We’re still reeling from the experiences at TBEX 13 in Toronto, still amazed at the A-game our speakers brought to the stage, and now it’s time to knuckle down and make sure that we deliver a consistent quality educational program for TBEX Europe in Dublin.

First, a little background about the speaking lineup of our Toronto event:

• We had 54 speakers for our breakout educational sessions.
• 42% of our speakers were women.
• We had 46 speakers from North America (10 of those from Canada),  7 from Europe, and one from Asia.
• Approximately 58% of our speakers had not spoken at TBEX before.

I think our Toronto event raised the bar for excellence in speakers and sessions, and I know that Dublin will do the same.

So how do you get a speaker spot on the TBEX Europe speaker program?

The very first thing you should do – and I mean the VERY FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO – is read this post about what we are looking for in speakers at TBEX. I’ll reiterate a few of the tips here, the ones that seemed the biggest challenge to potential speakers:

Write a solid speaker submission form. This will take some thought and time, but we won’t know what your session promises to deliver to attendees if you dash something off in a hurry. Refine your topic to an appropriate length for the one hour session, allowing time for questions and answers, and make sure your description and takeaways demonstrate what the session would be about. Poorly written (or explained) sessions are probably the top reason that submissions are declined.

Your session should not be self promotional. Talking about your product or how to use it, promoting a new service you’re offering, or talking about your business are not good topics for an ed session. We know that you’ll rely on your experience, which does incorporate all of the above, but attendees want to know “what’s in it for them” – so make sure you can answer that question. And if you have a great product or service that you’re ready to showcase and market to the world, you’re welcome to become a sponsor at TBEX. Just let us know and we’ll connect you with someone on our business development team.

Remain flexible. Selecting and organizing the speakers is an always moving process, and one that is not as easy as I used to think it was. It is not simply a matter of saying yes or no, it’s a constantly evolving process of making sure that we have a good variety of topics, a mix of returning and new speakers, and diversity of gender, nationality, and more. If your session is a take it or leave it one regarding topic, speaking partners, or timing, we’ll probably have to decline. We have lots of moving parts to the program, so remaining flexible and easy to work with helps us say yes.

Are you part of the TBEX community or are you only interested in being there to be on stage. Our community is wise to those who are genuinely a part of the travel and travel blogger community; they are equally wise to those who merely want to be there solely for personal aggrandizement or gain. Our attendees recognize the difference and tell us in their evaluations and comments, so ask yourself why you want to be at TBEX Dublin. Would you want to be there if you weren’t a speaker?

Our sessions fall into four categories:  Content, Community, Commerce, and TBEX Business (for the travel industry).

OK, I’ve read the link, what do I do now?

Remember that we want you to be successful and for attendees to love your session. With the above guidelines in mind, if you have questions about the process or what we’re looking for, just send me an email. I’m happy to answer your questions or jump on Skype to chat about it.

The submission process opens today and will close on July 5th, 2013 at midnight, Pacific Time. Go to the speaker submission form for TBEX Dublin and send us your very best idea.

We will attempt to put the program together and notify speakers by August 5th, one month after closing. Again, we try very hard to meet those deadlines, and if everything falls into place precisely, we can do it. We appreciate your patience if it takes a little bit longer.

Okay now, re-read that link above, put your thinking cap on, and send us your very best idea for an educational breakout session at TBEX Dublin.

TBEX, you sure are a prolific lot. You generated more than 31,000 tweets and 6,000 photos on Instagram in a 96-hour period. And counting. Trying to work through it is like taking a sip from Niagara Falls.

All that social activity is about sharing experiences and inviting people who may be in the same room or continents away to join you for the ride. It’s the very essence of travel journalism and collectively the TBEX community is leading the way, harnessing new technology to bring travel to life in ways we never before imagined.

It is clear how committed the community is to individual and collective improvement. Every session was packed to the doors (and sometimes beyond) and every one was followed by long lines to ask more questions of the speakers. I’ve had a front-row seat over the past year as the Blogworld team assembled the program and built the conference. I saw from day one how they viewed the content, structure and experience from the delegates’ eyes and created a program to inspire and educate.

In their first full cycle as TBEX planners, the Blogworld team raised the bar significantly and there is no turning back. TBEX is a highly professional, industry-unifying event.

I hope that we in Toronto also raised the bar for host destinations. We spent a year working on this, along with our partners Ontario and Canada, and fed off the energy of thousands of local tourism businesses and local travel bloggers who never stop sharing their Toronto with the world.

In the end, we are overwhelmed by the words and photos shared about Toronto. Of course we hope they won’t be the last words you share about Toronto. Hopefully your experience here has inspired you to return, even more curious, and to explore deeper and wider across Toronto and beyond into Ontario and Canada.

