This last week or so has been extremely exciting for me. I was recently notified that iBackpackCanada had been nominated by the Canadian Tourism Commission, alongside GoMedia2010 for the title of “Best Travel Blog”. Needless to say I was pretty gosh darn excited. As I read further down the email, I was told that because of my nomination, I would be flown to Toronto and put up in a fancy hotel for a couple of nights, where I’d get to experience GoMedia2010, one of the biggest travel conferences in Canada.
What is GoMedia2010?
This travel conference is essentially the big leagues, it’s where the big hitters in the tourism industry go to talk shop and network inside the industry. As I read through the outline of the conference and went through a list of names that would be attending. My jaw nearly unhinged itself, leaving me to a lifetime of feeding on soups and blended foods. GoMedia2010 puts writers, journalists, and the tourism industry into the same room, allowing a giant face to face networking buffet. Cards shall be exchanged, stories shall be shared. And several events are planned for attendees!
I can’t help but laugh, as up until now I had been swimming in a sea of minnows, enjoying the water. I am simply one of thousands upon thousands of travel bloggers, albeit one of the few who specialize in Canadian travel, so I can’t help but wonder if I’m qualified. Only in todays society could it be possible for a bearded hippy like me, who loves living out of camper vans and taking long road trips, be seen as a respectable member of the tourism industry. I’m not complaining by all means, I think it’s great. Just very unexpected!
So I’ve been given the chance to swim with the metaphorical dolphins, sharks, and polar bears. Will I survive? Will I prosper? Not a clue, but I’m going to have a blast finding out. While in Toronto, I’m hoping to find some time to explore as I’ve never seen all that much of Canada’s largest city. I can’t wait though. To most Canadians, Toronto is the best city in the country, or the complete opposite. Win or lose, I can’t wait to get there.