Early in 2013 a small group of BritMums travel bloggers gathered together in a London hotel to discuss family travel blogging. Joining us were Steve Keenan and Mark Frary, two experienced travel journalists who run an online consultancy, Travel Perspective. Some weeks later members of the group travelled with their children to Costa Brava on a trip organised by the charismatic Jaume Marin of the Costa Brava Tourist Board.
Our group have continued to meet since then until, in November this year, they made the whole thing official and issued a press release to tell the world about Family Travel Perspective. The group hope to share practical travel advice through their own established websites but also serve as a powerful think tank and resource for travel destinations and brands. As some of the group now have grown-up children, they are able to use their knowledge to advise on family travel from tots to teens.
The founder members in the group are:
Trish Burgess: Mum’s Gone To
Sarah Ebner: Family Travel Times
Jennifer Howze: BritMums and Jenography
Mark Frary: Travelling with the Kids
Selena Jones: Oh, the Places We Will Go!
Steve Keenan, Travel Perspective
Kirstie Pelling, The Family Adventure Project
Gretta Schifano, Mums Do Travel
Susanna Scott, BritMums and A Modern Mother
Marianne Weekes, Mari’s World
It would seem that collaboration in travel blogging is the way to go at the moment as this month also sees the launch of Space in Your Case, a fresh, new travel site aimed at parents. Bringing together the blogging expertise of Alison Perry (Not Another Mummy Blog), Helen Wills (Actually Mummy), Katie Ellison (Mummy Daddy Me) and Penny Alexander (A Residence), the team hope to provide inspiration for family trips and child-free breaks for all budgets. They would love to hear from you if you would like to share your own experiences through their regular ‘A Postcard From’ feature.
I have heard on the grapevine that there may well be more collaborative travel blogging in the offing. I think this is a great thing – we can’t be on holiday all the time so it’s great to share our experiences, particularly within the family travel niche.
Finally, it’s always good to hear about new family travel blogs so I was pleased when freelancer Zoe West contacted me to tell me of her blog, Stylish Family Travel. Do pop over and check out her site for inspiration at the top end of the market.
Next month I will showcase as many of your recent travel posts as possible, including ones you have already sent me. Hope you don’t mind if I hold them over to January for a bumper New Year round-up. Have a great Christmas and, if you are off on your travels, even if it’s just a day trip to a local attraction, I would love to hear about it.
About Trish Burgess
Trish Burgess started her blog ‘Mum’s Gone To…’ with a series of posts called ‘Mum's Gone To Iceland' where she was extremely ill on a whale-watching trip and thought she would die snow-mobiling on a glacier. Thankfully she survived and continued with less scary family trips: ‘Mum’s Gone To…Canada, Cyprus, Barcelona, Berlin etc. Originally from Newcastle upon Tyne she now lives in South Lincolnshire and travels with her husband and occasionally with her son, who is now at university. Trish can be found on Twitter at @mumsgoneto
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It’s all very exciting isn’t it? Well done on Family Travel Perspective, and thanks for the interest in Space In Your Case x
Actually Mummy, the site is looking good. It’s exciting all the developments in family travel blogging now.
I think it’s more or less what’s been happening for the past few years – probably ever since Disney took the first group of bloggers on a trip to Orlando eight years ago, and obviously with major travel brands working with bloggers on a regular basis ever since . But I do question whether it’s appropriate for Brit Mums to have a group of travel bloggers that feels very exclusive and selective. Isn’t the point of Brit Mums to be inclusive? Or have I misunderstood?
Liz, as a veteran travel journalist you’ve been on the forefront of the family travel blogging scene (and aboard that first Disney cruise, no?). It’s all been building for some time and there are loads of folks making strides and producing great content.
The Family Travel Perspective group came together from the group of bloggers who attended occasional meetings we helped organise but it’s not something owned and operated by us, although BritMums is thrilled to be a part of it. We are definitely all about inclusivity, and supporting and promoting all family travel bloggers. It’s an area that’s just going to grow and grow.
Great initiative by all these bloggers. There is definitely strength in numbers. I am precisely thinking of creating a “tribe” of bloggers who like me work full time but have a blog on the side and focus on stylish holidays.
Seems that I should start with Zoe as she and I have the same focus !
I would be interested in knowing how I can be included in your round up as my blog also focuses on family travel, looking at gorgeous boutique hotels and rental places that have style but are family-friendly.
Yay to stylish holidays, Stephanie! Next time please pack me in your suitcase and take with. (Although I might have to upgrade myself to “stylish” beforehand.) Best way to be considered for Trish’s themed Travel roundups is drop her a tweet or get in touch via her social media and let her know you’re interested in being included.
So interesting reading all about Family Travel Perspective. I’m very excited to see all this collaboration on a subject that is so dear to my heart and learning new things about the industry and other bloggers every day.