If this story’s title makes you cringe (and that’s the point), then you may have attended the Travel Bloggers’ Exchange Conference (TBEX) 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. If it doesn’t make you cringe, and you are a travel blogger or aspire to become one, then you might want to sign up for TBEX 2012 at Keystone Ski Resort in Colorado. Here are some reflections on this year’s conference and reasons to consider attending next year.

The giant globe at the Vancouver Convention Centre, location of TBEX 2011

The inspiration for the title sprung from listening to a panel of well-respected travel writers (including the curiously sexy Spud Hilton, Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Travel Section), who listed descriptors to avoid in travel stories including stunning, charming, land of contrasts, perfect, hidden gem, off the beaten path, secret, quaint, perfect, rustic, luxuriously appointed, and breathtaking.

On most accounts, I whole-heartedly agree that clichés should be avoided. Spud was right, who ever says “luxuriously appointed” in real life? However, I have to argue that bloggers can and should use some of these terms because they are great search engine optimization key words. As someone who has written for both online and print publications, I know the rules for blog writing sometimes differ from those for print writing. When travelers search online for where to vacation they use words like secret, off the beaten path, and best hidden gem travel destinations. Clichés can be good for helping viewers find the content they seek. And add a woman to the panel next time too, please!

Celebrating a Canucks hockey win with my fellow Best Family Travel Advice bloggers at the Four Seasons Vancouver

Last year I complained in New York & TBEX ’10 – The Good, The Bad & the Ugly that I had been bored throughout a few sessions. (Ironically, I particularly noted my waning interest during the video blogging session since I was not, at the time, a vlogger. Now I am a proud video blogger for Barilla pasta’s Piccolini TV multimedia site and I actually use many of the tips learned in that “boring” session. So, ahem, I take that back.)

This year’s conference was a vast improvement over TBEX 2010. Name-tags were organized and available for pick-up on time. The Vancouver Conference Centre was in a convenient, central location. Breakout sessions were added, bringing intimacy and flavor to the conference for attendees with varying interests. This conference felt much less like a high school reunion where the popular kids shunned those who were not part of the in-crowd and more like a destination wedding where all types of travel bloggers with of all levels of experience and “fame” were welcomed.

Salmon lollipops served at the AMResorts harbor cruise TBEX party

While the conference was certainly professional, there was still plenty of partying going on at TBEX 2011. A definite highlight was the Men of TBEX Party hosted by Diamond PR at which 12 male travel bloggers posed for a “sexy” calendar all in good fun (with Mike Barish of Gadling sporting nothing but a blue mustached Speedo). I heard from a few attendees who found the calendar concept offensive, but most found it a hi-larious and genius PR stunt (including me)! The AMResorts invitation-only harbor cruise soiree was a relaxing affair with a live jazz band and tray-passed hors d’oeuvres like salmon lollipops stuffed with chive cream cheese. There was a Passports with Purpose gathering with delicious home-baked cupcakes plus a little get-together hosted by the Four Seasons Vancouver just for family travel bloggers like myself. I could go on and on…

And then there were the complimentary Vancouver day tours for TBEX bloggers – like the Takaya Canoe Tour on which I explored the coastal fjords of the Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm in a 25-foot canoe, complete with stories and songs about the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation. Our guide, Laura Leigh Paul (whose tribal name is Yuxweliptan’aat), was nearly brought to tears when she told a story about two orcas that returned to the tribal waters last year, a momentous event for her people because years prior the burial canoe of one of the tribe’s most beloved leaders was followed on either side by two orcas, indicating his connection with nature, animals, and orcas in particular.

Takaya Canoe Tour with a bunch of fellow travel bloggers (I’m in the green hat)

I have to admit, I didn’t attend all available sessions of the two-day conference. Vancouver’s Gastown with its cobblestone streets, famed steam clock, and shops selling maple sugar candy and proud Canucks garb lured me away from the meetings one morning. And I ducked out early one afternoon for some downtime back at my sweet Fairmont Waterfront room across the street. 

I truly enjoyed much of what I attended, including Journey Woman’s Evelyn Hanson’s talk about how she got to where she is and her advice to “Stay true to your personal mandates.” The Narrative Travel Writing session provided useful tips and reminders for creating stories worth reading. The best session I attended was led by Robert Reid of Lonely Planet, who talked about the importance of doing research and including quotes in blog posts. He used humor, crayon drawings, and well, lots of research to make his points. I’d include a quote here, but this post is getting much too long for online reading eyes.

(Ironically, the first comment below, by Eva Holland, pointed out errors in my RESEARCH. Doh! This reminded me of something quotable in Robert Reid’s presentation. He said, “Sometimes we’re too quick to post.” He suggested bloggers “hug” their stories…give them time to breathe before hitting the publish button. Probably, he would suggest we get more than, oh, zero hours of sleep the night prior to posting too. *Yawn*)

The world’s first steam clock

The best part of TBEX 2011 was the same as last year – connecting with new contacts and familiar friends in both the blogging and PR fields. If there’s one cliché we all seemed to embrace wholeheartedly this weekend, it was that a rising tide lifts all boats. Well, hop on board, my travel writing friends. I hope to set sail with you on that tide at TBEX 2012 in Colorado!

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• Win a Hawaiian Family Vacation at Disney’s Aulani Resort

A Note from The Travel Mama: As a TBEX attendee I received entrance to a bunch of parties, free food and drinks, complimentary tour attendance, and I paid a discounted media rate for my hotel room. Another benefit of attending the conference!