Training presentation for UpTake travel bloggers, about connecting with tourism organizations like CVB (Convention and Visitor's Bureau) and DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) as part of their blogging work.

1. Connections: Building Relationships with Tourism Organizations Sheila Scarborough, Tourism Currents

2. First, some tourism terms.... CVB : Convention and Visitor's Bureau DMO : Destination Marketing Organization Tourist Board : Often used outside the U.S. Fam tour : Familiarization tour, same as press trip or media trip

3. Travel bloggers love travel, right?

4. ....and tourism organizations love their destination and want coverage, right? <---- Ann Peavey with the Seattle CVB (photo courtesy Seattle CVB)

5. D'oh! Match made in heaven. Well....

6. Do bloggers “get” CVBs? Do CVBs “get” bloggers?

7. Why bloggers freak them out.... SATW Editor's conference, Portland (courtesy Jen Leo on TwitPic)

9. Press trip/fam tour opportunities

10. Some need content and might hire you!

17. Press releases sprayed to lists of writers pulled from a database

21. Personalized and focused email pitches and press releases

23. Contests and giveaways

24. Press trip offers

25. Willingness to see you as “media”

26. Ready to connect? Just be aware, some CVBs may not know “ what to do with you.” OK, 1 st step....

28. Favorite destinations

30. Chambers of Commerce

31. Scenic highways

32. Parks (state/nat'l)

33. Agritourism British Museum tour (courtesy Wayne Large at Flickr CC)

34. Mississippi Gulf Coast tourism site How to connect....

35. Mid-point break for questions 555 LED flasher candy (courtesy oskay at Flickr CC)

36. Local & small town may = best opportunities Photo courtesy BJMcCray at Flickr CC

38. Check the chat Facebook Page

40. Can make connections for follow-up visits

43. This does not suck (Hawaii Tourism Authority press trip)

47. Good coverage of a place usually results in more press trip invites

50. The New York Times says never (!)

52. Know your blog's audience

53. Do more than blog

54. Scrutiny isn't personal; it's just business Are you up to snuff? (courtesy Lazurite at Flickr CC)

57. Making the rest of the group late

59. Never sending a follow-up note with links to content that was produced.

60. Big issues: Can they buy your voice? Full disclosure is the law. Can you turn the trip into paid work? If not, you're just producing free content.

61. Massachusetts tourism site.

64. Discover South Carolina

65. Tourisme Montréal

68. Will include “speed dating” session(s) for CVBs and interested content producers

69. BlogWorld also great for networking with other bloggers and/or potential sponsors

70. Thanks for your time! Sheila Scarborough @SheilaS on Twitter www.TourismCurrents.com