Q&A: TravelCon 2024 Lands In Portland, Oregon this May — The Business Event For Travel Creators

TravelCon is an annual three-day event for travel creators — hosted this year in Portland, Oregon on May 15-17. The conference aims to help travel creators turn their passion into a profession and then scale their online presence.

We talk with Tara Brown who heads up operations and events at TravelCon. The team are laser-focused on helping travel creators go pro by turning their passion into a profession and then scaling their online business.

Who should attend TravelCon?

TravelCon is primarily for travel content creators, including bloggers, social media influencers, podcasters, YouTubers and more - if you create content about the travel industry in any capacity on the internet, TravelCon is for you.

Our attendees also represent 30+ travel niches. The top 10 niches are adventure/outdoor, budget, couples, culture and heritage, digital nomads, family, food/dining, international photography, luxury, points and miles, solo, sustainable, and van/rv/overlanding.

Watch the TravelCon Highlights reel and hear what attendees had to say:

TravelCon is also for the brands who are looking to connect with travel creators. In addition to networking and learning, the majority of creators also attend TravelCon to connect with brands, travel boards, CBVs, DMOs, agencies, and service providers. TravelCon 2024 provides a unique opportunity to be in the room with 500+ travel creators with a wide range of niches, platforms, and audience sizes.

What makes Portland, Oregon a great destination for TravelCon this year?

With it’s mix of natural beauty, creative culture, and extensive food scene, Portland is an ideal setting for TravelCon. Attendees will be able to explore the outdoors, both in Portland and the surrounding areas.

Portland is famed for its huge expanses of green space, from parks and forests to breathtaking mountain tops.

The variety of local food carts, breweries, and coffee roasters speak for themselves. We’re also excited for attendees to explore Portland’s diverse neighborhoods, each offering their own unique blend of things to see, taste, and do. May is also the perfect time to explore the “City of Roses” and the lush gardens unique to Portland.

What are the key themes at TravelCon this year? What industry trends and disruptions will you be keeping attendees informed about?

The TravelCon sessions will focus on one of two things – going pro and scaling. Our attendees are well-equipped with travel knowledge and expertise, so our goal is to help creators focus on the business side of their work.

TravelCon 2024 will feature Go Pro and Scale sessions.

“Go Pro” sessions will empower part-time creators to go full-time with topics focused on things like:

• Expanding your reach using advanced SEO, ads, & email marketing
• Discovering creator tools and services to streamline your workflow
• Diversifying how you monetize your content, including affiliate marketing and collaborations
• Building effective partnerships with CVBs, DMOs, Travel Boards, Travel Brands, and Destinations

“Scale” sessions are for full-time creators who are ready to scale their brand, their reach, their content, and their profit, with topics such as:

• Equipping your brand with the right team members, tools, and services
• Diversifying your revenue streams, including product development, courses, or membership communities
• Maintaining balance to avoiding burnout as a full-time creator and digital nomad
• Leveraging AI & other emerging tech for content creation & business growth

What are your top 3 tips for TravelCon attendees?

1. Identify Your Goals

There’s a crucial first task that has nothing to do with packing – setting your intentions. Establishing your goals before you’re in Portland will help you navigate TravelCon with purpose, including what sessions and meetups you attend and how you introduce yourself to attendees and brands. Ask yourself:

• What am I hoping to get out of the event?
• Is there anyone in particular I’m hoping to connect with?
• How am I going to represent myself? Am I a blogger, vlogger, podcaster, freelancer, or something else?

2. Prep to Meet Your People

There’s nowhere else you can be among 500+ other travel content creators who get you, your work, and your passion for travel! We pack the schedule with opportunities to make connections so that you can make the most of every meetup, FAM tour, hangout, and hallway chat.

Plan your experience around your personal energy levels and help people remember you by bringing business cards, stickers, buttons, or other small swag items printed with your brand details.

3. Create Content at TravelCon

One thing you might be reluctant to do is actually create content at the event. Don’t be. You’ll be surprised by how many people ask you for a sound bite or a quote for their own podcasts, videos, or articles. In addition to contributing to others, you can create your own content, too.

Even if you aren’t creating content at TravelCon, you can make connections and gather useful information from other attendees at the event. Ask people to give you quotes or establish connections and follow up when you get home.

Who are some notable speakers and brands attending TravelCon?

Here’s a few of our incredible speakers and brands who you’ll get to meet at TravelCon in Portland:

Chris and Sara, Emily Mandagie / The Mandagies, Joy and Hugh Obazei / Afrostylicity, Matt Kepnes / Nomadic Matt and Preethi Chandrasekhar / The Eager Traveler

Christina McEvoy / Macs Explore, Jessica Serna / My Curly Adventures, Kemoy Martin, Kristen Sarah and Siya Zarrabi / Hopscotch the Globe, Raimee Iacofono / Raimee Travel

Prominent travel and content creation brands include: Travel Portland, Trip Advisor, Stay22, Mediavine, AwardWallet, RVShare, soNomad, Rexby, Explorer Chick, MilesMentor, OahuGenius, Pacific Sands, Visit Jacksonville, Hawaii Tours, Visit Missouri, LetsChat.chat, Travel Insurance Center, with more being added every day.

What professional networking opportunities does TravelCon provide?

Connecting creators with creators and creators with brands is at the core of our event. We provide lots of opportunities to “find your people” and do business in a way that feels natural and organic.

• Expo: Featuring Travel Boards, Brands, CVBs, DMOs, creator service providers, and more – many with specially-curated offers, partnerships, and products to discuss with attendees.
• 1:1 Meetings with Industry Reps: Pro Networking is 1:1 meetings with brands, sponsors, and travel boards, scheduled in advance using our event software. All attendees can participate.
• Meetups: Find your people in meetups tailored to your platform or niches. Our goal is to connect you with as many creators as possible.
• Evening Events: Who doesn’t love letting loose with your travel friends? Have fun at the Welcome Reception, Dinner Clubs, Late Night Meetups, and more.

What exclusive events and activities at TravelCon are you excited about?

Dinner Clubs are a new addition to TravelCon this year. On Thursday evening during TravelCon, groups of 6-8 attendees will share meals at some of Portland’s best spots. These groups will have a host to keep the conversation going and are paired together based on interests and niches.

FAM Tours are pre and post-event adventures to help attendees uncover the vibrant culture of Portland & surrounding areas. Tours will be scheduled for the Tuesday before and the Saturday after TravelCon.

— Thank you, Tara, for sharing more insights and tips about TravelCon 2024!

👉 Grab your TravelCon ticket – use code MASSIVE for 30% discount.