To Blogworld, we say thanks for this opportunity. To our friends in Dublin, we pass the torch with pride. And to the entire TBEX community, we say thanks for visiting, thanks for your infectious energy, and thanks for sharing your Toronto experiences with millions of people. Most of you have returned home or embarked on your next adventure. Let’s all stay connected and make a date to get together again soon.

Safe and inspiring travels all,

Andrew Weir is Vice President, Communications of Tourism Toronto. Follow him at @ABWeir.

There will be plenty of time for telling stories, discussing and analyzing TBEX 13 in Toronto. We’ll have speaker slides up later this week, we’ll have surveys coming out, and we’ll be opening speaker submissions for Dublin.

But for now, the TBEX team is spending a little time enjoy Toronto, traveling home, and resting up after this amazing event. So, we’re going to let you do the talking for us.

We’ll be adding a list of all the posts written about the event to this post. It’ll take us a couple of days to get a good start, so if you’ve written one, please email the link to Jessica or myself and we’ll make sure it’s added – and don’t worry – we’ll be updating in often to include your post.

Thanks to everyone for making this such a great event! We look forward to seeing you in Dublin.

Till then, you can read about TBEX Toronto in the following posts:

1. TBEX travel blogger conference brings in 1,000 journalists to help promote Tourism – Toronto Star
2. Travel bloggers from around the globe network at TBEX in Toronto – MetroNews Canada
3. Thoughts on TBEX 13 in Toronto, Canada - Stop Having a Boring Life
4. What I learned at TBEX Toronto 2013: The benefits to brands and destinations – Canadian and World Tourism
5. Invasion of the travel bloggers:  TBEX takes over Toronto – Toronto Star
6. Bloggers Take on TBEX Toronto – Butterfly Diary
7. TBEX Toronto Highlights (and one low light) - Breathe Dream Go
8. Our Keynote Presentation at TBEX Toronto - The Planet D
9. TBEX 2013 in Review – Nerds Eye View
10. TBEX in 10 Comments (in French, translation available) – Bush Taxi
11. TBEX Opening Night Party Flaunts Awesome Food – Food Spun
12. Lovely Glass Architecture of Downtown Toronto – Around the World L
13. Travel Bloggers Arrive in Toronto for TBEX Conference – Dobbernation Loves
14. Experencia do Blog Mikix no TBEX, em Toronto  (in Portuguese) – RBBV
15. The Distillery Historic District, Toronto, Canada – Points and Travel
16. 10 Tips for Working with Travel Bloggers and Destinations (in French) – Frederic Gonzalo
17. Travel and public relations bloggers even fight (in French) – Frederic Gonzalo
18. 5 Lessons learned from TBEX (in French) – Tourism Express
19. Travel Bloggers Trample Toronto – Rochester Media
20. Why TBEX Matters to Me – Travel Off the Cuff
21. Michael Collins on the Mooney Show (radio interview)
22. Hotel Review:  Four Seasons Toronto – Play Goes Strong
23. Why My TBEX Days May be Over – Katie Aune
24. To Toronto with Love – Not Without My Passport
25. A Round up of Pros and Cons post-TBEX 2013 in Toronto, Canada – Monica Suma
26. No Misbehavin:  5 Things You’ll Only Find at TBEX – Go Girl
27. The Business of Travel Blogging:  Reflections on TBEX – The Traveluster
28. That a Wrap:  TBEX Toronto – A Girl Travels
29. TBEX 2013 Toronto:  Why We are More than Just Travel Bloggers – Travellriter
30. Social Media & Travel Marketing:  There are No Rules – Travel Hot News
31. It’s Lady Gaga. . . It’s Katy Perry. . . It’s a Travel Blogger – Toronto Standards
32. The Adventures of FlatDeej in Toronto – The World of DeeJ
33. Notes, Slides and Favorite Photos from TBEX Toronto 2013 – Geotravelers Niche
34. 3 Reasons for a Newbie to Attend TBEX – Ready Pack Go
35. TBEX One Revelation:  The Rise of a New Generation in Travel Blog (in Chinese) – China Travel Daily
36. TBEX:  Caught in a Hashtag Romance Part 1 – Discovering Your Truth
37. TBEX Toronto Highlights – Joy Adventure
38. TBEX Toronto: A Neophyte’s Review – Milk Blitz Street Bomb
39. TBEX 2013:  A Much Needed Bit of Inspiration – See Ash Run
40. TBEX Reflections and Confessions – The World Wanderer
41. Random Musings on TBEX Toronto by a Travel Conference Virgin – Treksplorer
42. Toronto Photos on Vine and Instagram – Getaway Mavens
43. Stratford, Ontario:  Beliebe it or Not – Getaway Mavens
44. Intercontinental Hotel Toronto Review – Debbie Travels
45. A Virgin’s Very First Time – Nomadic Texan
