Back in 2008, I went on a long summer weekend to Toronto. It was an unusual occurrence, since I went as a guest for a medical conference; regardless, it was exciting to explore on my own Canada’s largest city. The best perk was staying at the Fairmont Royal York, the legendary hotel of the same prominence as The Plaza in NYC.
Five years later, I am going back for another long weekend to Toronto, this time, for TBEX 2013, a conference on travel media. TBEX, the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, and new media content creators – will be holding their 2013 North American Conference at the Metro Convention Centre. Taking place on June 1st and 2nd, it’s the fifth annual TBEX and expected to be the biggest one yet. It’s my first time attending and I expect to leave enriched in more ways than one. Here’s why I’m going and why you should as well:
1. Meet 1,000 travel-obsessed individuals like yourself.
What can be better than that? I’ve always found travel meet-ups to be the best way to strike new friendships with other avid travelers. Some of my best travel friends today – that I initially met through Twitter – I eventually met at industry events.
Tip: Given more than 1,000 people signed up for the conference so far, I have no doubts it will be one big travel party. I cannot think of a better way to mingle with my favorite bunch of travel aficionados in the world.
2. Learn how to be a better travel blogger, new media content creator and photographer from the best in the field.
Throughout the two days, there are countless workshops on travel writing, blog design, brand building, storytelling, travel photography, monetizing your blog, pitching stories, leveraging social media and many more.
Tip: Given the endless pool of resources and panels available, the first items I would pack would be notebooks, recording devices and lots of coffee. Here is the full TBEX schedule.
3. Meet some unbelievable speakers you wouldn’t have the chance otherwise.
Living in New York City, I’ve been pretty lucky so far at meeting travel “mentors.” I’ve met and mingled with the likes of Pauline Frommer, David Farley, Seth Kugel and attended multiple Matador Network events, as well as travel shows. But nothing compares to the magnitude of TBEX, where they will all be in one place.
Tip: I suggest picking a few favorite workshops to attend so you don’t get overwhelmed from the first half of the first day. In terms of talking with the speakers, I would find the seat closest to the speaker and head to him/her as soon as the workshop ends. Be yourself and come prepared with your questions in advance; everyone wants to speak to them, so you only have a few seconds to make a lasting impression and set the tone for an ongoing friendship.
4. Go on speed dating.
That’s right! But not the kind of speed dating you would think 🙂 rather, take advantage of the VERY rare opportunity of going on one-to-one meetings with your favorite tourism boards, PR representatives and sponsors. This is the part I am most looking forward to, as it’s a great way to connect with the right people for my niche.
Tip: Go prepared with a killer media kit and a list of reasons why they should hire/sponsor you or send you on press trips.
5. Spend a few days in a cool city like Toronto.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and the capital of Ontario. You can spend a few days discovering the various facets of the city. Toronto is architecturally rich, as well as a great hub for arts, culture and outdoor activities. I look forward to going up the CN Tower again, visit the elegant Casa Loma, reminisce my time at the Fairmont and actually visit the state-of-the-art Royal Ontario Museum.
Tip: Take advantage of the complimentary TBEX experiences taking place on May 30th, 31st and June 3rd. I signed up for Architecturally Toronto, a decision I marinated for one whole day 🙂
TBEX is a community of more than 6,000 members. You never know who will lead you to your big break or the press trip you’ve been waiting for.
I bought my ticket back in November as an early bird special; I only paid $77. If you haven’t purchased a ticket yet, there’s still time. You can register today for $127. Don’t miss the greatest travel event of the year, or its European counterpart in Dublin.
Hope to see you there!
