Hosting travel bloggers and/or working with bloggers may almost be considered a must for any progressive travel company these days. In fact, it is all about managing (and marketing) so-called “blogger relations“. Fortunately for us travel bloggers from Austria, we are able to count on the support of an increasing number of tourism destinations and companies around Austria. The city of Graz, for instance, even welcomes us to host our own small conference on the occasion of this year’s Austrian travel blogger meet-up.
Where does the (next) journey lead us? What is the focus and professional output of each individual travel blog? What do we want to achieve & communicate vis-à-vis our partners in the tourism industry?
Answers to these and many more questions are being discussed at the Hotel Wiesler in Graz. From left to right: Theresa Piedra, of Travelwoman.at, Margot Bachbauer of the Styrian Tourism Board, Maria Kapeller, of kofferpacken.at and Andreas Susana, of Travelwriticus.com.
Reunited with my dear friend & fellow travel writer Angelika Mandler, who writes on Wiederunterwegs.com!
The Who is Who of Austrian travel bloggers …
… has gathered for an interesting debate at the Hotel Wiesler in Graz …
… likely swapping conference rooms for vineyards: Wherever our enthusiasm may lead us!
A word of thank you at this stage: Here is a list of all the travel bloggers who have been able to join us for the 3rd Austrian Travel Blogger Meet-up in the city of Graz:
- Franz Roitner: Reisedoktor.com
- Gudrun Krinzinger: Reisebloggerin.at
- Angelika Mandler: Wiederunterwegs.com
- Maria Kapeller: Kofferpacken.at
- Andreas Susana: Travelwriticus.com
- Theresa Steinkellner: Travelwoman.at
- Melanie & Jürgen Schlotze: Lifetravellerz.com
- Florian Figl & Corina Donnerer: Travelpins.at
- Anita Arneitz: AnitaArneitz.at/Blog
For sure, any way forward needs to be paved with professionalism. As we gather to discuss previous experiences in working together with the tourism industry as well as other bloggers, we find that most of us have quite different experiences – a clear sign that the industry is still forming. Many of us have already been blogging professionally for about two years, others for five years or even longer: Being a professional travel blogger is of course much more than posing for a photo with a laptop on the beach (and where, by the way, does this peculiar and totally non-representative image come from anyway? 😉 )
Being professional means: Being focused, having a gift for great storytelling, enjoying freedom of expression and keeping constant communication with readers, followers and industry partners alike. Meet some of us who love embracing those challenges on a day-to-day basis (from left to right): Maria Kapeller, Anita Arneitz, Graz city guide Angela, Florian Figl, Elena Paschinger, Gudrun Krinzinger, Angelika Mandler, Andreas Susana, Franz Roitner, Melanie & Jürgen Schlotze.
Niche, Authority & Networking: Maintaining good contacts and keeping up the great work really leads to personal and travel industry success.
“Togetherness” is our buzz word: As bloggers, we just love to network with each other. We looove to think outside the box! Anita Arneitz, for instance, is a journalist by trade and will now happily run an interview about my book project, “The Creative Traveler’s Handbook”, in a travel magazine she works with, having just released her own book “Kärnten ganz gemütlich”! Like me, Angelika Mandler, a successful travel blogger and Social Media / PR professional, just thrives feeding off the creative exchange that lies at the heart of networking events such as this one: New ideas for projects & travel industry partners abound.
So how does it all pay forward? “To put it quite simply”, Lisa-Marie Schweinzger, of Graz Tourism Board tells us, “working with you, it really helps raise our profile as one of the leading food travel destinations across Austria. #VisitGraz has gained international popularity, many businesses have since started to become involved and identify with our digital marketing strategy. In addition, we pride ourselves on an excellent and close cooperation with the team at the Styrian Tourism Board, hence all of our support in hosting the 3rd Annual Austrian Travel Blogger Meet-up.”
Travel bloggers …
… are different, to say the least …
… different in terms of really knowing, and interacting, with their readers online as well as through their storytelling …
… storytelling that has turned rather visual these days: Here, we watch Florian Figl, of Travelpins.at take a scooter around the local vineyard lanes of Southern Styria!
Networking, after all, is really what we are all about. Whether over a good glass of wine, such as here with the wine grower at the Dreisiebnerhaus Wine Estate in Styria …
… or through online media …
… what counts at the end of the day is the positive difference we are able to create! To many more excellent meetings, dear Austrian travel bloggers!
Disclaimer: Thank you to the city of Graz as well as the Styrian Tourism Board for hosting and supporting us on the occasion of the 3rd Austrian Travel Blogger Meet-up. All opinions are my own.