Other people’s resolutions: what travel bloggers are saying about 2008

If you believe blogs represent the future of travel writing, you should check out some of the resolutions these travel blogs have made for 2008. (And in case you’re wondering — yes, I do think blogs are the future, and that many of the best minds in travel writing are already blogging.)

• I liked all of Arthur Frommer’s New Year’s resolutions and they inspired me to create my own list. I was in good company. The Hartford Courant’s Jeanne Leblanc, one of the few mainstream media travel bloggers who gets it, posted her own resolutions after reading Mr. Frommer’s.

• Over at Gadling, Jamie Rhein suggests that conventional travel writing is stuck in a rut by pointing out that a search of travel resolutions pulls up little more than a 2005 article in Travel and Leisure. The tips still hold true, Jamie points out, but can’t old media come up with some new ideas?

• At Brave New Traveler, Tim Patterson caps his year in review with goals that you don’t hear a lot of mainstream media talking about (“keep it relevant, keep it fun“) and a reminder of why new media is becoming so powerful — because it’s about you, the reader.

• Jaunted posted its 2007 Travel Awards with a suggested resolution for readers — to become a Jaunted member. “A resolution so easy that anyone can do it,” it wrote. Good idea. I second that.

• At Lifehacker — not a travel blog, per se, but a terrific site all the same — Gina Trapani put the question to her readers. My favorite travel-themed resolution: “Catch more waves.”

Happy New Year, everyone. Here’s to another great year of travel blogging.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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