Also on board for T&W Spring ’12, a hearty welcome to Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism with Jacqueline Cartier and Annette Bagley.

Other Exhibitors who have indicated they will return for T&W Spring ’12 include:  San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau (Robin Jacobson); Leavenworth Visitors Bureau (Jessica Robinson);  and Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau (Una Boyle).

Welcome aboard!

April 29-30, 2012

Fort Worden State Park Conference Center

Port Townsend, WA

Theme: Go! Pitch. Write. Publish.

Conference Faculty

Allen Cox Editor, NORTHWEST TRAVEL; Contributing editor, HARBORS;  and freelance travel and lifestyles writer, www.allencox.org   Twitter @allencox1

Nan Devlin FL writer, tourism consultant with sustainable travel focus and online lecturer at The George Washington University   Twitter @nandevlin

Bobbie Hasselbring FL travel writer with culinary and culinary tourism focus; www.realfoodtravel.com   Twitter @realfoodtravel

Terri Fogarty FL travel writer, travel consultant,  and publisher, www.EuropeUpClose.com Twitter @europeupclose

Marilyn McFarlane FL writer, guidebook author and travel blogger: www.lightheartedtravel.wordpress.com     Twitter @marilynmcf

Myrna Oakley FL travel writer and guidebook author with focus on the Pacific Northwest; travel blogger:  www.travelandwords.com/blog     Twitter @northwestwriter

Roy Stevenson FL travel writer with focus on fitness and sports conditioning, military history, culinary tourism and cultural travel;  author of how-to guide on marketing for freelance writers; www.roy-stevenson.com

Other faculty members and presenters to be added

See rotating exhibits, interactive displays and story poles in addition to a traditional cedar log house, canoes and totem poles; hear tribal elders’ recorded stories; see tribal presentations; and access a fine research library that includes an archaeological repository of materials, artifacts, family heirlooms, books and electronic files.

The gift shop features Coast Salish-created items. Contact Julie Gangler, Snohomish County Tourism Bureau (206.789.6647) to arrange an individual tour for your article pitches and assignments.

Article Ideas from Travel & Words regional exhibitors

LEAVENWORTH, the Bavarian Village located about two hours east of Seattle in the scenic foothills of the Central Cascade Mountains, offers a “Herzlich Willokommen,” a Heartfelt Welcome, and also a number of enticing article ideas for researching and writing:

Food & Wine Festival, Saturday, June 25th

International Dance Festival, June 25-26

Sixteen local wineries, wine tasting rooms, and handcrafted beers at Icicle Brewery

Organic garden tours at Sleeping Lady Resort

Alpine garden, Ohme Gardens, in nearby Wenatchee, on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River and developed in the mid-1930s by the Ohme family

Artisan farm cheese-making at Alpine Lakes Cheese; hand-cured meats at Cured; handmade chocolates at Schocolat; farm animals, orchards, and fruit at Smallwood Harvest Mercantile; Oil and Vinegar Cellar

The largest Nutcracker Museum in North America

Colorful murals throughout the village many inspired and painted by two painters who located here from Bavaria

The Alphorn blown each morning at 8:15 and 9:15 by resident Bob Johnson or son Rob, each dressed in lederhosen and hat, and perched on the balcony railing with the 12-foot long wooden horn, a tradition at nearbyEnzian Inn

River rafting, bird-watching, hiking, biking, and summer musicals at the outdoor theater including “Sound of Music” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”

Contact Jessica Robinson (media@leavenworth.org) at the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce for further information, additional ideas, and research contacts.

Meet Writing Colleagues at T&W Spring ’11, Willows Lodge

Liz Hamill works from her home base in San Jose, CA.  An expert on travel in California she has written five California guidebooks for the Moon Handbook series.  At the present time Liz’s  main focus is writing about people who travel with hidden disabilities and often with chronic pain as well.  She has started writing a travel book series on inclusive travel that will focus on responsible and inclusive travel resources and destinations on the West Coast, Hawaii, and abroad. “I rarely find photographs that show individuals with disabilities  in a positive light,” she explains. “So I now do most of my own photography for articles and my guidebook series.”