46. TBEX – Frisco Kids
47. My Thoughts on the TBEX 2013 blogging conference – Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff
48. TBEX is Over Now What – World Wide Nate
49. 10 TBEX Takeaways – On My Feet or in My Mind
50. TBEX:  Lessons for the Hobby Blogger – Green Tea
51. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada – Points and Travel
52. Niagara Falls Photos:  Wet and Wild Close Ups - Albany Kid
53. TBEX Toronto:  I Arrived with No Pens and Went Home with Four – Wandering Artist on Wanderlust and Lipstick
54. Trying to Find My Direction Through TBEX – Where’s Pablo
55. Dare to Do Something a Little Different – Dare to Live
56. Hiking Rouge Park on a sweltering day at TBEX Toronto – Loyalty Traveler
57. Connecting at #TBEX Toronto – The Gate
58. #TBEX: Lessons Learned Working With Bloggers and DMOs plus Strategies for Succeeding in Digital Storytelling – Think! Social Media
59. Why I Had A Great Time At #TBEX – Belize Adventure
60. Hanging With 1,300 Bloggers in Toronto – Katrina Communications
61. A Canadian Weekend at TBEX – Cultural Learnings
62. My CN Tower Adventure – Discovering Your Truth
63. TBEX:  Caught in a Romance Part 2 - Discovering Your Truth
64. TBEX in Toronto – Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
65. Social Media Tools for Travel Bloggers Highlighted at TBEX – Technorati
66. What I Learned from TBEX – Graham Rowlands
67. Where do I belong? Post TBEX Confessions of a Struggling Travel Blogger – Stars on the Ceiling
68. Pronto! To Toronto - Global Adventuress
69. What a Girl Needs? The Hyatt Knows – Global Adventuress
70. Toronto Artists Take Over Graffiti Alley – Global Adventuress
71. Let Air Canada Entertain You – Global Adventuress
72. How to Take Better Travel Photos – Huffington Post
73. My First TBEX Experience – The Adventures of ElATLBoy
74. Voluntourism at TBEX – True Travellers Society
75. The REAL value of TBEX, for me – Candice Does the World
76. TBEX. Learn, network, party, just go – Borderless Travels
77. Adventures with Explorer’s Edge – Travel Destination Bucket List
78. Geeking Out at the CN Tower – Engineer on the Road
79. Travel Blogging Takeaways TBEX – Thrifty Momma’s Tips
80. How to write a travel blogs that grabs more readers than just your mom – The Globe and Mail
81. Five fun things to do in Toronto, ON – Boldly Go Solo
82. 5 Things I Learned from TBEX – Heartless Girl Blog
83. TBEX One Week Later:  Positive Outcomes – Katka Travels
84. Toronto and TBEX 2013 – Cocopia
85. Experiencing TBEX 2013 in Toronto – Promo Simple
86. Thoughts on TBEX 2013 – Garaphernalia 6.0
87. Toronto – A Photo Essay – Jersey Kids
88. Toronto Distillery District Segway Food Tour – Jersey Kids
89. TBEX Afterthoughts – The Lazy Travelers
90. TBEX 2013 in Toronto (video) – Rebecca Sloan
91. Travel Vloggers in Toronto for TBEX – Hopscotch the Globe
92. TBEX 2013 & How I Fell in Toronto All Over Again – Babble
93. A Travel Blog or a Business - Travel Writing 2.0
94. TBEX Toronto:  Triumphs and Challenges – The Suitcase Scholar
95. My First TBEX – Nomadic Meg
96. Travel Vloggers Impersonating Travel Vloggers at Tbex (video ) – Kristen Sarah
97. Letter to my readers:  Some people at TBEX taught me about writing. The good kind. – The Baby Aspirin Years
98. Why the disappearing act, what we’ve been up to – Traveling Canucks
99. How Much for a Sponsored Tweet, Pin or Post – Business 2 Community
100. Does building relationships with bloggers really matter? Think!s Robyn Takes on TBEX – Think! Social Media Blog
101. Making the Most of Toronto – Budget Nomad
102. First Impressions of Toronto:  Have I Been Here Before – Budget Nomad
103. 7 Lessons Learned from TBEX. So Far – Ah Trini Travelogue
104. TBEX 13: What Worked and What Didn’t – Ah Trini Travelogue
105. You…

Twenty-eight of the world’s best travel bloggers, writers and photographers have plenty to post, shoot and tweet home about thanks to an epic familiarization trip led by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC). While familiarization trips are common in the travel industry, the CTC wanted to try something out-of-the-ordinary by inviting bloggers to Explore Canada in a way they won’t soon forget en route to TBEX 13 in Toronto.

So what exactly does epic look like? Think gastronomy, cityscapes, a never-ending skyline, arts & architecture, among plenty of other discoveries, and connect them by a train trip across the country.

