The 2008 Travvies – Best Travel Blog Awards: Open for Nominations. Be Quick!

The 2007 Travvies
Last year, more precisely on January 30, 2007, Upgrade Travel Better announced the 2007 Travvies, a first and very good initiative, awards for travel Blogs because:

Other blog “award shows” exist out there, such as the Webbies or the Weblog Awards, but despite there being thousands of travel blogs, the travel category has never been included in these other awards. Thus, the Travvies were born.

It kicked off on February 5, 2007. There were 6 categories. Here reiterated with the 2007 winners:

1. Best Travel Blog: National Geographic Inside Traveler by Emily King.
2. Best Destination Blog: Newyorkology by NYC based Amy Langfield.
3. Best Informative/Practical Travel Blog: The Cranky Flier by USA based Brett Snyder.
4. Best Group-Written Travel Blog:The Lost Girls’ World by Three New York City based ladies.
5. Best Single-Author Travel Blog: The Cranky Flier again by USA based Brett Snyder.
6. Best Photography on a Travel Blog: Exposed Planet by Netherlands based Harry Kikstra

I covered the 2007 Travvies in a post Travvies 2007: Best Travel Blog Awards: open voor voting (and I only now see the typo I made in the title: “voor” is Dutch for “for”) and one about The the 2007 Travvies Winners.

There were some comments made that the jury had decided to nominate Cranky Flier in two different categories. Also there were some comments that the Blogger who could organize the most votes won. As to the first comment I would agree that it would be nice to have nominations only once in every category plus, possibly a second in the Best over all category, but I am no juror. It amazed me one of the jurors joined the discussion then. I believe jurors should not be involved in the actual discussion. As to the last comment i would say: “Well, isn’t that the usual US way of life and doing things?”

I also covered the post of a Guardian journalist/ single author blogger, who made up his own Alternative Travvies.

Although Cranky Flier didn’t reach the 25 most valuable Blogs by 24/7 Wall St yet (only travelpod did), he was mentioned as one of the 50 most influential Blogger by the Guardian in The World’s 50 Most Powerful Blogs.

The 2008 Travies

A bit later than I had hoped, as announced on March 15nd, last monday Upgrade : Travel better opened the nominations for The 2008 Travvies.

CHANGES IN 2008 (ARE)

* 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.

In order to nominate up to 3 blogs of your choice, you can add a comment in one of the category posts of Upgrade: Travel Better:

1. Best Travel Bog.
2. Best Single Author Travel Blog.
3. Best Group Written Travel Blog.
4. Best Destination or Trip Narrative Travel Blog.
5. Best Informative or Practical Travel Blog.
6. Best Photography on a Travel Blog.
7. Best Big Media Travel Blog.
8. Best Travel Podcast or Video Blog.

Of course I have shamelessly nominated myself for some categories, but also was happily surprised to see that there is someone else out there, Gary of Everything Everywhere who nominated me for the Best Informative / Practical category. Thanks Gary!