Sheila's Guide To The Good Stuff

Pretend you are a visitor to town XYZ.

Go stand in some central area – maybe downtown – where your visitors tend to cluster.

Pull out your phone, open up the browser, and type “XYZ restaurants” or “XYZ hotels” into the magic Google search box. Like any tourist, you’re asking, “What’s here for me?”

Look at the results. Which ones of your attractions are up towards the top, and which ones are invisible? Do you think your unique, local places have any idea about claiming their business on Google Places or encouraging reviews, in order to be more find-able? As we point out in some search advice in this Tourism Currents newsletter, input from your locals (not just visitors) matters, too.

Close the browser.

Now, open up the Yelp app (application.) Ask it to tell you which restaurants, shops and hotels are around you, based on the GPS position your phone is transmitting.  It will do so.

Look at the results. How many of the owners of the businesses you see (showing around your location) have any idea about all of the reviews and feedback on Yelp, and that people make decisions about where to eat, where to shop and where to stay based on that information?

Put the phone away. Return to the office. Schedule some workshops with your local partners.

Help teach them to rise above the local search slush pile.

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Although he couldn’t come in person to last year’s TBEX in New York (Travel Blog Exchange conference for travel bloggers – the sold-out 2011 TBEX is in Vancouver) I’ve never forgotten the “remote presentation” created by Brett the Amtrekker.

He’s on a quest to accomplish a big ol’ bucket list of experiences, and since he was on the road in Idaho at the time of the TBEX event, he sent us a video to show us how to do better travel video. Makes sense, right?

Notice the variety of camera angles, the editing down to make it as punchy as possible, that it happily breaks the “Video Must Be Under Two Minutes” diktat, the variation between distant shots and close up, the discussion of viral video mythology….really good information presented in a fun, engaging way.

Here’s what’s cool – he shot the whole thing by himself.

Brett sitting on a tree trunk talking? He set up a tripod for his camera, spoke the lines he’d planned for the video, then with editing software he cut back and forth, closeup and further away.  Everything else, the other clips, were pulled off of his hard drive (or wherever he stores them) and inserted in around his monologue.

Here’s the direct link to the Amtrekker travel video how-to video on YouTube.

Note:  I’ve started this Travel Post Friday series since I’ve now stepped away from my longstanding commitment to the BootsnAll Family Travel Blog. If you like it, there’s more of my travel work on the Perceptive Travel Blog.

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Welcome to the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single post, via submissions from a variety of different blogs, all about any aspect of one, single city (or fair-sized town.)

Thanks to Best Family Travel Advice for hosting the previous edition, and we look forward to the next one on April 6, hosted by Travel with Teens and Tweens.

If you would like to host a future Carnival edition on your blog (May 18 and June 1 are still open) please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Savannah, Georgia, USA Kerry Dexter presents World comes to Savannah: Savannah Music Festival posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “17 days of concerts at the Savannah music festival reflect the city’s heritage as a musical crossroads.”

Cleveland, Ohio, USA Joe Vargo presents Ethnic Eats in Cleveland posted at DiscoveringOhio.  [a tourism blog; yay!]

Purcellville, Virginia, USA Jeremy Harvey presents A Wall at Sunset Hills Vineyard posted at VisitLoudounBlog.com, saying, “Thanks for considering using my post. Keep up the great work Sheila. I love reading your blog! Cheers.”   [a tourism blog; yay! And thanks, Jeremy.]

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Lindsay Dianne presents West Coast Awakening and Granville Island Market posted at The Urban Momtographer, saying, “Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver, BC, Canada.”

Brasilia, Brazil Carolyne Hall presents Brasilia, Brasil: Uma cidade moderna posted at Lady on a Roof, saying, “My trip to Brasilia, Brazil. ”

Seattle, Washington, USA Abi King presents Street Art In Seattle | The Best Cultural Travel & Adventure posted at Inside the Travel Lab, saying, “A funky look at Seattle’s less well-known street art.”

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Kayla presents Whitehern Historic House Highlights posted at Adventures in Heritage, saying, “Review of going to a local historical museum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.”

Atlanta, Georgia, USA Nichole presents Four fun places in Atlanta to visit with your kids posted at Butterscotch Sundae.

Tampa, Florida, USA Nicole presents The Bricks of Ybor in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida posted at Arrows Sent Forth, saying, “The Bricks of Ybor is a great choice for dining with kids while visiting Tampa.”

(more…)

For a fun update on the week’s news in travel, you might enjoy the “This Week in Travel” podcast.

I was on this past week as a guest for Episode #73 The Travel Blog Game, and hosts Chris Christensen, Gary Arndt and Jen Leo plus my fellow guest Jessica Spiegel were all a rollicking good group. We covered a lot of territory in our news discussions.

Toward the end of the podcast recording we talked about Tourism Currents and which destinations, hotels or organizations do a particularly good job with marketing using social media.