Jack Harrington works primarily from his home in North Kitsap County but he also travels throughout the Puget Sound region including Seattle, Bellevue, and Edmonds.  An active member of the Kitsap Peninsula Convention and Visitor Bureau as well as, in the past, Seattle-King County CVB, he’s spent some 40 years in the travel industry.  His writing interests include horticultural topics and destinations, particularly those fitting the agri-tourism niche in the region and across the country.  “My horticultural interests also stem from my wife’s Labyrinth Hill lavender growing business,” he explains.  Jack notes being “a reasonably capable photographer,” having experience as a reporter-editor and photographer in southern California for newspapers and trade publications.

Deborah Stone is based in the Seattle area and, as a staff writer for a community newspaper, Northwest News, she focuses on arts & entertainment, travel, health & recreation and human interest features.  She also reviews area restaurants in her column, Dining with Deb. She has written for the Kitsap Sun, Northwest Travel magazine, Northwest Prime Time, Queen Anne News and Travelworld International magazine. “I enjoy traveling with my family and finding off-the-beaten-path gems in the region and abroad,” she says.

Meet Round Table Discussion Hosts

Amanda Castleman is based in the Seattle area and teaches Travel Writing online with www.writers.com. She specializes in travel, adventure, the environment and women’s issues and she has published in a number of online and print markets including The International Herald Tribune, Italy Daily, Wired, Salon, The Athens News, and the UK’s Guardian and Mail on Sunday. Amanda will host the Travel Writing 101 Round Table. One of her unforgettable experiences?  She once lived on a traditional narrowboat, moored on the Oxford Canal in England. Check out Amanda’s blog, www.roadremedies.blogspot.com for eclectic and fun travel entries from both home base and abroad.

Marilyn McFarlane is based in the Portland area and she will co-host the Travel Blogging Round Table with Terri Fogarty also based in Portland. Marilyn blogs at www.lightheartedtravel.wordpress.com and Terri’s site is www.EuropeUpClose.com.  Terri enjoys a passion for France in particular but also loves all of Europe and enjoys sharing destinations and great vacation ideas for traveling easily abroad.  Marilyn has published a number of travel guides including Quick Escapes in the Pacific Northwest and Best Places to Stay in the Northwest.

Meet Regional Travel & Tourism Exhibitors

Una Boyle, Executive Director of the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau does a bit of writing in her spare time. She writes for and edits Coast Food and Arts magazine which covers the peninsula and several north coastal towns on the Oregon side of the river. Una and her Exhibit table assistant, Christopher Lloyd of Columbia River Eco Tours, will bring lots of ideas for writers from the Long Beach area, get ready to connect!  Check the VB’s website at www.funbeach.com.

Robin Jacobson, Public Relations Manager with San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, has a job to die for. She gets to ride ferries and tout the wonders of Orcas, Lopez, Shaw, and San Juan islands, the four most populated of the more than 175 islands in the watery region around Rosario Strait, Haro Strait and a bit northwest of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Such a lucky person, right? Robin will jump aboard a ferry with materials for writers along with dozens of article and story ideas about the islands.

Travel & Words Spring ’11 Conference, May 1-2,  welcomes Morrison’s Rogue River Lodge as a Sponsor – Partner at the Forest level.  Morrison’s is located in southern Oregon on the Rogue River northwest of Grants Pass and the small communities of Merlin and Galice.

In addition to river rafting Morrison’s offers horseback riding, fishing,  fine dining and pleasant accommodations in the lodge.  Lowell Pratt, Manager, will attend Travel & Words Spring ’11 Conference at Willows Lodge in Woodinville, WA and be on hand to meet and greet freelance writers, travel bloggers, editors, and other attendees on Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.  “Welcome, Lloyd!”

Stay tuned for additional information on Sponsor – Partners.  .  .

Travel deeply. Have real experiences. Write about them. Find your voice. Tell a story.  –Judith Fein, Travel writer/Photographer

Early Bird registration $99 until March 31, click on Registration

Travel & Words Spring ’11 welcomes Regional Washington and Oregon TRAVEL & TOURISM EXHIBITORS:

SAN JUAN ISLANDS VISITOR BUREAU (Robin Jacobson, Public Relations Manager)

LONG BEACH PENINSULA VISITOR BUREAU (Una Boyle, Executive Director)

BELLINGHAM WHATCOM COUNTY TOURISM (Jacqueline Cartier, Marketing Dir., Annette Bagley, Asst. Dir.)

