Archive for the 'Travvies' Category

Reminder: 2008 Travvies nominations close Monday

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2008-travvies-160square.jpgJust a reminder to get your nominations in for the 2008 Travvies, the travel blog awards.

Nominations are open through Monday, the 7th. There have been some great and interesting nominations, and, speaking solely for myself, I’ve discovered a set of blogs I hadn’t known about before. I hope others have made similar discoveries.

Check the Travvies ‘table-of-contents’ page to navigate the awards thus far.

Nominations now open for the 2008 Travvies

2008-travvies-160square.jpgWELCOME TO THE 2008 TRAVVIES

As previously announced, it’s time for the 2008 Travvies, celebrating the best of the past year in travel blogging.

Things change quickly in the blogosphere, but the reasons for having the Travvies are still the same as last year: To recognize the great blogs out there devoted to travel, and to draw attention to the field of travel blogging as a whole. When I tell people that I write a travel blog, I still often get the retort, “You mean, you write about your trips?” Not exactly. There’s an ongoing misconception that all travel blogs are travel diaries — some of which are terrific — but the scope of the travel blogosphere is much larger, and the Travvies are here to expose readers to a broader array of good travel writing.

WHAT’S THE PROCESS?

1) Nominees will be solicited from the general public for two weeks, beginning today, Monday, March 24, 2008. Readers will be asked to post their nominations for each category via the comments section of the post announcing that category.

2) When the nomination process is closed, a panel of invited judges will investigate and select their top 3 selections in each category. The four blogs in each category that are most often chosen by the judges as finalists will be presented as the finalists for each respective category. Like last year, to prevent “tampering,” the judges’ names will be announced along with the finalists, not before. As I am organizing the contest, my own site, Upgrade: Travel Better, will not be eligible for any nomination.

3) Finalists will be announced after the judges’ votes are in. Thereafter, for one week, readers may cast ballots online for their favorites in each category.

4) The winner in each category will be that finalist that receives the most votes from the general public.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION?

  • Any travel blog that existed in 2007 and that generated at least 52 posts in 2007 is open for consideration.
  • The primary focus of the blogs should be on some aspect of travel. They should be blogs about travel, not blogs about a range of topics, with only an occasional mention of travel.
  • The content must be original, not aggregated from other sources, repurposed from another site, or (heaven forbid) a splog.
  • While quality travel blogs are written in many languages, we will unfortunately only consider English-language blogs for the Travvies.

CHANGES IN 2008

  • The “Destination” blog category has been changed to be the “Destination or Trip Narrative” category.
  • New category: Big Media Blog. Most of the Travvies categories are pro/am. This category is designated for those in the mainstream media whose blogs are an extension of their company’s website.
  • New category: Podcast/Video. Blogging isn’t just about text and pictures, after all.

Descriptions of each category are in the nomination posts. You will also be able to find the links to each category by clicking the 2008 Travvies logo on the sidebar.

Any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or use the contact link.

REMEMBER:
- You can nominated up to THREE blogs in each category
- Once a blog is nominated, it’ll be considered as a finalist. Multiple nominations don’t help (or hurt) that blog’s chances.
- Yes, you can nominate yourself.
- Yes, you can nominate the same blog in multiple categories. But choose sensibly.

Good luck to all bloggers!

Click below to go straight to any nomination category.

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST TRAVEL BLOG

This is the big one, the grand prize.

As the overall winner, this award will go to a blog whose travel-related writings have been consistently interesting, entertaining, useful, well-written, or otherwise worth spending time reading.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Single-Author Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST SINGLE-AUTHOR TRAVEL BLOG

This award celebrates the best travel blog written by an individual blogger. Again, the topic is open, as long as there is only one regular poster.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Group-Written Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST GROUP-WRITTEN TRAVEL BLOG

This award celebrates travel blogs consistently written by two or more authors, regardless of subtopic.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Informative/Practical Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST INFORMATIVE/PRACTICAL TRAVEL BLOG

This award goes to a travel blog that provides news, commentary, advice, or general insight into the workings of travel. Informative, and useful: You learn from such a blog. Unlike a destination blog or a personal narrative from a trip, this category is more practically minded.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Destination or Trip Narrative Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST DESTINATION OR TRIP NARRATIVE BLOG

This award celebrates the best travel blog focusing on particular destinations, either through local expertise on cities, countries, etc., or through a compelling trip narrative that documents the ins-and-outs of the author’s voyage. Quality writing and/or photography about that location that make you want to book a flight (or train, or ship) as soon as you can.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Photography on a Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST PHOTOGRAPHY ON A TRAVEL BLOG

Some blogs focus as much — or more — on the visuals as on the writing. This award celebrates the best in visual media on a travel blog.

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own blog.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Big Media Travel Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST BIG MEDIA TRAVEL BLOG

Last year’s Travvies voters asked for this change more than any other.