Here was our quick list off the top of our heads:

**  Gary  –  Spain, especially Valencia

**  Jessica  –  Portland, Oregon (she mentioned their Twisitor Center for Twitter updates and news about the city)

**  Jen  –  Downtown Los Angeles on Facebook (nice business district initiative) and the MGM Grand Twitter account for Las Vegas special deals

**  Chris  –  Chicago and Maui (we also discussed the Visit Lanai New Media Artist in Residence program, which Gary will be doing later this month.)

**  Me  –  Well….I got a bit carried away past one or two….so I mentioned Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Oregon’s Coos Bay, @SeattleMaven on Twitter and my “usual suspects” in Texas of Austin, San Antonio, Beaumont and Abilene.

Chris mentioned doing some social media CVB training when he was in Maui, and that local hotels, restaurants and resorts all sent representatives to learn. Smart.

We all gave a shout-out as well to Hawaii-based PR pro Nathan Kam, who does a bunch of tourism work on Oahu.  He’s professional but also very personable and fun, and he reaches out to people online in a very un-market-y way.

Of course we left out plenty of other great examples, but still, that’s a pretty good list if you want to check them out.

I’m happy to hear about your favorite social media stars down in the comments, and have a listen to the podcast when you have a chance!

Update: Gary sent me the code to embed the podcast right here….

Subscribe on iTunes | Become a Fan on Facebook | Download the iPhone app | Download

(If you like this post, please consider subscribing to the blog via RSS feed or by email – the email signup box is on the right sidebar near the Search box. Thanks!)

Welcome to the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single post, via submissions from a variety of different blogs, all about any aspect of one, single city (or fair-sized town.)

The previous edition was here on Sheila’s Guide and the next edition will be hosted on the Perceptive Travel blog on Wednesday, February 23.

Any posts from blogs by tourism organizations (CVB, DMO, Tourist Board,) hospitality or economic development organizations are particularly welcome, as long as they’re about something in one city or town!

If yo would like to host a future Carnival edition on your blog (March 9 and March 23 are still open, and I could certainly use the help because March is crazy for me) please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Nicole presents Experiencing Egypt at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis posted at Arrows Sent Forth, saying, “The ‘Take Me There: Egypt’ exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis allows kids to experience life in an Egyptian village through hands-on play.”

Nashville, Tennessee, USA Alethea Hutchison presents Viva Nashvegas! posted at I’m Domestic…not Dead!, saying, “The way Nashville views celebrity.”

New York, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents Snow Job (A Limerick Duet) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

(A CVB blog – Yay!)—> Spokane, Washington, USA Teresa Ide presents My New Neighborhood Bar posted at Spokane Insiders’ Blog.

Seattle, Washington, USA Byteful Travel presents The Radical Act of Kindness that Floored Me when I visited a Seattle Farmer’s Market posted at Byteful Travel, saying, “What would you do if someone you’d never met walked up to you and gave you a gift, completely unexpectedly? I had to face this amazing reality one sunny day after I’d just stumbled into the Queen Anne farmer’s market (where I discovered an amazing new fruit, a ‘pluot’). And the entire experience reinforced in me how magical travel can truly be.”

Orlando, Florida, USA Jennifer Miner presents Spring Break Vacation in Orlando – 5 Tips to Save Time posted at The Vacation Gals, saying, “Spring break in Orlando’s big theme parks can be frustrating, what with all the crowds and long lines. Here are 5 tips to help save time at Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando.”

Ojai, California, USA Andy Hayes presents California’s Secret Sunshine Valley: Ojai posted at Sharing Travel Experiences, saying, “Want to know the secrets of the Ojai Valley?”

Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA Apryl Chapman Thomas presents Spotting Winter Wildlife (and Possibly Whales) in Virginia Beach, Virginia posted at Southern Hospitality Magazine Traveler.

Kualoa, Oahu, Hawaii, USA Jennifer presents Kualoa Ranch – Oahu, Hawaii posted at Two Kids and a Map.

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Sarah V. presents Beignets! posted at Wandering Off.

(more…)

Hello, Jordan!

I’m thrilled to be able to tell you that I’ll be traveling soon to the Hashemite Kingdom, thanks to an invitation from the Jordanian Tourism Board.

There will be general travel and family travel posts over on the Perceptive Travel blog, a guest post on prices for the World’s Cheapest Destinations blog, and I’ll explore and discuss Jordanian tourism’s social media marketing efforts here and in the Tourism Currents Facebook Page, on Twitter and at least one of our newsletters.

Most of you know that I’m not a huge fan of press trips and fam tours for my own travel, because I do have angst-y issues with whether one can maintain objectivity when all the goodies are provided.

With this invitation, I thought long and hard about it, and I’m going anyway.

Here’s why:

1) Chances are slim that I’d get there on my own anytime soon,  and HELLO, are you kidding?  The magnificent ruins at Petra, of course, but also urban buzz in Amman (I had no idea that there is a 6000 seat Roman amphitheater smack in the middle of town,) desert beauty in places like Wadi Rum contrasted with a lush pine forest and nature reserve, a resort atmosphere (heavy on the mud) at the Dead Sea, mosaics in Madaba….what an amazing opportunity.

2) The Middle East is a favorite region (I lived in Bahrain as a preteen, and even had my 12th birthday in Shiraz, Iran) but it is misunderstood by many. I’d like to help clear that up, and….