OLYMPIC PENINSULA TOURISM COMMISSION (Mary Brelsford, Communications Mgr.; Barbara Hanna, Marketing Dir. City of Sequim; Christina Pivarnik, Marketing Dir, City of Port Townsend; Debbie Waldrop, Resort at Port Ludlow)

WHIDBEY & CAMANO ISLANDS (Island County), Sherrye Wyatt, Public Relations Dir.

VISIT RAINIER (Julie Johnson, Media Relations)

KITSAP PENINSULA CONVENTION and VISITOR BUREAU (Patricia Graf Hoke, Executive Director)

TRAVEL YAMHILL VALLEY, OREGON (Gregg Mindt, Managing Director)

TRAVEL LANE COUNTY CASCADES & COAST, OREGON (Janis Ross, Vice-pres. Convention & Sports Marketing; Emily Forsha, Tourism PR Manager)

NOTE: Colleen Wright, Response Interactive and Search Engine Academy NW, will  offer attendees a selected number of times to meet and have their Travel Blogs and Web Sites reviewed.  See sign-up on the EventBrite registration page,  click on Registration www.travelandwords.com.

Travel deeply. Have real experiences. Write about them. Find your voice. Tell a story.  –Judith Fein, Travel writer/Photographer

Una Boyle, Long Beach WA, writer and editor, Coast Food, and Executive Director, Long Beach Visitors Bureau

Allen Cox, Tacoma WA, freelance travel and lifestyle writer and also Travel & Words conference Vice-chair; see his Blog for writers at LocalRoads.wordpress.com

Nan Devlin, Portland, freelance writer, tourism strategist, and instructor on Sustainable Tourism at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Terri Fogarty, Portland, who publishes  EuropeUpClose.com

Janet Goetze, Portland, long time freelance writer and former staff writer at The Oregonian

Bobbie Hasselbring, Portland, long time NW freelance writer, author of The Chocolate Lovers Guide to the Pacific Northwest, and who publishes RealFoodTraveler.com

Margaret Herrington, Portland, freelance writer and former director of PSU’s Haystack Summer program for writers

Marlene Howard, Portland, co-founder of Oregon Writers Colony

Marilyn McFarlane, Portland, freelance writer and recently back from a trip to Mexico; see her recent Blogs at LightheartedTravel.wordpress.com

Myrna Oakley, Portland, Travel & Words Chair, freelance writer, instructor of Travel Writing 101 and Novel Writing 101 at Portland Community College Community Ed. Program and author, Off the Beaten Path Oregon; Off the Beaten Path Washington; Northwest Public & Private Gardens, a Personal Guide; and Recommended Bed & Breakfasts Pacific Northwest

Colleen Wright, Portland, web designer and SEO guru, Response Interactive and Search Engine Academy NW, who helps keep our Travel & Words web site up to date and looking terrific!

Check www.travelandwords.com and click on Registration for details and $99 Early Bird rate, good until March 1.

Want to have your freelance website or travel blog reviewed at the Conference?  See times and rate option to schedule your web site or travel blog review with search engine guru, Colleen Wright, Response Interactive.  See Travel and Words and click on Registration.

We look forward to seeing you at Travel & Words Spring ’11 Conference at Willows Lodge, Woodinville, WA!

The Travel & Words planning team goes into action this week to spread the word about our Spring ’11 Conference, May 1-2, 2011, at Willows Lodge in Woodinville, WA.

Conference chair Myrna Oakley says, “We are excited about our conference theme:  Sustainable + Green  + Responsible Travel and Tourism. This theme offers the opportunity for Freelance Writers and Travel & Tourism professionals to engage in and explore writing about one of the strongest trends in responsible travel in the Northwest and throughout the world.”

Team members will Blog, Tweet, Re-tweet and also post on FaceBook and LinkedIn throughout the next 100 days as we continue to firm up Conference Program Highlights, Regional Travel & Tourism Exhibitors, and Presenters.

“This is an exciting time for us,” says T&W team member and tourism marketing strategist  Nan Devlin. “We’re gearing up with lots of the current Social Media strategies, which many organizations, seminars, and conferences are using these days to promote and spread the word about their events.”

Best Reasons to Attend

Acquire techniques to sharpen your marketing skills for the new publishing world 2011-2012, freelancing at the crossroads of change.

Discover hot topics on conference theme, “Sustainable + Green + Responsible Travel and Tourism.”

Discover new and old ways to pitch and sell your ideas  to NW regional markets and beyond.

Check back for Countdown and more reasons to attend.  .  .What do you hope to learn from Travel & Words Spring ’11?