Six Takeaways from Travel Media’s ‘Meet the Media’ Day

I had a fantastic time at Meet the Media on Tuesday at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Golden Lane. 

The morning began with inspiring speeches by Ian Cleary on AI Hacks to Improve your Productivity, Paul Hackett and Orla Twomey on Content Creators and the Travel Industry, and Chris Mitchel on Finding Your Niche in 2025. 

The bones of the event saw over 50 travel suppliers ready and waiting to meet a fantastic group of travel content creators- from journalists to influencers arriving from across the country. Each supplier and journalist had 10 minutes to meet one another, hear one another’s pitches and then move swiftly on to the next. It was professional speed-dating but without the awkwardness with all meetings scheduled and introduced ahead of time on the converve.io platform. 

Big shout out to the amazing suppliers, journalists and the incredible team from Travel Media for organizing such a smoothly-run event alongside the Visit Portugal team who provided tasty treats from the likes of Lisboa Dublin and a lovely little enclave for networking.

Here are 6 things I learned: 

1. Online Learning Platforms: It’s been a while since I was a travel agent, and I had forgotten that there is such a wealth of information out there already for TAs planning their customers trips to the States. Learning platforms like The USA Discovery Program from Brand USA helps agents get an overview of states and cities from the East to West Coast. There are also programs for specific states like Nevada’s Trailblazer platform where travel agents can get fully versed on destinations with the tools to be able to best promote, match and sell Nevada products to their clients.

2. There’s more to Nevada than Las Vegas:

Bella from Travel Nevada, tells me that her state is the Road Trip Capital of the USA and she has the routes to prove it! I was excited to learn about the opportunities for travellers to explore the diverse landscape of Nevada that is far from flat dessert we might expect. From the forested areas of Great Basin National Park to the Lake Tahoe Loop- road-trippers can see everything from Carson City to Rino on pre-planned routes available here: https://travelnevada.com/road-trips/. 

3. Pride is big in the USA this year

The LGBTQ+ community is driving a lot of niche travellers to the USA this year with fantastic festivals available across the country. Jake from Destination DC tells me that 2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, DC and that The Capital Pride Alliance is excited for Washington, DC to host WorldPride 2025 and share this momentous and exciting milestone with their international community. Peter from Visit St.Pete-Clearwater Florida tells me St. Pete is particularly known for its St Pete Pride Festival, the largest pride event in the Southeast United States, with many events held in the month of June. So if you’re looking to celebrate, you know where to go!

4. Kissimmee’s accommodation options are growing 

Jo White from Luna PR tells me about the new opportunities for travellers looking for a home-away-from-home when they’re visiting the excitement of Orlando’s theme parks. Kissimmee provides the perfect destination for those looking to visit the parks but also have the comfort of their own home, and a base to cook their own meals and chill out in the evenings There are amazing houses to rent across the area from two beds to fifteen, with themed rooms for kids, pools for relaxation and amazing dining experiences across the area. There are also great options for getting out of the parks and getting close to nature with adventure options, alongside hiking and walking trails. Explore more at https://www.experiencekissimmee.com/

5. Le Boat offers exceptional experiences for families, couples and groups 

Emily from Le Boat tells me about all the offers on hand for families and groups looking to experience something special on their holidays with immersive opportunities to explore the rivers of Ireland, the UK, France, Germany, Canada and more. You don’t need experience or a license to rent a boat for three days to three weeks! Boats are pet-friendly and furry friends are encouraged, all you need to bring is yourselves, your suitcases and food: each boat comes fully equipped with hot water, comfortable cabins and fully-equipped kitchens. The Le Boat team is on hand to make your trip feel magical, so you can focus on creating amazing memories with your family and friends Find out more at https://www.leboat.com/boating-vacations

6.  The Algarve has some incredible diving options 

Vicky from Algarve Tourism tells me about all the amazing scuba diving options available in her beautiful stretch of coast line in Portugal that would make the Great Barrier Reef blush. From natural and artificial reefs, walls, caves, archaeological sites and old marine boats- the list of wrecks in the Algarve includes the Torvore, the Wilhelm Krag and the Nordsoen, three of the four ships that were sunk by the U35 submarine during the First World War. Then, there is the EDP Art Reef the brainchild of renowned artist Vhils, the EDP Art Reef is a collection of 13 thought-provoking sculptures submerged at a depth of around 12 meters.