Travel Writer's son getting married 6/9/06.

[waynesmom]

We took the advice of folks from this forum and chose to book our rehearsal dinner at Old Florida Fish House. We had hoped to book 3-bedroom condos at Sandestin for our small group of family, but alas, we waited too late.

Now, I could use some more help!

We'll need 5 rooms Wed night, June 7. (3 couples, groom, single adult female, 1 7-year old child = 9 total)

7 rooms Thursday night, June 8. (5 couples, groom, single adult female, 1 child = 13 total)

6 rooms Friday night, June 9. (5 couples, single adult female, 1 child = 12 total.)

Here's the inside scoop:

I’m looking for a new best friend.

As either Editor or Travel Writer for several publications, I have already scheduled space to write a travel article in the following media outlets to cover whichever property we choose to host our rooms and/or the rehearsal dinner:

1) The News-Star - a Gannett daily newspaper in north Louisiana, circulation 40K. (www.thenewsstar.com)

2) The Village Voice - a weekly newspaper for Hot Springs Village, Ark., the nation's largest gated community and the state’s “most traveled” community. Circulation 7K. (www.hsvoice.com)

3) Hot Springs Life & Home Magazine - a 64-page direct mail monthly in Hot Springs, AR—a town with 12 championship golf courses and 27 non-profits directly related to the visual and performing arts. Circulation 25K. (www.hotspringslifeandhome.com)

4) Weddings With Style – a semi-annual bridal publication distributed in California, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana (www.weddingswithstyle.net)

5) Native Curiosity - a new travel blog linked to all the articles listed above. (www.nativecuriosity.blogspot.com)

I’m hoping to create a mutually beneficial arrangement with a property which would benefit from the publicity in the markets I’ve described to barter for a portion of our expenses.

Any suggestions?

[Donna]

Uhhh, just a journalistic inquiry...how can your articles be objective for the readers if you have exchanged free lodgings for that many people in return for publicity? No disrespect intended, but are these publications aware that you are asking for free accommodations in return for publicity? Sounds a little odd to me.

[SHELLY]

I’m hoping to create a mutually beneficial arrangement with a property which would benefit from the publicity in the markets I’ve described to barter for a portion of our expenses.

Any suggestions?

Can you link to a sample of one of your Travel articles?

[Smiling JOe]

Uhhh, just a journalistic inquiry...how can your articles be objective for the readers if you have exchanged free lodgings for that many people in return for publicity? No disrespect intended, but are these publications aware that you are asking for free accommodations in return for publicity? Sounds a little odd to me.
It does have the potential to be a little biased. The best way to write a review is to visit the place several times and enjoy different services offered without allowing the place to know you are writing or that you are a critic. However, I am not sure that a "travel writer" is the same as a critic, and their stories are probably always biased. I do think there is a difference between the travel writer and the critic, but I would not be able to define the two. Waynesmom, can you help us understand the difference, if there is one?

[waynesmom]

Thank you all for your interest and concern. One point I need to clarify immediately is we are not looking for FREE accommodations. We are hoping, however, to find someone who might either break a week for us or offer a reduced summer rate in exchange for the value of the publicity I mentioned previously.

My most recent travel article with my photos appears here:
http://www.hsvvoice.com/news/2006/0208/Recreation/043.html

A few others can be found here:
http://www.nativecuriosity.blogspot.com/

I particularly appreciated the suggestion we visit the area "incognito." Actually, we have made the 11-hour drive three times already during the last 6 months to check out service, drive times, etc., simply because we know those things will be "on show" during the wedding week itself.

In fairness to the publications who are interested in covering the story of a returning soldier's wedding in SoWal, the combined value of the space dedicated to covering the event will top $10,000, not including online coverage and reprints.

Here's the story of Sgt. West's engagement, the first night he returned to the states for his 15-day R&R:

http://waynesworld2005.blogspot.com/2005/08/day-220-officially-engaging-dallas.html

Thanks again for your thoughtful questions and comments. Hoped this helped to assuage some of your concerns.

