TBEX Athens 2014: 6 Essential Tips for First Time TBEXers and Big Thank you

I just recently got back from my first ever travel blogger conference – TBEX Athens, and it was awesome! I never thought I would meet so many colorful, funny, crazy, friendly, kind people who share the same passion as I do. I learned a lot, I laughed a lot and I miss it already so much. Anyways, I just wanted to share my experiences at TBEX.

Lessons Learned: If you are going to attend your first travel conference, I hope you find these 6 essential tips helpful:

1. Talk to everyone – when you are waiting for the lunch or for the next session, just talk to the person next to you. Everyone has a unique story and you might find it inspiring. 
2. Don’t just throw your business cards to everyone – it was super weird to see how people just hand their business cards without even talk to the other person. Just make a meaningful conversation first, it’s worth it. 
3. Ask questions during sessions – put your name out there. This is another creative way to be remembered. But only ask it if you mean it.
4. Sign the business cards you recieve – very important! At the end of the day, believe me, you won’t remember whose card you got. That’s why I love the ones with pictures. 
5. Expect to have no time for yourself – during the conference you will always be running around – for sessions, parties, meetings, etc. Don’t expect to just sit and not doing anything. 
6. Try to remember who you met and greet them when you see them – it’s not nice if you see a person you met the night before and he doesn’t even say hi. Make an effort and remember the face of the people you talk to. Then greet them kindly when you meet them again.

That’s what I learned from the social perspective. But there’s so much practical information to take from the sessions. It’s time for me to pick up my notes and start working on my blog!

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But before to say goodbye I want to thank to all of the wonderful people I met:

Thank you, Adrian, for telling me about TBEX and for your consistent push. Thank you, Lucy and Jenna, who were the first ones I met in Athens at the Travel Massive party and helped me to overcome my fear of meeting people :D. Special thanks to my roommates Leesha and Yara, and Kate from the other room. You are so inspiring in your own unique way. I want to come to UK, Portugal and Canada and give you a big hug. Thank you, Stacey and Els, you’ve been a great conference buddies. Thank you, Heather and John, Cassandra, Claus, Lukey for the nice talks during TBEX. Thanks to Margherita and Nick, who were one of the few at TBEX who have heard about me. A special thanks to Marco! You know why.  Thank you, Sabina. I finally met you. Hope to have the chance to talk to you longer. Also, thank you, Elizabeth, Franzi, Tikva, Erica, Gaurav, for the nice last evening in Athens. Thank you, Adriana – the other Bulgarian at TBEX. You rock! And for all the other wonderful people I met – thank you, too! Everyone is such an inspiration for me!

And the big question: Who is going in Costa Brava or Thailand for the next TBEX?