2007 Travvies: Meet the finalists, meet the judges, and vote!
First time here? Check out the site's "greatest hits" or read a random post from the archives. Feel free to ask a question, and consider subscribing to the latest posts via RSS or e-mail. Thanks for visiting!
The judges’ decisions are in, and it’s time to announce the finalists, introduce the judges, and start the voting!
First off, I’d like to thank everyone for getting into the spirit of things and making so many great nominations. Speaking purely for myself, I discovered a great number of sites that I had never read before, and that I’ll be sure to add to my feed reader.
Second, HUGE thanks to the judges for reviewing all these sites and selecting their favorites. I’m sure you’ll join me in thanking them for generously donating their time and effort. Their names and backgrounds are revealed later in this post.
Voting begins immediately and runs for one week, through 6pm, Central Standard Time, February 28, 2007. You may cast your ballot by clicking here. One ballot per person, so please make all selections before hitting “submit.” Please note that the finalists’ names on the ballot are links which will open to a new window. The order of finalists is randomized on every ballot, so no site has top billing every time.
Without further ado, here are your finalists. Congratulations again to all finalists, and best of luck!
FINALISTS: BEST TRAVEL BLOG
Brave New Traveler
Girl Solo in Arabia
Gridskipper
National Geographic Inside Traveler
Newyorkology
FINALISTS: BEST DESTINATION BLOG
Europe String
JohnnyJet
Let’s Visit Asia
Newyorkology
Yucatan Living
FINALISTS: BEST INFORMATIVE/PRACTICAL TRAVEL BLOG
Cheapest Destinations Blog
The Cranky Flier
The Perrin Post
Today in Travel
View From the Wing
FINALISTS: BEST GROUP-WRITTEN TRAVEL BLOG
Brave New Traveler
Gridskipper
Lost Girls’ World
TripHub Group Trip Advisor
Vagablogging
FINALISTS: BEST SINGLE-AUTHOR TRAVEL BLOG
AdventureGirl
The Cranky Flier
Flight Level 390
Killing Batteries
Travel Sweeps
FINALISTS: BEST PHOTOGRAPHY ON A TRAVEL BLOG
Exposed Planet
Flight Level 390
Life Vicarious
Michael Simon on the Road
Notes From the Road
I’d like to extend a huge thanks to the judges, whose task was by no means an easy one. Here they are, in alphabetical order:
John Brownlee is a writer for Wired.com and editor of the Table of Malcontents blog, a wonder closet of ephemera spotlighting the fringe of art and culture on the web. After spending most of his youth backpacking through dozens of countries, he has a bone to pick with Rick Steves. He lives in Dublin.
Matthew Daimler is the Founder and CEO of SeatGuru.com. SeatGuru is an award winning travel website which provides information about airline seating and amenities to over 30,000 visitors each day. Matthew is a frequent travel blog reader and is honored to participate as a judge in the first annual Travvies.
Henry Harteveldt is vice president and principal analyst for travel research at Forrester Research. He analyzes and projects how consumer and business adoption of new technologies will impact the sale and purchase of travel services. Television, radio, and print media regularly consult him for comment on industry and consumer trends. His previous work includes senior positions at GetThere, Fairmont Hotels, The Trump Organization, Continental Airlines, TWA, and CKS Partners.
Darryl Jenkins is currently a professor at the Ohio State University. Previously, he was at George Washington University for fifteen years and served as director of the Aviation Institute. He is the author of several books on airline economics, and is a regular commentator on U.S. television. He is a Virginian Country Gentleman, living in Fauquier County, where he is also the county’s largest raspberry grower.
Michele McDonald is editor and publisher of Travel Technology Update, an industry newsletter that is read by executives of online travel companies, industry suppliers, global distribution systems, investment analysts and technology companies that are involved in electronic travel distribution. She also is a contributing writer for Air Transport World. She has covered the travel industry for more than 25 years. Previously, she was editor of Travel Distribution Report and managing editor of Travel Weekly.
Michael Miller is a founding partner of The Velocity Group, a Washington D.C.-based aviation consulting firm specializing in airline and aircraft consulting, strategic communications, economic forecasting, business analysis, aircraft and network analysis and other areas of aviation. Previously, he was the Editor-in-Chief of Aviation Daily, the largest daily publication in the airline business. He regularly appears in television and print media as an expert on airlines, aviation, safety, and international issues.
RSS Feed / Subscribe
Subscribe to Posts by Email
February 21st, 2007 at 5:53 pm |
[…] EuropeString snagged a spot in the Best Destination Blog finals of the 2007 Travvies, hosted by UpgradeTravelBetter. Other finalist includes Lets Visit Asia (by Ruth Schaffer, a friend of mine who my family and I just visited last weekend), NewYorkology, Johnny Jet and Yucatan Living. […]
February 21st, 2007 at 6:14 pm |
[…] One of my other travel blogs, EuropeString, snagged a spot in the Best Destination Blog finals of the 2007 Travvies, hosted by UpgradeTravelBetter. Other finalist includes Lets Visit Asia (by Ruth Schaffer, a friend of mine who my family and I just visited last weekend), NewYorkology, Johnny Jet and Yucatan Living. […]
February 21st, 2007 at 8:34 pm |
[…] Today the» Finalists were published: […]
February 21st, 2007 at 9:42 pm |
http://www.notesfromtheroad.com/ is not a blog.
