TBEX Athens 2014: Thoughts, Preparation, Expectations

Hello fellow travel bloggers!

As you’re here I want to share with you my thoughts on the first travel conference I’m going to attend this year – Travel Bloggers Exchange a.k.a TBEX Athens 2014 (Oct 23-25). 

As a read more and more about it I’m becoming more and more excited and insecure at the same time.

Excited, because I’m eager to learn more about travel blogging – tips, tricks, hacks, right and wrong. Excited, because I can’t wait to meet other travel bloggers who share my concerns, my passions, my fears, my dreams. Excited, because Athens is a great city. Excited, because I already found bloggers who are going to attend and I am excited to meet them.

Insecure, because since now I’ve never been able to talk about my blog and my goals. “What should I say? Are these the right words? I should have not say that!” Insecure, because I’m still new to blogging and my blog is still not so big and popular and I’m thinking: “Why should anyone want to visit my blog? Why should anyone want to work with me?”. Insecure, because in my mind only travel bloggers with huge experience and success go to such events. “Do I have a place there?”. 

Aaaand a bit scared: I’m getting back from London on Oct 21st around midnight and I have to take the bus to Athens the morning after, which means no sleep for me. Well, I guess it’s for a good cause…

But why shouldn’t I go? After all I’m going to learn new things, even though I’m new, some day I’ll become big and that conference may be the bounce I need.

Preparation

Anyway, I’m reading all about TBEX when I have free time. Here’s how I’m going to prepare myself:

• Blog refreshing – I refreshed my About section – now it’s more clear what I’m writing about, what my focus is, what my future plans are. 
• New articles – I’m planning my articles for a month ahead so I have a steady flow of posts until TBEX Athens. And I’m going to work hard for that posts because when someone check my blog I want them to get the best out of it. Isn’t that the point? It’s not that I want them to like my blog at any price, but the conference gives me a little push for that procrastinated works. 
• Media Kit – I don’t know if I need one yet and if someone would ask for it but I have to be prepared, I guess.
• Business cards – still working on that. Everyone says I need many of these. But no one tells you how many? Do you know?
• Planning my trip – I love to make plans and manage my time while I’m travelling. I already booked my hostel. I wrote down all the places I want to visit in Athens. It’s time for the food research I guess. I only have 2 free days so I better make them count.
• Checking out the speakers and attendees – I’m happy to connect with other attendees as well as to know more about the speakers at TBEX. 

Work in progress: I’m still trying to figure out how to get to Athens. I’m travelling from Sofia, not that far away, but still…

Expectations = Goals

From the panels and speakers I expect: to learn many new things about travel blogging, photography, monetizing a blog, creating valuable content, managing social media.

From meeting other travel bloggers I expect: to make long-term relationships, to find blogging partners for some projects of mine, to meet like-minded people, to help someone with what I’ve learnt since launching my travel blog in March 2014.

From Athens I expect: a lot of pictures, great weather, delicious food, warm people, big memories, and I have no doubt I’ll get all that.

*I want to note that I’m so lucky I found a ticket for sale from the first ones – for just $97. Yay for the luck!

Are you going to attend TBEX Athens? What do you expect? What are your concerns? 

And a few practical questions: How many business cards will you bring? What do you think of my Media Kit? Any other advices?