The trip, made possible thanks to a partnership with VIA Rail, consisted of groups of bloggers starting at three different points within the country and converging in Toronto for the conference. Groups embarked by rail from Vancouver, Halifax and PEI + Newfoundland, all headed to TBEX in Toronto. Stops along the way included Vancouver, Jasper, Winnipeg, Halifax, Moncton and Montreal, with bloggers spending a few days in each city, exploring the area and soaking in the Canadian culture.

While the city stops offered bloggers a memorable taste of Canadian experiences, VIA Rail gave everyone a chance to breathe, experience the journey in a new way, and of course write and take more photos.

Panorama Magic from Maurice Li on Vimeo.

Lessons learned from on the track

While the experience was a great success, providing bloggers with unique inspiration and perspectives, each memorable journey also comes with some great lessons. Here’s what the CTC has to offer in the way of planning an epic journey:

While media trips can be memorable for many different reasons, adding VIA Rail to the TBEX Toronto journey connected the bloggers to the country in a special way. Imagine the results of having a train car as your office while posting a blog. Imagine the characters and stories that could present themselves. Imagine the scenery flash by outside your window. When looking to add a unique touch to a media trip, the CTC considers the potential of how you get where you’re going.

Staying connected was key for the bloggers (naturally). The CTC invested in MiFi cards for the journey, which was a very wise decision. While VIA Rail offers WiFi at stations and throughout certain corridors of the journey, having consistent access for this trip helped our bloggers, photographers, and writers do what they do so well. While the MiFis were a lifeline, the CTC recommends researching different wireless options (as different parts of the country are serviced by different providers).

The saying strength in numbers couldn’t be more true for familiarization trips. While the CTC led the familiarization trip, our partners provided them with experiences and stories they won’t soon forget. From VIA Rail to the provincial, city and destination hosts, their expert advice and hosting skills delivered itineraries and experiences that added to this special journey.

 The journey doesn’t end here

In the spirit of epic train journeys and great experiences, the CTC is offering readers the chance to win 2 roundtrip tickets for two on VIA Rail across Canada, plus a $2,000 travel credit for flights and accommodations prior to the trip (estimated value of $13,000)!

To enter, Re-Tweet the following on Twitter: “I RT’d for a chance to win 2 tix across Canada on @Via_Rail #ExploreCanada! Bit.ly/CanadaTrain #Tbex @ExploreCanada {CAD/US/UK:18+}”

A lucky random lucky winner will then be chosen. Full contest details here.

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Rishad Daroowala, used with permission

We asked the members of the Ontario Craft Council this question. They answered with some of the most beautiful Ontario keepsakes you can find, and we’re giving them away in our #OntarioWithLove contest at the TBEX Toronto Conference!

Get ready for some eye candy. Here’s a look at what the Ontario artists created:

Canadiana Pin – by Anneke van Bommel
Facebook
Etsy

Anneke was inspired by classic Canadiana to create these pins. She told us, “These pieces embody the concept of ‘From Ontario with Love,’ in that they are iconic images that we associate with the idea of Ontario. The stubby pin pays homage to the bottle design that Canadian bottlers exclusively used prior to the longneck. The iconic Beaver brooch is the symbol of our country, and a symbol of Ontario.”

Show off where you’ve been – we think these pins would be a great addition to a backpack or luggage.

Prizes Available: 12 individual pins

Toronto Scarf – by Anu Raina
Twitter
Facebook

For Anu, the Ontario with Love concept reminded her of her very first months in Ontario: “Shortly after immigrating to Canada in 2004, we witnessed our first fall in Canada. It was an experience beyond words … with many warm hues and splashed across the city. In these Textile prints, I have tried to trace those sweet memories of my first fall.”

If you look closely at the scarf on the left you’ll see a reproduction of the Toronto Transit map – a great way to remember your TBEX adventures, and a great accessory too!

Prizes Available: 18 individual scarves

Metal Moose – by David Hickey
Facebook

One of the most exciting experiences you can have in Ontario is to venture into the Canadian wilderness. For David, one of these trips sparked his creativity: “The largest member of the deer family is the moose, and it is one of the most recognizable symbols of Ontario … one spring morning I saw in the distance a moose sitting in a pond of water lilies. As it started to stand I remember thinking that although being majestic in stature it also demonstrated elements of awkwardness as it tried to stand. People who see a moose for the first time are usually struck by its massive size, and similarly, I was too.”

Prizes Available: 6 individual moose

Souvenir Tea Towel or Ontario Napkins – by Jen Kneulman
Instagram
Flickr

If you have a family member who liked to travel in the 1970s, chances are you’ve seen a vintage tea towel or two. This retro influence was the inspiration behind Jen’s Ontario souvenir tea towel. She describes the piece like this: “The inspiration for Freshly Printed’s designs are often drawn from local flora and fauna, northern Ontario cottage life, and Canadiana.” Jen also submitted the beautiful napkins below, inspired by the Ontario pine tree.

