Travel bloggers united at TBEX 2011 in Vancouver

Canadians in Vancouver celebrating 2010 Winter Olympics. Photo: Kenny Louie / Flickr

Travel and writing can both be lonely endeavors, with friends and family not understanding why some of us are obsessed with both.  The best fix for the blues is to surround yourself with people who have the same dream, and even better, have achieved success.

For anyone into travel writing, Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) is the highlight of the year. It brings together travel writers to swap stories, make new friends, and give each other tips on how to make a living from blogging. The Vancouver Observer covered the event: Travel bloggers dream big at TBEX.

A recurring theme spoken both online and offline was, “Can you really make it as a travel blogger?” While there are certainly success stories like The Lost Girls, many bloggers have second–and even third–jobs to pay the rent.  The consensus seemed to be, “Do it because you love it.  But don’t quit your day job anytime soon.”

This year’s TBEX seemed to emphasize professionalism, with speakers talking about monetization, branding, and search engine optimization. A lot of exciting developments with web apps and social media could boost travel blogging into more prominence. Some writers have said social networks have allowed them to tap into more contacts than ever before.  If you befriend the top bloggers and Twitterati in a location, they can give you a better understanding of their country than you could on your own.

Conversely, it makes travel writing more competitive, since everyone with Internet can get the same information.   I remember reading a quote by a guidebook publisher who said something like, “Our competition isn’t other guidebooks. It’s Google.”  Writers have to step up their game by going for the unique perspective, the honest voice, and deeper probe into the culture.

For me, it was interesting that now bloggers are being more pursued.  Although many TBEX discussions were aimed at bloggers, it seemed like there were an equal amount of events for media professionals and corporate sponsors who wanted to connect with bloggers.  Has travel blogging matured as a legitimate media outlet?  What happens to authenticity when bloggers get more freebies and sponsored ads?

Did you go to TBEX this year?  What do you think about people wanting to be full-time travel bloggers?  Please share your thoughts.