13 ottobre 2014
Where Lemons Blossom was selected to participate to TBDItaly: a project by TTG Incontri (the main international B2B exhibition on tourism in Italy which took place in Rimini from Oct. 9th to Oct 11th) dedicated to online travel and blogosphere.
TBDItaly was launched in 2013 and it is the first event in Italy connecting the world of bloggers and online influencers with the tourism industry. So I was very proud when I was told by the organizers that Where Lemons Blossom was admitted!
Actually, I was a bit scared too. As a matter of fact, TTG Incontri had 130 destinations represented last year, 1.000 buyers from around 60 countries, more than 50.000 attendees in three days. I don’t know how many visitors and exhibitors attended this 51st edition, but I tell you it was pretty crowded in there!
The event devoted to the blogosphere was extremely well organized and there was plenty to do in just three days. Immediately after I received the (good) news that Where Lemons Blossom was admitted, the meetings agenda was unfortunately closed so I had no scheduled meeting with either exhibitors or other bloggers. Nonetheless I managed to connect with other bloggers and I had the opportunity to promote my blog through direct visits at the exhibitors’ stands.
Very interesting and motivating have been the numerous seminars and workshops scheduled. I particularly appreciated Thelma Cesarano (‘Sorry, I’ll be right back’ about brand reputation), Claudio Gagliardini who introduced Google (+) as a must have (or must use!) tool for online tourism and Anna Covone (‘From travel blogger to travel Vblogger) on Friday 10th; whereas on Saturday I attended (mostly glad to have done so) an inspiring seminar on niche blog (isnt’ Where Lemons Blossom a ‘niche blog’ after all?) with the following speakers: Fabrizio Marta –Tourism for all (accessible tourism); Leonardo Corradini e Veronica Rizzoli – Bike tour; Valentina Cappio – Family Travel; Valentina Miozzo – Responsible and sustainable tourism; Marinella Scarico – Ecotourism and project #mappiamolitalia; Adam Groffman – LGBT tourism. Before leaving for Pesaro I very much enjoyed Niencke Krook talking about ‘Pinterest for the Tourism Industry’.
Following are a few pictures documenting both days (Fri 9th – Sat. 10th) from my arrival at Rimini Fair Train Station (on Fri. 9th) to my farewell to TBDItaly (on Sat. 10th). Inbetween are photographs of Rimini Fiera entrance hall, of a few stands that captured my eye (Ferrari, Marche Region, Uzbekistan, Slovenia, Expo 2015 in Milan), of a few speakers and – in the end – a picture I was taken at Italo stand (high-speed train company). I look horrible but the picture is very funny as it is simulating high speed effect on my face and hair (there was a girl next to me shooting compressed air on my face!).
My faithful companion in those two days was Dirce (a paper Dirce markbook size) whom you will be able to admire, in a totally new outfit, in a couple of pictures below.
What do I get from this experience? New contacts, news ideas, new tools and, most of all, a new energy to keep my blog going on and to make it better. Goodby TBDItaly – even if I do hope it will be an Italian ‘Arrivederci’ (see you next year!).
A heartfelt ‘grazie’ to the organizers for the great and warm experience you guys made me have!
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