If you take these pieces home would you use them or save and display them?

Prizes Available: 6 tea towel sets, 6 napkin sets

Canadiana Necklace – by Kate Singer
Pinterest
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

The moose, the beaver and the canoe – a combination of classic Ontario symbols – is celebrated on these necklaces by Kate.

Here’s the story behind the necklaces: “In my mind, there is nothing more special about Ontario than the majestic wilderness. In my childhood I spent many hours in a station wagon with a canoe on top travelling with my family to various Ontario campgrounds. On the luckiest of occasions, I paddled by moose and watched beavers build their dams. I spent my summers throughout university planting trees in the backwoods of Ontario’s north and came to know that there are few places as beautiful on earth as Ontario’s wilderness.”

Fun fact: If you visit Canoe Restaurant, acclaimed as one of Canada’s best restaurants serving Canadian-style food, you may see the servers wearing cufflinks featuring Kate’s designs!

Prizes Available: 18 individual necklaces

Beer Box – by The Noble Beaver Trading Company’s Graeme Marrs
Facebook

For many Ontarians there’s nothing like a cold beer by one of Ontario’s lakes and rivers, and the many microbreweries across the province prove that people here are just as passionate about how beer is made. This Beer Box by Graeme Marrs of the Noble Beaver Trading Company celebrates this Ontario tradition.

Prizes Available: 6 Beer Boxes

“You’re Great” Print – by Kid Icarus
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Etsy

The Kid Icarus Print Department in Toronto’s Kensington Market is the home of master screen printer Michael Viglione, who has been creating posters and art prints for over twelve years. The “You’re Great” wall art up for grabs at TBEX is based on their best-selling postcard. The five Great Lakes, four of which border on Ontario, are the perfect way to celebrate the over 250,000 lakes that Ontario is home to.

Wouldn’t this make the perfect addition to a home office?

Prizes Available: 6 “You’re Great Prints”, 6 Surprise Prints

Forest Collectable – by Sally McCubbin
Blog

If you’ve always wanted to have a conversation piece in your home or apartment, this forest collectable by Sally definitely fits the bill. Her glass creations, which represent the Canadian forest, are what she describes as “…a statement about the natural beauty and preciousness of our exports, it displayed our Canadian sensibility of subtle concept and simple design.”

Prizes Available: 6 individual glass pieces

Autumn Maple – by Robert Wu
Blog

While we love all four seasons in Ontario, there’s something extra special about fall, which transforms the countryside into a rainbow of reds, oranges and yellows. Robert told us this marbled print was inspired by his travel in the rural Ontario countryside with the beautiful display of fall colours of Ontario maple trees.

Did you know? The marbling in this print is the ancient art of painting on water surface. Colours are floated onto a bath of liquid size, and a comb or rake is then used to move the colours on the surface in order to create patterns. A sheet of paper is then rolled onto the bath in order to pick up the colours or patterns. Each pull is one of a kind!

Prizes Available: 10 Prints

How to enter:

• Open to TBEX attendees. Contest open from May 27th – June 6th, 2013.
• While you are in Ontario, tweet your favourite Ontario photos with the tag #OntarioWithLove for your chance to win a special keepsake for you and one of your followers.
• Enter as many times as you’d like – one winner per Twitter account.
• There are 50 prizes up for grabs!
• See full rules and regulations here.

How to claim your prize:

• We’ll be randomly drawing winners throughout the conference and notifying them on Twitter via @ShareOntario.
• If you are notified that you are a winner, Direct Message us your mailing address & phone number.
• We will ship your prize and your additional prize to give away to one of your followers to the address you provided.

Thanks to the Ontario Crafts Council and their wonderfully creative members for putting together these special TBEX prizes. While you are in Toronto, stop by the Ontario Craft Council’s Guild Shop at 118 Cumberland Street in Yorkville. Good luck!

This contest is void where prohibited, and entry is not permitted by anyone who is a resident of any country, region or state, where this contest would be restricted or subject to any filing, registration or other requirements. For full rules and regulations click here.

A year ago we won the opportunity to host TBEX in Toronto. It’s the kind of event every destination wants to host. We’d do it every year if they’d let us. At the time, TBEX was a 600-person conference growing quickly to meet the new professionalism of blogging.

Now here we are – and here all of you are, 1,200+ strong. And we simply couldn’t be more proud and honoured to be your hosts this week.