Rebecca

[TooFarTampa]

I'm truly curious here -- how can you put a value (the $10,000 you mentioned above) on editorial content? Particularly in a newspaper, where advertising and editorial are completely separate with separate budgets, employees, etc.

[waynesmom]

Good question. I wasn't particularly referring to the value of the editorial material, but strictly to the cost of the space if an advertiser were to buy the amount of physical space the articles will use in print.

Thanks again for your interest.

Here is a more detailed explanation how that value might be calculated:

http://www.wbpublicity.com.au/wbpublicity.htm

[Camp Creek Kid]

5) Native Curiosity - a new travel blog linked to all the articles listed above. (www.nativecuriosity.blogspot.com)



I checked out your blog at the link above. The Old Florida Fish House is NOT in Destin. Destin is about 25 miles to the west. Please recognize Seagrove Beach as the home of the Old Florida Fish House. This is the South Walton (SoWal) Board and we posters take great care to distinguish this area from Destin. Thanks, and congratulations on your son's upcoming wedding.

[waynesmom]

Thanks for the heads up on the distinction between locations.

A good travel writer should have known that. :bang:

(Change made on the blog!)

[Smiling JOe]

Thanks for the heads up on the distinction between locations.

A good travel writer should have known that. :bang:

(Change made on the blog!)Destin is even in a different county.

[Paula]

Waynesmom:

We all forgot to say :welcome: to the board! Hope you find a great place to stay. There are many nice communities along 30A, though it's harder to find a place for a few nights during peak summer nights. One place would be the Villages of South Walton. Some of the places are like hotel rooms, other have one or more bedrooms. That community is not too far from our cottages and they have a 12000 square foot pool, a nice town center, and a great Carvel ice cream place and some new places in the town center that I haven't been to.

Hibiscus is a small bed and breakfast in Grayton beach (old style and I've heard very nice) that people love. I've been there for breakfast only and it has very good food and a very nice old-fashioned garden. Very different from the newer places. They have many 1950s tableclothes on the walls which adds character. There are also suites/hotels/bed and bath at Rosemary Beach, Watercolor, or Seaside. You can find all these places on the Internet.

Here are some links to small but very nice hotel like suites that offer one night stays at the Villages of South Walton with the big pool and Carvel Ice cream and nice village green. I think these would all be close to each other within a short walk. Private message me and I'll give you the email of someone else I know who has a suite at the Villages of South Walton. That community is about 5-6 miles east from Old Florida Fish House (which I like), right next door to Rosemary Beach.

http://www.vrbo.com/80063
http://www.vrbo.com/64896
http://www.vrbo.com/67409
http://www.vrbo.com/66289
http://www.vrbo.com/82081

June is the peak vacation period and many places rent for a week at a time only so it's tricky to find something at that time. You'll want to ask if there's any construction going on right near where you'd be. There would be construction on either side of this community but I don't think you'd hear it. There's construction at Seaside and Rosemary Beach as well -- I don't know about Watercolor). Personally, I'd definitely look into the Villages of South Walton because they're new and are looking for new business and looking to make a name for themselves. I would definitely stay there if I was with a group, wanted a short-term stay (or longer term stay), and wanted reasonable rates. I've been in one of the suites and thought it was very nice. As far as I can tell, they are well furnished and decorated by individual owners (it's supposed to be an "upscale" place) yet well priced because they're new and not well known yet.

The whole 30A area is in quite the high-growth phase right now. Fortunately, I believe 40% of the area must stay "native environment" which is why we like it here. We have two 3 bedroom cottages not in the Villages of South Walton but at the Cottages at Camp Creek -- a new small off-the-road-not-well known gated community -- about a mile east of the Villages of South Walton. We only rent for a week (not daily) in the summer like most places do here, otherwise we'd try to help you out.

When you do write something about the area, please be sure to post it for us on this board. We'd love to see it. And have a great wedding.

Best,
Paula