More and more media companies are launching blogs of their own, and journalists are becoming bloggers themselves. This award recognizes the leaders in the “professional” category. (Freelancers whose sites aren’t hosted on a company blog site are excluded here.)

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

2008 Travvies Nominations: Best Podcast or Video Blog

2008-travvies-160square.jpgBEST PODCAST OR VIDEO BLOG

Who says blogging is limited to words and pictures? This multimedia award will go to the blogger with the best podcasts or video blogging (or vlogging).

You may nominate UP TO THREE BLOGS by leaving a comment in this post. (Click here to do so.) If your favorite has been nominated already, feel free to show your love and nominate it again, though a blog only needs to be nominated once to be in contention.

Note: The comment form automatically asks for name, e-mail address, website (optional), and a text field. E-mail addresses will never be shared or visible publicly, in keeping with our privacy policy. Enter all nominations in the text field. Use the “website” field only if you are linking back to your own site.

Jump to other nominations here:

Coming next week: The 2008 Travvies begin!

2008-travvies-160square.jpgHold onto your hats. The 2008 Travvies are almost here.

Next Monday, the nomination phase will begin, in all its glory. You’ll be invited to nominate your favorite travel blogs in several categories. Thereafter, judges will whittle down the lists to a group of finalists, at which point the voting public will have its say.

And no, as the organizer of the event, I’m not eligible for any of the awards, so rest assured that I won’t be stuffing the ballot box in my favor. Or anyone else’s for that matter.

Don’t forget to review last year’s winners, and for a broader range of noteworthy blogs, review the nominees.

Watch this space, as they say, for updates. Nominations kick off on Monday.

Upgrades and Downgrades — September 10, 2007 — Luggage delays, helicopter sales, Hooters Air revived?, and more

cdg-flight-board.jpg

Upgraded: Your luggage in 25 minutes or less or your pizza is free
United’s revised customer commitment (the “promise” which airlines keep revising to try to head off a passenger’s bill of rights) has been changed, with the airline pledging to get customers their checked bags within 25 minutes of arriving at the gate. Of course, there are no consequences for missing that deadline, but still, glad to hear that they’re setting a benchmark. Beats American Airlines’ technique of simply tacking 7 minutes onto every scheduled flight time, to make flights look more “on-time.” Classy!

Separately: One thing I’m happy to see survive the revision at United: the 24-hour penalty-free cancellation policy.

Upgraded: Passengers’ bravado
Speaking of luggage, a Tacoma, Washington, couple has sued British Airways for losing its luggage. And that suit could gain class action status, representing “American British Air [sic] travelers who flew internationally between Sept. 5, 2005, and Wednesday [September 5, 2007].” (via Consumerist)

Upgraded: Helicopter fares to the airport
Downgraded: Helicopter business plans

U.S. Helicopter isn’t making the fat bank that they were hoping for. Their SEC filings include the warning that they may not be able to continue as a “going concern.” So what do they do? Fare sale! New Yorkers rejoice: $99 to JFK or Newark. Faster than a cab, for (nearly) the same price.

Upgraded: Memories of Hooters Air
Remember Hooters Air, the airline that featured flight attendants AND Hooters Girls onboard? If you think I’m kidding, you’re wrong. It existed. Seriously. 23-year old student and Hooters waitress Kyla Ebbert got kicked off a Southwest plane for wearing a skirt that was too short for the flight attendant. A bit overzealous? And now she’s milking the notoriety: She was on the freakin’ Today Show. Slow news day. So she showed a bit of leg (and maybe a little more). Note that Southwest flight attendants often wear shorts, and that’s usually more leg than I want to see from my front-line airline staff. (Thanks to reader J!)

Downgraded: The letter V
CondeNast writer Sarah Kerr offers her “awards” for the best travel related movies. And she calls her awards the “Travies.” Not to be confused with the “Travvies,” the travel blog awards. One letter V makes all the difference. I hereby insist that the film awards be pronounced “TRAY-vees.” See you in court, Sarah! (I kid, I kid.)

Upgraded (or Downgraded?): Silverjet wants to fly to Heathrow
Silverjet, the all-business class airline (a la Maxjet or L’Avion) already flies Newark to London-Luton. Now they want to fly to Heathrow. But to do that, they’ll need to merge or partner with another airline. This could be interesting: It would be the first of the all-business class airlines to merge with another party — presumably a legacy airline. Might be a way for a down-on-their-luck American carrier to pick up some sassy trans-Atlantic action?

Upgraded: FlightStats
FlightStats.com, which offers the most comprehensive suite of real-time flight information on the web, has added live-updating Google maps. Now, I still think that FlightAware’s maps are a little sexier for those looking to track a flight graphically. But FlightStats’ gate-arrival information is more relevant to travelers. I’ll still keep both sites in the toolkit.

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