Toronto can be easily explored on foot, and just as easily by bike, streetcar, subway, boat, bus or even segway. Visit as many neighbourhoods as you can. In a city where 50 per cent of the residents were born outside of Canada, diversity is our hallmark and nowhere is it more vibrant than in Greektown, Indian Bazaar, Little Italy, Chinatown (any of them – there are five in the metro area), Little Portugal, Koreatown, as well as the Gay Village, Yorkville, Queen West, Liberty Village, Leslieville, and so on.

Today and tomorrow most TBEX delegates are taking advantage of the 75+ city tours we have made available. Those are in addition to the pre-TBEX tours offered by our partners at the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership and and the Canadian Tourism Commission.

As you explore the city, be sure to play along on the TBEX PhotoQuest game. How many of the Toronto icons can you identify, find and photograph this weekend? Check the Tourism Toronto TBEX Pinterest boards or click the above link for the icons to find and post your photos to Pinterest and Twitter.

When you’re not taking a tour you can use your VIP Attractions Passport that provides free admission to more than 20 Toronto and regional attractions. You can pick up your passports at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre today and tomorrow at the Tourism Toronto TBEX Concierge Desk.

After all the tours, things really get started with the official opening night reception hosted by Tourism Toronto where you’ll enjoy food from Toronto’s neighbourhoods, the outstanding wines of Ontario and some of Toronto’s best craft beers, plus a few surprises.

Friends, we are honoured to have you here. You are professional storytellers and we think you’ll find some exciting, one-of-a-kind and ever-changing stories here that we hope you’ll blog, tweet and generally shout about. Because it’s simply too good a story to keep to ourselves.

The Tourism Toronto team is here to assist with anything you need and answer any questions you have throughout the weekend and afterwards. And of course the many enthusiastic Toronto-based bloggers are rich troves of information and tips (and may even help you find some of the PhotoQuest icons if you ask). We look forward to an inspiring weekend and hope you’ll visit again soon.

Andrew Weir is Vice President, Communications of Tourism Toronto. Follow him at @ABWeir.

How do I work with a brand? How do I work with a blogger? For some TBEX attendees, those are two of the top questions they are looking to have answered in Toronto.

“Even if you’re starting with a template, be sure to target it to the specific client. Brands want to work with bloggers who show a genuine interest in and understanding of the product or location they’re aiming to work with. Brands, you’re not off the hook – the same holds true for you. Don’t reach out to bloggers with a one-size-fits-all proposition.” – Kent & Caanan, No Vacation Required

“For bloggers, embrace humility. Just because you have a blog doesn’t mean you are God’s gift to journalism. Treat every colleague with respect and every encounter with the utmost professionalism. “– Matt Villano, Wandering Pod

“For brands, remember that “biggest” isn’t necessarily “best.” A blogger with a relatively small number of monthly unique visitors overall may have a niche readership focused on exactly the type of audience you’re trying to reach.” – Kara Williams, The Vacation Gals

“This tip is for both bloggers and brands (and bloggers, yes, you have a brand too). Before the approach, the most important first step is to determine if your values align. Brand values are the basis for every strategy, decision and reaction. In other words, it forms the basis of your potential marriage.” – Trish Friesen, Trip Styler

“Put the brand first and ask the questions, ‘How can I help you?’ and ‘Is this a good fit?’ Sometimes the fit isn’t right and sometimes the timing’s not right. Be patient, consistent, and don’t take it personally if you get a “no” on the first ask.” – Beth Whitman, Wanderlust and Lipstick

“Don’t try to do all things. Keep your deliverables simple and stick to what you are good at and you will shine.” – Anne Taylor Hartzell, Hip Travel Mama

“Develop a relationship. Follow each other on Twitter, like them on Facebook, comment on their posts, and participate in their conversations.” Rick & Sandi, Midlife Road Trip

“Make it easy to say ‘yes’ (For both bloggers and brands). The more detailed you are and the more questions you can head off in your initial pitch, the more likely you are to get a ‘yes’. – Spencer Spellman, The Traveling Philosopher

“When working with brands, make sure to keep communication open. Ask them what their goals for the project are and be clear as to what your goals are as well. When you are both working on the same page and know what the other person wants out of the project, you can achieve great results.” – Dave & Deb, The Planet D

“When approaching brands, be sure to explain in detail how the partnership is beneficial to both parties. Think not of what the brand can do for you, but what you can do for the brand.” – Chris & Tawny, Captain and Clark

Sponsor Bio:  The last year has continued to see Expedia expand its partnership with bloggers, even more so with today’s launch of Expedia’s first blog, the Expedia Viewfinder blog. In providing these tips, we’ve gone straight to the source – our Expedia Viewfinder bloggers – who shared these great ideas and recommendations on how brands and bloggers can work together.

Photo credit:  TBEX photo pool on flickr

Are you joining us in Toronto this week for TBEX? If so, this is the post for you! We’ve compiled all information about TBEX 2013 in Toronto in this post, so you can make sure you didn’t miss a single announcement.

