S3 Bonus 08: When Tourism Boards Respond

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[00:00:00] Welcome to the genius women podcast. I'm your host, Yulia, Denisyuk, an award-winning travel photographer and writer with work in some incredible publications like National Geographic, Afar Magazine, and more. And this year you see my name in places like Conde Nast Traveler. I'm on a mission to help other women who want to grow their trouble, storytelling, careers, go after their dreams while feeling supported, worthy, and bold. If you're ready to ditch your fear and doubts to the side, step into your brilliance and take action on your dreams. You're in the right place. Let's go.

[00:00:38] In our last episode, we looked at some of the principles of working with tourism boards. And today I'm so excited to share with you what happened next. One of the most thrilling parts of working in the circle for me is when our Jeanie's follow my advice and get outcomes, they wouldn't otherwise have gotten in this episode.

[00:01:00] I'm sharing with you a part of the conversation. Sometime after our tourism board workshop in which our members shared their results from following my strategies. This is what happens when you put your ideas in action. Let's get to it. 

[00:01:17] I actually had some good stuff this week. I had really good feedback on my photos from photography class. A little more time on that. I also heard back from the Iceland tourism board and talk to them already after our workshop talking while we were still talking, I was like, okay, that's amazing.

[00:01:37] That's great. Everybody, please listen up. They were super sweet. I just heard back from them this morning. And I actually wasn't pitching them. I just said, Hey, look, I'm coming in September. I'd love to be added to your, media list. you know, I was gonna go visit,a bunch of geothermal pools, not just the blue lagoon, everybody goes through the blue game, but I mean, I still just filled with these things.

[00:01:56] Right. And she's like, oh, that's a lovely idea. You know, I'm happy to add you. And I'm like, wow, that was fast. Nice. What I'm teaching you? It actually works. Okay. It actually works. I heard back already from the, uh, from the Florida tourism board as well. So, um, he replied, you know, within the week and said, yep, I'm happy to add you.

[00:02:15] And , the only one I haven't heard back that I've reached out to is Orlando with us. I'm like, I live here, come on people. That's the only one I haven't heard back from him yet. Oh, that's incredible Barbie. That's that's amazing. Thank you so much for sharing that. And, and, I hope right.

[00:02:28] This is the. inspiration. Everyone else needs to jump on it and reach out to their tourism boards and see where that takes. Cause that's, that's excellent. I'm so glad you took action so quickly. Me. Oh. And the Iceland people said to ask for media rates at the pools and I was like, what? There's a media rate at the pools.

[00:02:46] I'm like, okay. That's amazing. I had no idea, you know what? I even don't do that when I go travel on my own. That's an excellent, I had no idea that was a thing, but it's a thing. So she told me to ask. I was like, all right. Yeah, that's amazing. And, and, you know, especially if they don't have any sort of, strings attached to those media rates, just, just by nature of, wow, that's awesome.

[00:03:08] I don't to reach out to them directly. That's wonderful. Great, great south Barbie.

[00:03:13] Very, very good job. that

[00:03:16] Came, how, how are you feeling?

[00:03:17] last week was pretty good for me, actually. I, um,I did. Which dry you send your first pitch in? Right. I've sent, um, my goal, I was trying to do 20 pitches in 30 days and I've done six of them. so I did, um,I followed up with my, um, with the very first pitch. Um, but just haven't heard anything back yet.

[00:03:39] I need to follow up with my Huffington post. This week. and I sent the Atlas Obscura, pitch today that I was working on in the group. and I'm like Barbie. I, I, right after the call, I looked through tourism boards and,kind of went a bit, I don't know if it's overboard, but I haven't heard anything.

[00:03:58] I've heard back from four places that I've, um, and just say, you know, and it was so easy, like you said, if I just sent, you know, can I just be added to your media list? And they said, sure. so then basically also said because of the pandemic that it's, you know, I may not hear from them in a bit. but I kind of worked through it. the UK, like with visit Britain, visit England, visit Scotland, visit Wales.

[00:04:25] Is it Northern Ireland? And then, um, what even closer to like, welcome to Yorkshire visit York. and then I even tried where I used to live in the states in New Mexico. So try the new Mexican tourist board and,and Santa Fe as well thinking, well, if I could get a trip back there and I can be quite nice.

[00:04:43] But, yeah, so it was, it was very easy with your, um, with your help and, encouragement. So that's kind of where I am. Hey, amazing. Oh, this makes me so happy when you guys are following my advice and doing stuff. 

[00:04:58] And see, I think the key here is you see yourself, how it's within reach. Something as simple as getting on the media list for a tourism board, which in itself doesn't really, it doesn't mean you're taking a trip with them tomorrow.

[00:05:10] What it means is you have a relationship now you will be in the loop when they send opportunities when they send stuff and look how easy that was. You just reached out to them, put you on the list, you know, 

[00:05:20] and I think, I hope that it also expands your sense of what is possible in other areas as well, because this is not just about reaching out to tourism board.

[00:05:29] This is how life works in many different ways. Right. You just take a tiny step,to reach out to someone and who knows what happens, right but always, it always, always starts with that. Taking that tiny step first, right? Oh, that's a wonderful one to, to close it off. it's great. So for everyone who's feeling heavy this week, who is sort of unsure or struggling, you guys were here with you, that you always have the space to come to with your questions and your concerns.

[00:05:56] It's very normal, right? It's life is not always going to be peachy. Things are going to be heavy sometimes, and we're here for all of it. So. I just want you to know, uh, that that's the case. And for everyone who is reaching out and taking steps, pitching, keep going, you guys are amazing. I'm so proud of all of you.

[00:06:14] I'm really, really proud of you.

[00:06:16] Thanks again for listening to this bonus episode today, I hope you found it useful and inspiring. If you're looking for support opportunities and community in the travel media space, consider joining us in the circle. Enrollment is currently closed as we're getting ready for a one-year anniversary, the sex sober.

[00:06:36] If you want to know, when we opened the doors back up, visit geniuswomxn.com/circlewaitlist. To get on the list. Thanks again for listening and stay tuned for another bonus episode coming your way next Monday.