Welcome to the second episode of Travel Matters.  Rick Calvert and Palle Bo talk about TBEX North America 2019 in Billings, Montana. How did it go, and how was it different than previous events? Rick reveals that there were more older people than usual.   TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS There were many new faces again this year, and we talk to Kerwin McKenzie who did a pre-session for TBEX first-timers.  Kerwin is an Amazon.com #1 best selling author, speaker, and ex-airline employee who travels on average over 250,000 miles a year. He writes up-to-date airport, destination and ground transportation guides plus airline flight and hotel reviews with a mission to motivate airline employees to use their travel benefits at Passrider.com. He’s flown 176 airlines and visited 125 countries and teaches travelers how to be loyal to travel brands at Cruisinaltitude.com and shares 365 unfamiliar destinations at UnfamiliarDestinations.com. Kerwin has been to 17 TBEXs, and he knows that going to a conference like this one is all about the network and building relationships, so one of Kerwin’s advice was always to sit next to someone you don’t know.    CREATOR OF THE MONTH In this episode, we feature Lauren from Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva. Hear her story, what she does, and how she works with brands in this episode. We also talk about her podcast and how SEO has helped her blog after taking a course with Gemma and Laura of MakeTrafficHappen.com.    PAID OR TRADE? Angie Orth did a session on how to work with brands called “Paid or Trade? When (and How Much) to Pay Influencers for Content.”  Angie is a recovering agency publicist with more than 15 years in the marketing industry and 13 years as an award-winning content creator. She created AngieAway.com to chronicle a yearlong round-the-world trip that accidentally became a career. She currently produces and co-hosts The Jet Sisters, a video series focusing on Millennial travel. At the closing party, we talked to the two Jet Sisters, Angie, and Rachel.  Angie wrote a fascinating blog post called “The 17 Essential Commandments of Influencer Marketing” that you should read.    In the next episode, we talk to Michael Collins from TravelMedia.ie. Travel Matters is hosted by Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and Palle Bo, The Radio Vagabond and produced by RadioGuru.     

Travel Matters

Travel Matters 002 - Meet Kerwin, Lauren, Angie, and Rachel

This is a quick bonus episode, where TBEX CEO, Rick Calbert shares some breaking news about upcoming TBEX events. See more on TBEXcon.com Travel Matters is hosted by The Radio Vagabond, Palle Bo and TBEX CEO, Rick Calbert, and produced by RadioGuru.

011 - Breaking News About TBEX Events

Today our guest is Martinique Lewis one of the founders of Black Travel Alliance. Martinique is a digital disrupter in love with all things travel. She is a TBEX Speaker Alum and has been in the travel industry for three years now as a creator, a diversity in travel consultant, and as an influencer and creator manager.  Martinique tells us how Black Travel Alliance was formed and the mission of the group.  The Black Travel Alliance was launched by 17 creators.

010 - Martinique Lewis about Black Travel Alliance

Our guest for this episode is TBEX North America Conference Director Tim Leffel. Tim started backpacking around the world and writing for travel magazines as a freelancer in the mid-1990s. He has published several books and now runs five different websites.  Tim joins us today to talk about the results from a recent survey he conducted asking 160 travel writers and DMOs what they about The Future Of Press Trips in a post-COVID-19 world.  at 6:38 we talk about the difference between solo trips vs. group trips at 10:20 we talk about how budget cuts will impact trips at 12:15 we talk about 4 recommendations based on the results of the survey at 28:32 we talk about the current trend in ad revenue on travel blogs at 29:42 we talk about our latest keynote speaker for TBEX North America at 30:35 we talk about how COVID-19 may impact our current plans for the timing of TBEX North America and current safety measures we are taking for all attendees.  at 35:15 we announce plans for TBEX North America 2021 and TBEX Europe 2021, and TBEX Asia 2021 

009 - Tim Leffel on The Future Of Press Trips

In this special episode, Leslie Walker founder of Tourism Worx shares 15 things DMO’s travel brands and content creators can do right now to help seem them through the Covid19 crisis.  She shares the example of how the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum used transparency and being human to gain tens of thousands of new followers when they put a security guard in charge of social media when the museum temporarily closed due to Covid19 restrictions.  Rick rants about how important it is for DMO’s to work with local creators and Palle updates us on how long he has gone without wine during the lockdown. We also discuss TBEX North America 2019 in Lafayette keynote speakers Brandy Evans and Jada Durden. Leslie Walker has more than 20 years of experience in tourism. Having worked for IHG and Ramada hotels and the Huntsville CVB.  

