Here’s part of the discussion at the ITB
on the topic of journalists vs bloggers which covered a wide range
of opinions expressed by the panel. Adding to my opinion recorded in
the video, I consider B2B travel blogs a valuable resource for leaders
working in the travel industry, one they should use to keep abreast of
what’s happening now and what will happen tomorrow on the web and how
this will affect their business. As I mentioned, the purpose of this
blog at least, is to add knowledge which, as Ram my fellow panelist
mentioned, is different from information.
B2B bloggers come from different backgrounds that influence their
opinions about travel and the issues the industry faces. This adds a
layer of personal interpretation to the basic information out there one
that creates value. Taken together these opinions and comments, can be
utilized by people in the industry, who are often very focused on their
immediate tasks and challenges facing their companies or organization.
Bloggers mostly have personal business experience in different
sectors of the industry and that is another key difference between them
and more traditional trade journalists. So the issue is not one of “us
vs. them” but to combine the skill sets of both for an improved overall
result that adds to the overall quality of the world’s largest industry.
Tags: blogs, bloggers, journalists, ITB, PhoCusWright, T-List