Comments on: How Bloggers Can Work With Tourism Boards http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/ Learn How Human Business Works - Beyond Social Media Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:55:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: ridwanzero http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-191384 ridwanzero Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:01:10 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-191384 If you really did find a working formula that made you, say $1,000 a week online on average and it kept producing income no matter what, would you want to sell that idea to a bunch of noobs for $47 a pop and expect to retire on the proceeds? No way, man! It does not compute. It does not add up. And it does not make any sense to do that. I certainly don’t go shouting from the rooftops how I make my money online. Hell, I don’t want the competition taking a slice of my pie and neither would anyone who really does make good cash online. <br><br><a href="http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com" rel="nofollow">www.onlineuniversalwork.com</a> If you really did find a working formula that made you, say $1,000 a week online on average and it kept producing income no matter what, would you want to sell that idea to a bunch of noobs for $47 a pop and expect to retire on the proceeds? No way, man! It does not compute. It does not add up. And it does not make any sense to do that. I certainly don’t go shouting from the rooftops how I make my money online. Hell, I don’t want the competition taking a slice of my pie and neither would anyone who really does make good cash online.

http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com

]]> By: Shellie L http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-182011 Shellie L Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:17:29 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-182011 There is no voice like a local voice to give insights to an area. Thanks for this article, I will be passing it on to some innkeepers I know - who also blog as I do. You are right Mark, we are our own tourist board. This is what brings them into our area! Websites can only show so much. :) Here is my blog - http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/ There is no voice like a local voice to give insights to an area. Thanks for this article, I will be passing it on to some innkeepers I know – who also blog as I do. You are right Mark, we are our own tourist board. This is what brings them into our area! Websites can only show so much. :) Here is my blog – http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Mauritius WHL.travel http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-165891 Mauritius WHL.travel Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:57:12 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-165891 It would be a great concept but I believe that it will NOT work in countries where special interest groups are not able to hijack the Tourist Board/Blog. Even worse scenario is where Tourist Board have become a Political tool or a few persons private playground to favor some take holders. Take Mauritius, Why does the Tourist Board and the Tourist Authorities not list all Accommodation providers from the B&B to the 5 star Resort to the little tour operator on their website? This way they would support the every stakeholder equally and if there should be a tip to one of the sites; should it not be in the favor of "The Other Side of ....." promoting the country hidden asset such at the little Eco & Adventure operator, the off the beaten track lodge/guest house rater the big hotel group or the Resort part of an International hotel chain. I mean it not be course of Hilton or Taj that I travel to a country without saying that these hotel have not right to be part of a Tourist Board/Blog. It would be a great concept but I believe that it will NOT work in countries where special interest groups are not able to hijack the Tourist Board/Blog.
Even worse scenario is where Tourist Board have become a Political tool or a few persons private playground to favor some take holders.
Take Mauritius, Why does the Tourist Board and the Tourist Authorities not list all Accommodation providers from the B&B to the 5 star Resort to the little tour operator on their website?
This way they would support the every stakeholder equally and if there should be a tip to one of the sites; should it not be in the favor of “The Other Side of …..” promoting the country hidden asset such at the little Eco & Adventure operator, the off the beaten track lodge/guest house rater the big hotel group or the Resort part of an International hotel chain. I mean it not be course of Hilton or Taj that I travel to a country without saying that these hotel have not right to be part of a Tourist Board/Blog.

]]> By: jessie voigts http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-165383 jessie voigts Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:30:39 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-165383 this is a great topic for conversation. we've got two trips scheduled in the next few months and have contacted the major tourist boards so that we can share events, attractions, and restaurants with our readers on our site, http://www.WanderingEducators.com. here's what happened: chicago - contacted both tourist boards (and the chinatown organization) several times - NO response. minneapolis (actually, explore minnesota) - lots of help and really getting us into both major attractions and off-the-beaten-path events. you can bet that minneapolis (a cool city in and of itself) will get a lot more face time on our site, and many more recommendations, than will chicago. explore minnesota gets a lot of credit from me. why don't more tourist boards pay attention to these sorts of things? we have a large readership and a highly educated audience. this is a great topic for conversation. we’ve got two trips scheduled in the next few months and have contacted the major tourist boards so that we can share events, attractions, and restaurants with our readers on our site, http://www.WanderingEducators.com.

here’s what happened:

chicago – contacted both tourist boards (and the chinatown organization) several times – NO response.

minneapolis (actually, explore minnesota) – lots of help and really getting us into both major attractions and off-the-beaten-path events.

you can bet that minneapolis (a cool city in and of itself) will get a lot more face time on our site, and many more recommendations, than will chicago. explore minnesota gets a lot of credit from me.

why don’t more tourist boards pay attention to these sorts of things? we have a large readership and a highly educated audience.

]]> By: » Another new local travel knowledge site - Make Travel Fair UK http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-165364 » Another new local travel knowledge site - Make Travel Fair UK Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:40:35 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-165364 [...] like this working closer with national tourist boards (interesting article by Chris Brogan ‘How Bloggers Can Work With Tourist Boards‘), but I fear their goal is to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money; not promote [...] [...] like this working closer with national tourist boards (interesting article by Chris Brogan ‘How Bloggers Can Work With Tourist Boards‘), but I fear their goal is to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money; not promote [...]