3)  As with the Hawaii blogger press trip, I know that the Jordanian and Middle Eastern tourism industries are suffering from safety perceptions given the current situation in Egypt. They’re losing visitors. I’d love to dispel those concerns by visiting myself and telling you what I find.

More info when I have it.  Passport is ready!

Disclosure: The Jordanian Tourism Board is providing my airfare, accommodation and entry fees. They have not told me what to write about, and the itinerary is still in flux. I am not traveling as part of a group.

Welcome to the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single post, via submissions from a variety of different blogs, all about any aspect of one, single city (or fair-sized town.)

The previous host was the Perceptive Travel blog and the next edition will again be hosted here on Sheila’s Guide on Wednesday, February 9.

If you’d like to host a future Carnival edition on your blog (February 23 and March 9 are open) please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in Europe

Orta San Giulio, Italy Donna Hull presents Baby Boomer Tips for Visiting Orta San Giulio, Italy posted at My Itchy Travel Feet, saying, “Outdoor cafes facing a lake that hosts a medieval island, walks through a park-like setting where chapels depict the life of St. Francis of Assisi through painted frescoes – you’ll find an un-touristy Italian paradise in Orta San Giulio.”

Istanbul, Turkey Nicole Elena Robertson presents Istanbul posted at Nicole Elena Robertson, saying, “Istanbul is a beautiful city, rich in history, and often overlooked by Western travelers. While researching my upcoming trip, I’ve gathered some stunning photos of Istanbul.”

Oslo, Norway Anne-Sophie Redisch presents Oslo – 10 Great Free Cultural Attractions posted at Sophie’s World, saying, “Oslo’s premier attraction is nature, and there are many, many ways to enjoy the great outdoors, free of charge. But it’s cold out these days. And not absolutely everyone loves skiing in sub-zero temperatures. So here are 10 favourite cultural attractions, less strenuous and completely free of charge.”

Leeds, Yorkshire, England Keith Kellett presents Winter at Roundhay Park posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands r0dman presents Backpacking in Amsterdam posted at on the way to somewhere, saying, “We would just walk for a bit, then sit down and watch the thousands of people ride past on bicycles, families playing on the grass, dogs playing until they fight each other and then playing again, and all of the other things that happen when you take the time to sit and watch. It was relaxing, but it was interesting too.”

Rome, Italy Tim Freeman presents Weekend in Rome posted at Madrileño Americano, saying, “This blog post outlines my trip to Rome, Italy.”

Paris, France Robin Locker presents Go Organic in Paris posted at My Melange.

Cities in the Americas

Miami, Florida, USA Anna presents Meet my favourite city in the world posted at Anna’s Life and Mistakes, saying, “Miami…the unregrettable addiction”

Nashville, Tennessee, USA Nicole presents Finding my bliss at Blissdom in Nashville posted at Arrows Sent Forth, saying, “My memories of the atrium at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville and why I’m excited to visit again during the Blissdom conference.”

(more…)

Yes, Texans can be annoyingly overconfident, but then again, they used to be a republic unto themselves, so I suppose I can understand that attitude.

There is something to be said for a place that knows what it offers and wears a proud you’ll-only-find-it-here air about themselves.

They also tend to have a shop local mentality (because “our stuff DESERVES to be purchased, you pinhead!”) and they have no interest in looking like everyone else.

Some cities in Texas have a bunch of bodies and buildings but very little personality.

Dallas does not rock my boat, for example, but Fort Worth sure does, and the “Keep Austin Weird” slogan reflects both my current home region’s population boom and its fierce self-preservation instincts.

Have a personality. Stand for something. Support and highlight your local talent and businesses….

Or no one will care about you at all, because you can be found anywhere.

So simple, so straightforward, but I don’t see it often enough.

Integrate your on- and off-line destination marketing efforts. Make sure that people can find you, wherever you have a presence.

This card is the brainchild of Sarah Page, a Texas Social Media Award 2011 nominee and the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) economic development expert.

The only change I’d make would be to add a QR code so that anyone with a smartphone could boot up links to any of the sites above.

But, I know Sarah is already thinking about that….in between True Blue Texas blog posts.

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This disembodied creature was plunked into a metal bicycle basket outside a fashion and fabric store.

I’ll bet she was feeling, well, a bit scattered and out of sorts.

My friend Christine Lu and I had just finished a little sightseeing and shopping in nearby Yuyuan Gardens, one of my favorite places in Shanghai. We were there towards the end of the China 2.0 blogger tour and we couldn’t pull our cameras out fast enough to capture this little street moment.

This photo helps remind me to always remain aware of my surroundings, and to move quickly with a camera when unusual things pop up.

No, I don’t think we ever saw the basket containing the woman’s head….

Note:  I’ve started this Travel Post Friday series since I’ve now stepped away from my longstanding commitment to the BootsnAll Family Travel Blog. If you like it, there’s more of my travel work on the Perceptive Travel Blog.

(If you like this post, please consider subscribing to the blog via RSS feed or by email – the email signup box is on the right sidebar near the Search box. Thanks!)