The Conference:

• Still need a ticket? Register here.
• Who will be speaking? See the complete list of Toronto speakers here.
• The complete conference schedule is available here.

DAY ONE: Pre-BEX Toronto Experiences (May 30, 2013)

• Day Trips 1 and 2 start at 9:30 AM.
• All other tours start at 2:00 PM.
• You must sign up ahead of time for Pre-BEX experiences.
• More information about Pre-BEX experiences on Day One is available here.

DAY TWO: Pre-BEX Toronto Experiences and Workshops (May 31, 2013)

• TBEX registration is open from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
• The first tours and workshops start at 9:30 AM.
• You must sign up ahead of time for Pre-BEX experiences and workshops.
• More information about Pre-BEX experiences on Day Two is available here, here, and here (there are three pages of experiences to look through for Day Two).
• More information about Pre-BEX workshops on Day Two is available here.
• Our opening party is hosted by Tourism Toronto at Roy Thomson Hall, a short walk from most hotels.

DAY THREE: TBEX (June 1, 2013)

• TBEX registration is open from 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• The Welcome and Opening Keynote with Trey Ratcliff starts at 8:45 AM.
• The breakout sessions start at 10:15 AM.
• There will be a lunch break at 12:30 PM.
• The General Session, including a keynote with Dave and Deb from ThePlanetD, starts at 2:40 PM.
• Speed Dating (see more below) starts at 4:00 PM.
• Expedia’s Viewing Party at Shopsy’s on Centre Island starts at 7:00 PM. Complimentary ferry transportation is provided – please RSVP via the email listed here, and you must bring your TBEX badge to get in!

DAY FOUR: TBEX (June 2, 2013)

• TBEX registration is open from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
• The Morning Keynote with Erik Lindbergh starts at 8:45 AM.
• The breakout sessions start at 10:15 AM.
• There will be a lunch break at 12:30 PM.
• Open Marketplace starts at 2:30 PM.
• This Week in Travel Live with Chris Christensen, Gary Arndt, and Jennifer Leo starts at 4:45 PM, followed by an invitation to TBEX Europe in Dublin, Ireland, as well as closing announcements.
• Our evening event starts at 7:00 PM (Time and location TBA).

DAY FIVE: Post-TBEX Toronto Experiences (June 3, 2013)

• Tours start at 9:30 AM.
• All tours are now sold out, but if you signed up previously, you can review tour information here.

Other Events:

• For those of you in town early, check out the G Adventures Party at Tryst Night Club on May 29, starting at 7:00 PM. Space is limited, and the event is full, but there’s a waiting list. Learn more and sign up here.
• We’ll be holding a “newbie Q&A session” in the American Express Lounge on June 1 at 10:15 AM, directly following the morning keynote. If you’re new to TBEX, this is a great session to attend for TBEX information and to ask questions. More details are available here.

Speed Dating and Open Marketplace:

• What is speed dating? The FAQ is here.
• Blogger Guide
• Company Guide
• We published a guide for perfecting your pitch that is helpful for first-time speed daters.

Miscellaneous Info and Announcements:

• Want to have your blog critiqued live at TBEX? Tweet at Mitch Canter to be considered. Learn more here.
• Our newbie guide to TBEX is available here.
• Bringing a child to TBEX? Check out this important information.

About Toronto:

• EST Timezone (UTC -05:00)
• Toronto weather information is available here.
• Toronto restaurant recommendations are available here from Andrew Dobson.
• We explain Toronto neighborhoods here.
• Did you know…? Toronto facts here.
• And we’ve got some last-minute Toronto tips from Tourism Toronto here, including information on picking up your VIP Toronto Attractions Pass.

Toronto Attendees on Twitter:

• TBEX Toronto Attendees 1 (we hit Twitter’s 500-person list limit!)
• TBEX Toronto Attendees 2
• TBEX Toronto Sponsors
• TBEX Toronto Speakers

Follow TBEX via Social Media:

• TBEX on Twitter
• TBEX on Facebook
• TBEX Community on Google+
• TBEX on Pinterest
• TBEX on Instagram

Left to Right: April Robb, Dianne Hallock and Keith Leong of TripAdvisor for Business
on our own world travels

It’s a big world out there, with room for all of us to specialize. Road warrior gurus. Hotel news experts. Malaysian eco-tourism bloggers on a shoestring budget. Okay, some of us are more niche than others.

Our niche at TripAdvisor for Business? Building a community of people in and around the hospitality industry. And what we’d love more of is additional content that interests hoteliers, restaurateurs and attraction owners.

That’s why we (April, Dianne and Keith from TripAdvisor for Business) are coming to TBEX to connect with you.* Because you’re the boots/loafers/flip flops on the ground.

