7 Reasons You Should Apply To attend Propel Conference If You’re A Travel Blogger

Last year, I had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to fly to Vorarlberg in Austria for the business-changing Propel Conference.

Organised by Sarah and Terry Lee from Captivate and LiveShareTravel, Propel is designed for bloggers who are ready to take that next step into turning their blog into a business. It’s for intermediate bloggers who know that they want to ‘do more’ but need that extra little bit of guidance on how to get there. People exactly like me. 

Now, I’ve been to lots of different conferences in my time as a blogger and they’re all amazing in their own ways. Depending on what stage you’re at in your blogging career, however, Propel could be the conference you’ve been looking for.

👉 Scroll to the bottom of the post to find out how you can apply to this year’s Propel in THE CAYMAN ISLANDS!! What an incredible opportunity! 

So, What Is Propel? 

As mentioned above, the Propel Conference is a conference aimed at experienced bloggers who want to increase their skills and advance to the next level. Whether that’s earning more income, going full time or regularly getting paid for press trips, we all know just how hard reaching that next step can be. 

The conference objectives are two-fold:

Once the conference is over, bloggers get split up into groups for post-trips, giving them even more of a chance to experience the area they’re visiting. 

Spaces are limited and they’re by application only, but more about that later.

Reasons You Should Apply To The Propel Conference If You’re A Travel Blogger

The Schedule Is Jam-Packed

One of my favourite things about The Propel Conference is just how jam-packed the schedule was. From welcome dinners (complete with entertainment) to 3 days of conference sessions, it’s clear that a lot of care went into ensuring we all made the most out of the days we were there. 

To give you an example, this is what the schedule for the conference while I was there. We had coffee breaks (with delicious snacks), lunch and dinner each night provided to us as part of the experience. There was also enough time to explore the area between PRO sessions and evening events. It was the perfect mix of conference and experiences, which I loved! 

The Sessions and Speakers Are Next Level

I was SO SO impressed with the sessions and speakers that Sarah and Terry had put together. I hadn’t come across any of them before but they could each be considered an expert in their industry. The talks went ‘beyond the basics’ and I gained so much value from each session. A few of my favourites were ‘Monetise Your Blog With Affiliate Income’ with Lia (Practical Wanderlust) and ‘Advanced Guide To Link Building’ with Amar Hussain.

An honourable mention goes to the ‘Creating Travel Videos’ session with This Colourful World, as this was a super fun practical session. First, we learnt all of the theories behind creating travel videos and then we were tasked with shooting footage over the next 24 hours. The following day, we had an editing workshop where we all edited our videos to be put into an incredible film that was shown in A REAL LIFE theatre that night. We had popcorn, cocktails and all got to watch the hard work that we’d put in over the course of the two days. It was incredible and I even learnt a few things that I’ve put into practice on my TikTok channel! 

You Have The Chance To Book PRO Sessions With Any (Or All) Of The Speakers

Both before the conference starts and during, you’re able to book PRO sessions with the speakers. I didn’t book any beforehand as I wasn’t quite sure who I wanted to talk to, but as the sessions went on, I was able to get a clear idea of what areas I needed to delve into more. 

PRO sessions are essentially 15-minute sessions with experts, where you’re able to ask absolutely anything that you want. I found it super helpful as although I asked questions during the sessions, I didn’t want to take up too much of others time by asking questions specific to my blogs. The sessions were the perfect place to do this.

You Get To Experience An Incredible Destination

One of the joys of going to travel conferences is that they’re always in amazing destinations. Propel was no different, as it gave me the chance to discover Vorarlberg for the first time.

While initially a lot of time is spent in conference sessions, there are still lots of opportunities to explore the area you’re staying in. From the cuisine served at lunch to the evening activities and walking tours, you really do spend the whole time immersed in everything the destination stands for. 

Plus, you get some pretty incredible views during sessions, which is always a bonus.  

You Get To Spend Time With People In The Exact Same Position As You

Another incredible thing about Propel conference is that all of the attendees are at the same stage of their blogging career, instantly giving us something in common. In the days spent together, we all shared our experiences, our dreams and our stories with each other. I felt like we all bonded so well and honestly, the people were what made the experience for me. 

Post-Trips Are A Great Place To Put Everything You’ve Learnt Into Practice 

Once the conference was over, we were all given the chance to go on post-trips in the region. Each trip was designed towards specific niches and as a result, meant we were all able to experience something a little different. From hiking trips to foodie based-tours, there was a little something for everyone.

I can’t speak for all post trips, but the one I went on was filled with lots of great activities to help us explore Lake Constance. We ate lots of amazing Austrian dishes, went on a few walking tours and even got to pedal our own boats around Lake Constance. I’ll be sharing more about that trip soon, so look out for the post if you want to find out what I got up to. 

You Come Home Motivated And With An Actionable To-Do List 

When I go to conferences, I like to come home with a to-do list, rather than pages of scribbled notes that I know I’m not going to read again. Throughout the conference I made numerous lists of the different things I needed to do, all of which I know will have a massive impact on my business in the future. The speakers made it super easy to put the lessons they were teaching into actionable points, meaning a lot of the hard work was done for me! 

Places For Bloggers Are Free  

For most conferences, you have to pay for your place (which is understandable and something I love to do – I never turn down an opportunity to invest in myself). Propel, however, is different and as it is invite-only, all costs are waived. In return, you will be asked to produce two pieces of content and live social media posts. 

This year, for the Cayman Islands, you have to cover your flights, but everything else during your trip will be covered by Captivate. 

So, How Do I Apply For A Spot At The Propel Conference?

Applications for Propel 2022 are now open and if you’re lucky enough to secure a spot, you’ll be heading to the Cayman Islands. To apply, all you have to do is head to the Captivate website to fill out an application form.

CRITERIA:

– Applicants must keep June 13-20, 2022, free for the conference and destination experiences.

– Attendees must provide and pay for their own return flights to the Cayman Islands. Conference tickets, accommodation, meals and ground travel will be covered by the Propel Conference and Cayman Islands Tourism.

– To apply, you must have owned and operated a monetised blog for at least two years, and post regularly to your social channels.

– You must agree to produce two blog posts/videos, in addition, to live social media on the Cayman Islands from the trip.

– As per, Cayman Islands Government entry requirements, attendees will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Will you be applying? Good luck with your application and let me know if I can be of any help! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about the conference or the application process.