Proud to have made blogging history by combining upbeat, informative vacation blogging from Michigan with his highly evolved commentary about all kinds of stuff, Seattle-based professional writer and blogger Matt Rosenberg (that's me) hereby presents to you, dear Rosenblog readers - and certain very lucky economic development and tourism marketing honchos - this chronologically-ordered compendium of my Michigan tourism blog posts. And my West Coast tourism blogging portfolio, to boot.

There are two reasons for this momentous occasion.

One: my cousin Susan in Michigan wanted to know how our family enjoyed our recent vacation there, and I wrote all about it on my blog. Here ya go, Susan!

Two: I have a business proposal herein, directed to public sector economic development and tourism officials, and other state, regional and local tourism boosters in the U.S. Take a look, in my posts below, at some examples of what travel blogging can be, then consider hiring me to blog my way across your city, region or state. I'm actually serious.

WHY TRAVEL BLOGGING, ANYWAY? Brochures and relatively static tourism Web sites aren't enough. Who has time to read travel magazines or the travel section in the paper? Besides: they miss at least three-quarters of the places you'd actually be able to visit. Group tours are for the brain-dead, Web searches are often overwhelming, and who really knows what that "charming cottage" smells like, anyway? Where are the good beaches, lodgings, guest ranches, sylvan lakes, hiking trails, lighthouses, food, parks and playgrounds, effervescent small towns, and unique city neighborhoods? Guide books and state tourism agencies can certainly provide a helpful start, but you need more.

Travel blogging - meant to emphasize an honest, independent personal voice, plus consumer-friendly tips, reviews and insights - is evolving as a marketing tool. In fact, Pennsylvania state tourism officials even tried it recently, but were dogged by legitimate criticisms of a phony tone that more closely resembled online tourism brochures. I discuss that story in the last two paragraphs here at my other blog, Blog Consulting Pro.

WHY PAY A TRAVEL BLOGGER WHEN SOME WILL DO IT JUST FOR EXPENSES? Because of V.I.P. treatment often extended to travel writers on "complementary" trips, their objectivity can be compromised. State tourism sites are an excellent resource, but savvy travel consumers want more than an institutional voice, and increasingly, they want it online, and now! By virtue of my "under the radar" approach, professional travel writing experience, and complete editorial freedom, readers will get an authentic voice they can trust. In addition, you get what you pay for. Many bloggers can't write very well. As a professional print journalist, and blogger, I combine the best of both worlds. I am making this proposal not because I want to get complementary travel in exchange for travel blogging, but because I believe professional travel blogging will be increasingly utilized as a tourism promotion tool.

Tourism promotion must move beyond the old "command and control" publicity model, with hierarchical content approval chains. The Internet, and blogs, are rendering that approach obsolete, anyhow. People are likely already blogging about travel in your state, sharing experiences good and bad with anyone who Googles up their posts. State tourism agencies need to get a grubstake in the fast-moving world of blogs.

HERE'S THE PROPOSAL: You'll pay me $2,750 per week PLUS all travel expenses and I'll blog just exactly what I want about my journey. Summer trips will include my wife and two children; you'll cover their expenses as well. My blogging will undoubtedly include, as do the Michigan and West Coast portfolios below, a lot of positive and informative stuff. Great pictures can figure in, as evident in the Michigan posts below. But You, Dear Client, will have no editorial control of the writing whatsoever, a point which will be stated in our contract. All appropriate disclaimers will be noted online. Still with me? OK, good! We'll post my bloggage about your city, state or region at your agency's travel blog (which I can help you conceptualize for an additional hourly or project-based fee).

But this is a two-way street. If you wish, I'll be happy to send along the travel articles I've had published in the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, Denver Post, Seattle Magazine, Puget Sound Business Journal, and California CEO. Here's more on my illustrious career (it's a heckuva read, really!); plus online versions of some of the scintillating and provocative non-travel print articles I've had published, here. By the way, don't let my politics get your nose out of joint. Life's too short, and we all love to explore new places. Capiche?

Now, onward.

MICHIGAN TOURISM BLOGGING PORTFOLIO

"Mystery Blogger Stalks Grand Rapids."

"Meijer Gardens Tropical Conservatory: Just The Place In July."

"Community Responsibility Theme At Grand Rapids Black Summit."

"San Chez Bistro's Tapas: Pride of Grand Rapids."

"Beach Pole-Vaulting In Grand Haven."

"Grand Haven Musical Fountain Needs New Music."

"Sleeping Bear Dunes Adventure."

"From Elberta To Grand Marais."

"Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Marquette and Petosky."

"Germfask, Michigan: It Can Only Get Better."

WEST COAST TOURISM BLOGGING PORTFOLIO

"Superferries Advance In Hawaii."

"Touring Like A Local."

"Washington State Ferries: The Good Wait."

"Wringing The 'Soaked Seattle' Meme Dry."

"Seattle Shop Caters To Real Lefties"

"Malay Satay Hut Rules!"

"Elvis Slept Upstairs."

"Middle Fork On My Mind."

"The Zen Of Horse Dung."

"Marrowstone Musings."

"Is There Any Fixing Vancouver's Gastown?"

"The Best And Worst Of Vancouver."

"Best And Worst Of Vancouver: Part Two."

"A Vancouver Shopkeeper's Death Wish For Bush."

"Canadian English Dictionaries Are Vestigial."

"Anomie In Ashland."

"Salem? Fuggedaboudit!"

"Boring: Not For Long."

To comment on this post or e-mail me about working for you, get to my Main Page and click on "Contact," right under the masthead photo.

ADDENDUM: ATTENTION, FOREIGN TOURISM MINISTERS! This paid tourism blogging proposal also extends to foreign nations and their political subdivisions. However, the weekly fee is $3,225 (U.S.), payable in advance, in U.S. currency only, and drawn from a U.S.-based account only. Plus, if you're one of the Stans, or anywhere in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf or Africa, Burma, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, India, Ukraine, Chechnya, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia or Brazil (and any other hot spots I think of later) there are a few more conditions. You pay for a top-drawer life insurance policy and comprehensive in-situ health insurance for me, with a clause for guaranteed Lear Jet Medi-Vac air service to a suitable nation if your facilities and personnel are not sufficient for whatever travel-related ills may befall me. You'll also need to expense a bodyguard and translator of my own choosing. And no, I'm not xenophobic. Not in the least. I just like to be prepared.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at August 11, 2005 02:27 PM