Travel & Words Spring '11 conference offers opportunities to connect learn and write about sustainable, green and responsible travel and tourism for an early registration fee of $99.

Travel & Words Spring ‘11, recommended by Writer's Digest as a premier travel writers' conference, confirmed today a full agenda of industry speakers, destination specialists, and travel publishers and editors at the May 1-2 event. The conference focus is on sustainable, green and responsible travel and tourism.

“I’m pleased with our strong line-up of tourism professionals, presenters and participants. Everyone will get the full benefit of this wealth of expertise,” said Myrna Oakley, conference chair. 

Confirmed presenters include: Allen Cox, freelance travel and lifestyle writer; Jake Haupert, of Evergreen Escapes and the P.U.R.E. Travel Collaborative; Roger Ward, travel photographer; Linda Saunders, Director of Wildlife Conservation at Wolf Haven International; Nan Devlin, tourism strategist and lecturer in sustainable tourism; Laurel Miller, food and travel writer with a focus on sustainable agriculture; and Roy Stevenson, highly successful freelance writer. 

Panelists include:

Travel bloggers Beth Whitman, Terri Fogarty, Bobbie Hasselbring, Shannon Huffman Polson, Pam Mandel and Marilyn McFarlane                      

 Magazine editors and publishers Una Boyle of Coast Food & Arts, Carolyn Price of Outdoors NW, Ethan Chung of South Sound and 425 magazines, Katherine McKelvey of Harbors magazine and All Ports Media, Kate Rogers of Mountaineers Books/Skipstone, and Allison Williams of Seattle Met

Freelance writers who focus on sustainable travel, outdoors, lifestyle, and other topics: Crai Bower, Annika Hipple, Lisa Lawrence, Eric Lucas and Debra Prinzing.

Ten travel and tourism organizations from throughout the Pacific Northwest are confirmed as exhibitors including from Washington State: San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau, Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission, Whidbey and Camano Islands Tourism, Kitsap Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau, Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, and Visit Mt. Rainier. From Oregon, exhibitors are Travel Yamhill Valley and Travel Lane County Cascades to Coast. 

Sponsor-partners include Morrison's Rogue River Lodge, Pacific Northwest Float Trips, Emerald Isle Sailing Charters, Columbia River Eco-Tours, Woodinville Wine Country, Hewlett Packard Odin Ink Print-on-Demand, and Response Interactive.

Early bird registration of $99 will continue through March 31. This represents a 20% savings from the registration fee listed in Writer's Digest, and a nearly 35% savings from the "at the door" price of $145.

The conference also will follow green meeting practices by reducing paper use and encouraging attendees to arrive by train, shuttle or car-share.

Registration includes conference materials, writers' resource table, authors' book table, a wine tasting hosted by Woodinville Wine Country, access to presenters and exhibitors, and refreshments and meals. Willows Lodge is offering a special room rate to attendees who make reservations before April 15. For more information, visit: www.travelandwords.com.

About Pacific NW Travel Writers Conference: Travel & Words conferences are presented by Pacific NW Travel Writers Conference, an all-volunteer organization of regional freelance writers, travel bloggers and tourism professionals dedicated to providing a forum for freelance writers and photographers who want to explore emerging trends and expand their markets in new ways in a changing industry.

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Media Contacts:

Allen Cox allencox@q.com

Myrna Oakley myrnalo6@gmail.com

Website: www.travelandwords.com