Islandboy50]

Sheila,

learn to read for content and meaning - being, in your case, learn to read what is there instead of ignoring it, and learn to not insert red herrings and tangents to make points that are way wide of the mark at best.

I said initially, that I was not interested in hearing from someone who had any connection to that event. You, of course, within hours reply and are speaking at that TBEX event. You are paid by them, and you are here running a shill months in advance for something that you have a vested interest in seeing succeed and along the way enhancing your own visibility in that arena. Period. End of story as far as your relevance or integrity right there.

I then tell you that I'm not interested in that event. You then persist yet again within hours with more of the predictable stuff about connecting with "fellow travelers". I could do that better and with less obnoxious people on a Carnival Cruise Line nightmare even out of your state, but again that's not the point. The point isn't about connecting with fellow travelers, the point is about deciding the best venues in 2010 that speak accurately to what you want to do in media. And TBEX/BlogWorld/Blogamania type events are not it from everything I have now since read elsewhere along with the people speaking/leading/organizing/tweeting them. It's really as simple as that. Got it yet?

Furthermore, with your limited experience of anything in print you are in no position to assess four hundred plus years of human history in communication as just a sinking Titanic, whatever that's supposed to mean. I'm sure people like Kim M a n c e will be pleased with your strenuous attempts at disparaging print journalists and media and working the online forums six months in advance for TBEX, but on this occasion at least you make zero headway. Who you are, where you are, how old you are, what you otherwise did in the past, how you intend to have a showdown when you "look someone in the eyeball" are also more of the same gibberish. God only knows how you get after a "libation", but thankfully I'll never be finding out.

[Sheila]

Ah, always the sweetness and light from Mr. Sunshine....