]]> By: Stephen Chapman http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-165354 Stephen Chapman Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:14:14 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-165354 Interesting topic and thread of comments. I think local blogs are a real asset to areas keen to encourage tourism and they should definitely be recognised more by tourist boards, but is this idealistic? Probably, but should tourist boards change their attitude? Like Juliemarg mentions above - Tourist boards need to see something in blogs that will help them to achieve their goals, and their goal is to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money in their area. The type of places I like to read about in blogs are off the beaten track, the small local secrets, not the places I can go to spend all my money. I think that unless tourist boards can see the obvious value in promoting destinations as a whole, rather than focusing only on what brings in the big money they will be reluctant to support this type of blogging. Interesting topic and thread of comments. I think local blogs are a real asset to areas keen to encourage tourism and they should definitely be recognised more by tourist boards, but is this idealistic? Probably, but should tourist boards change their attitude?

Like Juliemarg mentions above – Tourist boards need to see something in blogs that will help them to achieve their goals, and their goal is to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money in their area.

The type of places I like to read about in blogs are off the beaten track, the small local secrets, not the places I can go to spend all my money. I think that unless tourist boards can see the obvious value in promoting destinations as a whole, rather than focusing only on what brings in the big money they will be reluctant to support this type of blogging.

]]> By: Ron Mader http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-154294 Ron Mader Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:14:00 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-154294 Tourism boards will work independent bloggers, flickerers, twitterers if we give them an incentive to do so. Perhaps the best way to encourage national, state and local government websites is to work with them to create a buzz. How to work with them? Perhaps we could offer incentive in the form of awards. It makes sense to encourage government leaders to provide the basic information for visitors. Yes, we would like to see more current information on government portals about local services, upcoming events and things visitors should know before they arrive. We would also like to see more details about ecotourism, responsible travel and indigenous tourism services. A plus would be an understanding of the Web2 channels, including Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. As an incentive for government websites, Planeta.com hosts the <a href="http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/awardspotlight.html" rel="nofollow">Ecotourism Spotlight Award</a> for portals that are innovative, engaging and informative. Nominations for the 2009 Award open in May. We are also updating an <a href="http://planeta.wikispaces.com/tourismportals" rel="nofollow">Index of Tourism Portals</a> and adding a link to this essay as recommended reading. Tourism boards will work independent bloggers, flickerers, twitterers if we give them an incentive to do so. Perhaps the best way to encourage national, state and local government websites is to work with them to create a buzz. How to work with them? Perhaps we could offer incentive in the form of awards.

It makes sense to encourage government leaders to provide the basic information for visitors. Yes, we would like to see more current information on government portals about local services, upcoming events and things visitors should know before they arrive. We would also like to see more details about ecotourism, responsible travel and indigenous tourism services. A plus would be an understanding of the Web2 channels, including Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

As an incentive for government websites, Planeta.com hosts the Ecotourism Spotlight Award for portals that are innovative, engaging and informative. Nominations for the 2009 Award open in May.

We are also updating an Index of Tourism Portals and adding a link to this essay as recommended reading.

]]> By: Tim Russell http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-142970 Tim Russell Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:37:56 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-142970 Interesting posting Chris. I live and work in a city (Saigon) that doesn't have a tourist board, just a local tourism 'authority' staffed by clueless government types who know practically zero about tourism. Thus, there is no destination marketing whatsoever. For those of us working in tourism & hospitality, this is bad news. Means we have to do it all ourselves. The pieces below, designed for visitors to the city and the sort of thing you'd expect a tourist board to put out, have been very popular: http://heartofsaigon.wordpress.com/2008/09/25/a-visitor%e2%80%99s-guide-to-saigon-taxis/ http://heartofsaigon.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/10-reasons-to-visit-ho-chi-minh-city/ Interesting posting Chris. I live and work in a city (Saigon) that doesn’t have a tourist board, just a local tourism ‘authority’ staffed by clueless government types who know practically zero about tourism. Thus, there is no destination marketing whatsoever. For those of us working in tourism & hospitality, this is bad news. Means we have to do it all ourselves.

The pieces below, designed for visitors to the city and the sort of thing you’d expect a tourist board to put out, have been very popular:

http://heartofsaigon.wordpress.com/2008/09/25/a-visitor%e2%80%99s-guide-to-saigon-taxis/
http://heartofsaigon.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/10-reasons-to-visit-ho-chi-minh-city/

]]> By: juliemarg http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-142884 juliemarg Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:53:11 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-142884 If you want to work with tourist boards, you have to offer them something that helps them achieve their goals. Their goal is not to tell the unvarnished truth it's to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money in their area. It's not to show people the small off the beaten track establishments, unless those establishments have joined the tourist board. It's not to show people how to spend as little as possible while visiting, it's to motivate them to spend as much as possible. As readers we're looking for the off beat, the quirky, the truth. But it's silly to think that the raison d’être for tourist and convention boards will change. If you want to work with tourist boards, you have to offer them something that helps them achieve their goals. Their goal is not to tell the unvarnished truth it’s to motivate people to visit and spend lots of money in their area. It’s not to show people the small off the beaten track establishments, unless those establishments have joined the tourist board. It’s not to show people how to spend as little as possible while visiting, it’s to motivate them to spend as much as possible.

As readers we’re looking for the off beat, the quirky, the truth. But it’s silly to think that the raison d’être for tourist and convention boards will change.

]]> By: 10 Essential Steps For Launching A Group Blog http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-bloggers-can-work-with-tourism-boards/comment-page-1/#comment-142498 10 Essential Steps For Launching A Group Blog Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:42:32 +0000 http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=2868#comment-142498 [...] PodCamp Pittsburgh 3, I launched an impromptu project to build a group blog to be the voice of the city. I enlisted the help of Andy Quayle, Norm Huelsman, Brandice and others. We’re still in the [...] [...] PodCamp Pittsburgh 3, I launched an impromptu project to build a group blog to be the voice of the city. I enlisted the help of Andy Quayle, Norm Huelsman, Brandice and others. We’re still in the [...]

]]>