Your first-hand experience and unique perspective just might go well with our high-level expertise and information. Sure, we know in real-time what destinations are hot, thanks to site searches and page views. And we know what’s on the mind of hoteliers and travelers around the world, thanks to our annual TripBarometer survey. What about all the great insight you could add? Maybe you specialize in luxury travel, or know just what a family on the move is looking for when they pick a hotel.

So let’s chat. Whatever your angle is, if you have expertise to share with our hospitality folks maybe we can expose your blog, podcast or photos to a huge new audience.

Sound good? Keep an eye out for us! Our Speed Dating slots are almost full, but you can always say hi if you see April, Dianne or Keith around any of the TBEX sessions or events.

*We’re also coming to Toronto to eat at Ruby Watchco (that 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor means business…delicious, delicious business).

Sponsor bio: With 200 million unique monthly visitors, 100 million reviews and opinions, global surveys and far-reaching connections, TripAdvisor connects travelers with other travelers and hoteliers. Our TripAdvisor for Business group focuses on connecting people in the hotel, restaurant and attraction businesses with the latest news, trends, insights and more. Want to learn more about what kind of content we create and how you might contribute to our rapidly growing community? Visit tripadvisor4biz.wordpress.com.

Lauren Aloise in Madrid

Last year, blogger Lauren Aloise came to TBEX Girona – and when the representatives from Toronto got onstage during the closing session to introduce their city as the host of the next conference, they announced that the winner of a trip to attend TBEX Toronto was Lauren. Attending two TBEX events in a row gave her a chance to think about how she would do things differently this time.

Upon hearing that TBEX Europe would be in Girona last year, I was thrilled. It seemed like things were falling into place as I took a big leap by quitting my job as an ESL teacher to focus my energy on making my blog a business. Something that had once seemed scary – impossible even – was suddenly a reality, and to make things even better TBEX was set to take place not too far from Madrid, my home base.

I bought a ticket without hesitation, and started making plans for which sessions I’d attend. I even played around a bit with the speed dating appointment system, accepting a few appointments from people and checking out who I might want to talk to.

In retrospect, I prepared the best I could. But this year, only eight months later, I feel far more prepared – thanks in part to what I learned last September. Here’s what I am doing differently this time around (and why!):

I’m reading up on the region

Sure, it’s fun to see a place with few expectations and an outsider’s perspective. But I quickly realized that doing a bit of prior research can make all the difference in producing a good story. With so many bloggers exploring the same place, one of the key ways to produce unique content – not just the cookie cutter stuff we often see – is to have questions ready for the places and people we will encounter.

I’m defining my mission

Last year I didn’t really have a mission at the conference. Sure, I wanted to network, to learn from the sessions, and to experience a fantastic place – but I hadn’t defined any specific achievable goals. This year I am going a different route, and making some very specific goals for myself and my business. From meeting a specific person, to asking specific questions, I know what I want this time around!

I’m making peace with what is doable for me

I am a Spain based blogger who writes about Spanish cuisine, Spain travel, and short European escapes. As much as other areas of the world may tempt me, I know that I am unable to experience them at the moment, and also that they don’t fit my current demographic. Last year I felt pressured to make as many contacts as possible – go, go, go! And while I agree that a contact can be valuable no matter what, I will definitely be focusing on quality over quantity this year, setting up fewer meetings with more defined and realistic goals.

I’ll be balancing downtime and nightlife

I was so worried about missing something important last year, that I barely gave myself bathroom breaks. And while every session and meeting is valuable, learning to balance what you personally require as far as downtime goes is equally important. This year I plan to take a break when necessary, and if it means not getting everything in, I accept that I’m not Superblogger.

On the other side of the equation is nightlife and socialising. In Girona I quickly realized that blogging conferences can be extremely social events, with some of my fellow bloggers staying out into the wee hours of the night. With the last point in mind, I didn’t partake – I wanted to get as much sleep as possible to keep moving the next day. So while it’s not to say that this year I’ll be in party mode, I certainly hope to socialize a bit more than last time.

I’m bringing the same passion with a new game plan

Attending TBEX Girona motivated me to keep doing what I love. I was able to meet so many hardworking, positive, and motivational people, and their go-getter outlook helped me return to Madrid ready to work hard for what I love doing. This year I am going to take on Toronto with a slightly different game plan, but with the same passion and motivation that had me turn down this path in the first place. I look forward to meeting all you likeminded people there.

About the author: Originally from small-town Massachusetts, Lauren Aloise always planned on trading cold, rural winters for the buzz of a big city. Currently going on her fourth overseas, she lives happily in busy Madrid where she runs Madrid Food Tour and writes about European travel and expat life at Spanish Sabores. She appreciates fantastic cuisine and the high quality ingredients found in any Spanish kitchen, and when not writing is surely out for a tapa and a glass of Spanish wine.