008 - How to Get Through the Covid-19 Crisis

In this episode, we talk to several TBEX Europe attendees who still went to Catania after the event was postponed. They share their impressions of Sicily and Catania. They share what it was like to be traveling when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire country of Italy. Little did anyone know this was just the second step in the CoronaVirus’ march across the world. They also share how they got home and what it is like in their home countries or next destination.  We start this episode with Kemkem Casanelli who runs Next Bite of Life with her partner Frederico. KemKem joins us from Spain. We then talk to Penny Zebula and Simon Lock from Six Legs Will Travel.  Penny has a blog post about her thoughts on the Pandemic titled Blog post: Coronavirus, Europe, and “What the Hell Do We Do Now?" YouTuber Jason Rupp joins us to explain how the CoronaVirus chased him around the world from Wuhan to Catania and finally to New York where he is now in isolation with his mom and fellow travel writer Carla Rupp. This post gives you a sense of the unique travel content on Jason’s site: "HAIRCUT on the BEACH by Transgender FEMALE BARBER "Nin" PATTAYA THAILAND" Jason also shared a post with us from an American Expat YouTuber who claims to see where CoronaVirus actually originated. This YouTuber Laowhy86’s research has not been repeated in several mainstream American media including the Washington Post. His normal content is simply about living in China as an expat and his view of Chinese people’s perspectives on the world. Yet another example of the power of independent content creators. Lastly, here is a link to our co-host Palle Bo’s podcast episode where speaks to bloggers, nomads and tour operators all over the world.   

007 - TBEX Survivors Part 2

In this episode, we talk to several TBEX Europe attendees who still went to Catania after the event was postponed. They share their impressions of Sicily and Catania. They share what it was like to be traveling when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire country of Italy. Little did anyone know this was just the second step in the CoronaVirus’ march across the world. They also share how they got home and what it is like in their home countries or next destination.   We start this episode with Kemkem Casanelli who runs Next Bite of Life with her partner Frederico. KemKem joins us from Spain. We then talk to Penny Zebula and Simon Lock from Six Legs Will Travel.  Penny has a blog post about her thoughts on the Pandemic titled Blog post: Coronavirus, Europe, and “What the Hell Do We Do Now?" YouTuber Jason Rupp joins us to explain how the CoronaVirus chased him around the world from Wuhan, to Catania and finally to New York where he is now in isolation with his mom and fellow travel writer Carla Rupp. This post give you a sense of the unique travel content on Jason’s site: "HAIRCUT on the BEACH by Transgender FEMALE BARBER "Nin" PATTAYA THAILAND" Jason also shared a post with us from an American Expat YouTuber who claims to see where CoronaVirus actually originated. This YouTuber Laowhy86’s research has not been repeated in several mainstream American media including the Washington Post. His normal content is simply about living in China as an expat and his view of Chinese people’s perspectives on the world. Yet another example of the power of independent content creators. Lastly, here is a link to our co-host Palle Bo’s The Radio Vagabond Podcast episode where speaks to bloggers, nomads and tour operators all over the world. 

006 - TBEX Survivors Part 1

In this episode, we talk about COVID19’s impact on the travel industry and our daily lives. We start with how fast the pandemic spread in Italy, and our decision-making process to reschedule TBEX Europe 2020 in Catania Italy. We also talk about new dates for TBEX Europe 2020. We then have an in-depth discussion with Angelo Carotenuto; Founder and CEO of LivItaly Tours. Angelo is joining us from Rome and his story gives you a glimpse into what a tour operator’s business looks like and how COVID19 changed everything. We discuss how Covid-19 has impacted their business, the travel industry and daily life in Italy. We also check in with our NEW Co-Conference Director for TBEX North America; Tomiko Harvey and TBEX Europe Conference Director Shane Dallas to hear about life on the ground in Murfreesboro Tennessee and Nairobi Kenya. Tomiko and Shane share some tips and suggestions that content creators work on while the world is standing still. Palle talks about the current status in Cape Town, South Africa, and Rick shares what life is like Temecula California during the COVID19 Pandemic. HOSTS: Rick Calvert, TBEX.  Palle Bo, The Radio Vagabond. Produced by Radioguru.  

