Travel blogs have made a fantastic showing in the finals of this year’s 2010 Weblog Awards, also known as the Bloggies. Food blogs have been popular in the Bloggies for some time and remain so, but the profile of travel blogging has really leapt ahead in the last couple of years.
The Bloggies is one of the most well-respected and well-run blogging award schemes on the internet. Well done to all the finalists!
2008 and 2009 Bloggies
In 2008 there were no travel blogs in the finals, compared with 11 food blogs. In 2009 the organisers introduced a travel category for the first time – Kristin Luna’s Camels and Chocolate won – and Saudi Arabia-based expat blog Susie’s Big Adventure won Best Asian Weblog.
We have the opportunity to do even better this year since travel blogs are making their presence felt in a wider range of categories.
2010 travel blog finalists
Sadly (for me), Roaming Tales missed out on a place at the finalists’ table but I want to congratulate the following bloggers and urge all of you to get out and vote. Unlike many so-called award schemes where bloggers have to pimp themselves out for daily votes, you can only vote once, so take your time and get it right! You have until 31 January.
A Traveler’s Library by Vera – finalist for Best Travel Weblog
Everything-Everywhere by Gary Arndt – finalist for Best Travel Weblog
The Vacation Gals by Beth Blair, Jennifer Miner and Kara Williams – finalist for Best Travel Weblog
Go Backpacking by a whole team of people – finalist for Best Travel Weblog
Camels and Chocolate by Kristin Luna – finalist for Best Travel Weblog (and last year’s winner in this category)
Heather on her Travels by Heather Cowper – finalist for Best European Weblog
Medellin Living by Dave and Holly – finalist for Best Latin American Weblog
2010 expat blog finalists
Within the broad definition of travel, there are also a number of expat blogs among the finalists. Now I do recommend you check out the blogs by natives of various places, not just the expats. I highlight the expats here only because it’s a form of travel blogging and that’s of particular interest to me. I haven’t included expat blogs where the fact the writer is an expat is secondary.
Susie’s Big Adventure by Susie of Arabia (American in Saudi Arabia) – finalist for Best Asian Weblog (and last year’s winner in this category)
Asian Ramblings by Stevo (Canadian in China) – finalist for Best Asian Weblog
My Marrakesh by Maryam Montague (American in Morocco) – finalist for Best African Weblog
Rome Photo Blog by Jessica Stewart (American in Rome) – finalist for Best European Weblog
Belgian Waffle by Jay Walker (Brit in Belgium) – finalist for Best European Weblog
3Limes by Samantha Chesler Leiman (British-Canadian in Trinidad and Uganda) – finalist for Best Latin American Weblog
Taxi Gourmet by Layne Mosler (American in Argentina) – finalist for Best Latin American Weblog
Have I missed anyone? Some of these blogs are new to me and I look forward to checking them out. Stay tuned for my round-up of the food blog finalists and don’t forget to vote!
Thanks, Caitlin, for the gracious post! Appreciate your shout-out.
Thanks for the nod, my dear!
.-= Camels & Chocolate´s last blog ..Jump Up, Jump Up and Get Down =-.
cool.. I like the taxi gourmet! cheers
Hi Caitlin –
Thanks so much for the mention. Your blog is so wonderful – you really deserve to be in the running! That is so exciting about travel blogs getting recognized finally. Thanks again! xox
.-= Susie of Arabia´s last blog ..Family Picture =-.
Thank you, Susie. You are too kind! – Caitlin.
Aw, Caitlin, what a lovely post! Hope we get to meet in person someday.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Cheap Orlando Vacation with Last Minute Travel =-.
Hi there and thanks so much for the mention. I am also happy to meet you here and I look forward to having a good read.
Thanks for the lovely post!
Thanks for the mention! I didn’t realize the travel category was just introduced in 2009.
Maybe with more people establishing their own, independent blogs instead of going through bigger, community sites, we’re finally drawing the well deserved attention.
.-= Dave´s last blog ..Scuba TV =-.
Thanks for the mention, I’m really crossing my fingers & hoping that fellow travel bloggers will be able to vote for me in the Best European Category as I’m not competing with so many of them!
.-= Heather Cowper´s last blog ..The Queen’s ice-cream van – at Buckingham Palace =-.
Agree – it is fantastic to see travel blogs getting the recognition they deserve – personal accounts and hints and tips from bloggers who travel are a valuable addition to the information available in standard guide books
How do blogs get nominated and why have entries for 2010 closed in January???
.-= Eddie´s last blog ..Easter Week in Malaga – Semana Santa =-.
Hi Eddie, thanks for your comment. Nominations were open in the first week of January and anyone can nominate. Then they have a panel to help decide the finalists. Now it’s open to public vote to select the winners (though you can only vote once). It’s an annual award scheme – I don’t know why it’s held in January, but that’s the way it’s been for many years. The Oscars are too! – Caitlin.
Great post and thanks for including a mention of A Traveler’s Library. Also delighted to see a travel category, and thinking it would be nice to have a books/literature category in the future.
.-= Vera Marie Badertscher´s last blog ..Grand Prize #4: A YAK PAK =-.
Oh, awesome! Thanks for the links – I loved discovering ex-pat blogs!