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:43 am |
[…] Woohoo! Let’s Visit Asia made it to the finals of the 2007 Travvies Travel Blog Awards! I am just so tickled and honored, considering who the judges were. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 am |
[…] Yesterday, they announced the finalists, as chosen by their panel of prestigious judges, and I’m happy to report that Brave New Traveler made the cut for two categories: […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:54 pm |
[…] The contest, designed to honor the best of travel blogging, is sponsored by the travel blog Upgrade Travel Better. Check out what Melissa and Ruth have to say, and then head over to cast your vote here. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:19 pm |
[…] Go vote for them here. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:24 pm |
[…] Head on over to Upgrade Travel Better and cast your vote for the 2007 Travvies — recognizing the best of travel blogging. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:39 pm |
[…] 5 finalists have been shortlisted in every category by the panel of judges and public voting is open for a week - until 6pm, Central Standard Time, February 28, 2007. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:29 pm |
[…] And finally a big congratulations to The Cranky Flyer for his Travvies nominations in two different categories…well done. […]
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:38 am |
[…] Mark is a busy guy! He announced the finalists for the Travvies 2006. Go vote! […]
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:51 am |
Good luck to all of the Finalists, it’s nice to see some new and interesting Blogs to read, and some deserving finalists have been chosen.
Although our Blog, Destination essentials at www.selectworld.travel hasn’t made the Travvies, we are pleased to say it has made it to the Finals of Travel Weekly Magazines Agent Achievement awards being held in London on April 3rd for Best UK innovation.( We are a small 1 Branch Independent and Lastminute.com are also a finalist in this category) We are also finalists in the Sales and Development category, TIPTO Propritors of the Year award Category, and also Best Small Agency Category.
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:28 am |
Whilst I didn’t expect to see Holiday Pad in the finals I am absolutely gobsmacked that Travel Rants (www.travel-rants.com) didn’t make it.
I’m sure Darren’s not losing any sleep since the Guardian chose Travel Rants as one of the 50 essential travel sites.
Good luck everyone!
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 am |
The Perrin Post: Secrets every smart traveller should know is a great, practical travel blog. The regular travels and photos provide a lots of practical do’s and don’t’s for every traveller!
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:40 pm |
[…] The travel blog world is a buzz today as the nominees have been announced for various categories in the Best of The Web’s Travel Sites.  Nominees for “The Travvies,” as they are called, have recently been announced here. […]
February 24th, 2007 at 8:12 am |
Just found out about your award program. Am surprised that the blog at www.southpoint.com didn’t get mentioned. The destination guide have writers who have traveled all over the US and London and feature historic hotels, b&bs, and campgrounds.
February 26th, 2007 at 5:24 am |
[…] Sitio Oficial | Upgrade Travel […]
February 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pm |
The trouble with the Perrin post is it displays nasty, evil pop-under ads for their CN magazine. It’s a shame ‘cos it’s a great resource but so damned corporate.
March 6th, 2007 at 12:49 pm |
[…] This is the last day of voting for the Travvy awards, so please head on over to Upgrade:Travel Better to cast your vote if you haven’t done so already. […]
March 8th, 2007 at 1:10 am |
[…] This is the last day of voting for the Travvy awards, so please head on over to Upgrade:Travel Better to cast your vote if you haven’t done so already. […]
March 8th, 2007 at 8:35 am |
[…] Today I’m starting a new interview series called From the Travesphere. In it I talk to other travel bloggers about their travel experiences and their ideas about travel blogging. In this first installment I was lucky to talk to one of the Travvies 2007 finalists, Ian MacKenzie. Some might know him from his early web endeavors, but I like to think of him as having one of the most promising travel blogs in the travesphere: Brave New Traveler. […]
March 24th, 2007 at 9:08 pm |
[…] I’d also like to thank the judges once again for their hard work in narrowing down the list of nominations to a tight group of finalists. Thanks to John Brownlee, Matthew Daimler, Henry Harteveldt, Darryl Jenkins, Michele McDonald, and Michael Miller. See their full bios here. […]
October 19th, 2007 at 11:51 pm |
Hey guyz plz help me..i just made my blog http://www.mvmtravel.com/blog/ but dont know how to submit it here for participate in FINALISTS!!!
November 29th, 2007 at 8:59 am |
[…] whole thing. Consider other blogs, like the Travvies winners from earlier this year. (Or heck, the finalists!) And peruse the blogroll in the pulldown in the right sidebar for more great blogs that I read […]