005: COVID19 Impact on Daily Life And Travel

In this episode we speak with Keith and Tina Paul from Retire Early And Travel. As they write on their about page, they are lovers of travel and wine. Fueled by their passion for learning, experiencing other cultures, and meeting people, they want to see the world. They consider themselves forever students. Keith and Tina have been together since they were 18. They  believe in collecting memories and experiences, not things. On TBEX North America in Billings, Keith and Tina Paul spoke about how they achieved 1 million site visitors in just 7 months.    CATANIA We also speak with Mario from Catania, Sicily, Italy about what kind of place we can expect to visit when we go to TBEX Europe in 2020.  Hear the full Catania song by clicking here.    WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FEATURED ON TRAVEL MATTERS? If you're going to World Travel Market (WTM) in London in the coming days, and would like to be featured here on Travel Matters, get in touch. You can reach Rick on rick@tbexcon.com and Palle Bo on palle@theradiovagabond.com.  

004 - Retire Early And Travel

In this episode of Travel Matters, Rick Calvert talks to Michael Collins from TravelMedia.ie. TravelMedia.ie is a full service public relations, marketing, events, communications and travel trade representation company, founded in 2006, and managed by Michael Collins. The company is one of Europe’s leading travel media companies – specialising in PR, events, media buying, strategic advice, industry consultancy, digital communications and social media within the travel industry for both trade and consumer – delivering measurable results for clients. Watch Michael's conversation with Sante J Achille about advanced SEO and structured data by clicking here. Travel Matters is hosted by Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and Palle Bo, The Radio Vagabond and produced by RadioGuru.

003 - Michael Collins, TravelMedia.ie

Welcome to the second episode of Travel Matters.  Rick Calvert and Palle Bo talk about TBEX North America 2019 in Billings, Montana. How did it go, and how was it different than previous events? Rick reveals that there were more older people than usual.   TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS There were many new faces again this year, and we talk to Kerwin McKenzie who did a pre-session for TBEX first-timers.  Kerwin is an Amazon.com #1 best selling author, speaker, and ex-airline employee who travels on average over 250,000 miles a year. He writes up-to-date airport, destination and ground transportation guides plus airline flight and hotel reviews with a mission to motivate airline employees to use their travel benefits at Passrider.com. He’s flown 176 airlines and visited 125 countries and teaches travelers how to be loyal to travel brands at Cruisinaltitude.com and shares 365 unfamiliar destinations at UnfamiliarDestinations.com. Kerwin has been to 17 TBEXs, and he knows that going to a conference like this one is all about the network and building relationships, so one of Kerwin’s advice was always to sit next to someone you don’t know.    CREATOR OF THE MONTH In this episode, we feature Lauren from Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva. Hear her story, what she does, and how she works with brands in this episode. We also talk about her podcast and how SEO has helped her blog after taking a course with Gemma and Laura of MakeTrafficHappen.com.    PAID OR TRADE? Angie Orth did a session on how to work with brands called “Paid or Trade? When (and How Much) to Pay Influencers for Content.”  Angie is a recovering agency publicist with more than 15 years in the marketing industry and 13 years as an award-winning content creator. She created AngieAway.com to chronicle a yearlong round-the-world trip that accidentally became a career. She currently produces and co-hosts The Jet Sisters, a video series focusing on Millennial travel. At the closing party, we talked to the two Jet Sisters, Angie, and Rachel.  Angie wrote a fascinating blog post called “The 17 Essential Commandments of Influencer Marketing” that you should read.    In the next episode, we talk to Michael Collins from TravelMedia.ie. Travel Matters is hosted by Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and Palle Bo, The Radio Vagabond and produced by RadioGuru.

002 - Meet Kerwin, Lauren, Angie, and Rachel

This is the first episode of Travel Matters, the official podcast from TBEX. Here we introduce the two hosts, Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and Palle Bo, The Radio Vagabond.  We also speak to Travel Camel, Shane Dallas, conference director of TBEX Europe about what is coming up on the conference in Catania, Sicily, Italy in March 2020.  And of course a bit about the upcoming event, TBEX North America in Billings Montana this week.    Travel Matters is produced by RadioGuru.  

001 Introducing Travel Matters

The official podcast from TBEX – The Future of Travel Media. In this podcast we will be sharing all the latest news, trends and tips for you, and interviewing the movers and shakers in the travel creative ecosystem.

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Travel Matters

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