Planning for the Oslo Blog Gathering, Norway Travel Fair 2010 gave inspiration, impulses and make some new contacts which can help as well. Exhibitors from all over the world make this Norway’s largest arena for the travel trade and visitors. Their aim is to be an inspirational market and meeting place for all Norwegian travellers by providing information as well as face to face personal contact. Europe is the world’s leading tourist region, with 500 million arrivals per year accounting for 53 per cent of global tourism. Of course Norway has a lot of potential in the world travel market, both within and beyond Europe. The fair’s PR strategist Bjørn B. Jacobsen, said at the opening: “Our biggest challenge is to build better awareness about and greater knowledge of the travel trade as an industry of the future. That also embraces the importance of idea, product development and concepts….” and I was thinking: let us show them how to make use of social media as communication channels too 
My wife DianeCA and I were there to meet some of the OsloBG’s associates and get inspiration and of course we invite you along as well. Let’s start with the gatherings key contributor; visitOSLO:
Not all the staff at visitOslo knows in detail about OsloBG, yet – but all at their stand do now
It was inspiring to discuss with them this experiment of using the Blogsphere and other Social Media to gather people from all over the world for three days of exploring Oslo and Norway; our culture, history and traditions.
Their site is an excellent start for your exploration and to find out what you would like to see and experience while joining us in August! Their site has an English version, and of course it is all free!
Visitnorway.com:
Not only Oslo, but Norway’s tourism organisations as a whole are aware of the internet as the most important travel information channel. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has given Innovation Norway the responsibility for the development and maintenance of the official travel guide to Norway: Visitnorway.com. The site includes several means of planning your next trip to Norway and in a lot of languages: visitnorway.com/es or, …./fr, /de, /uk, /us etc!
Of course we had a visit to talk about OsloBG at their stand too, with some spectacular show to attract visitors:
Left: Looking at OsloBG website – Right: An acrobat’s performance
Having fun at a travel fair:
To introduce, promote and have fun, there were of course entertaining attractions as well. To make it short, in pictures:
A needed massage – Glass blowing
Fun for the children too of course.
I hope you will stop by the sites of both VisitOslo and VisitNorway and check out the information they have on travel and tourism. These are two official channels for tourism and give thorough information on what to see, what to do, and where to go when visiting Oslo and Norway in general. Some people coming to the trip may want to extend their stay to see more of the country since they have already travelled so far, and this is a good place to get information in planning your trip. If you are definitely planning on joining us for the Oslo Blog Gathering 2010, I hope you will remember to book your program fee soon! Only the first 50 booked will be able to participate in the reception in the City Hall with the Mayor due to space restrictions.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Looks like it’s coming together. It will be here before you know it too. How fun. I’m sure all that attend will have a fabulous time.
Have a terrific day and weekend. Big hug to you and Diane.
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January 30th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Great work Renny!
Looks all very promising !
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Yes, don’t forget that Norway is more than Oslo…
PS You are doing a great job
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January 30th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Hmmm, I’ve always wanted to visit Norway. I’ll have a peek at those sites. Found you through Bettyl.
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January 30th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
If I was in Finland I would copy your idea! (Travel Fair story)
Have a great weekend!
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January 30th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
I love the “I heart Oslo” teeshirts!
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January 30th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I would stand for hours watching the glass blowing, I love that stuff.. Very interesting to see it all coming along!
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January 31st, 2010 at 12:25 am
[...] You find the original post here http://www.terella.no/2010/ … | RennyBA [...]
January 31st, 2010 at 1:23 am
It was also inspiration for my dad’s visit this summer. I took some brochures and inspiration of how to show him around this beautiful country of yours. And I must say what a wonderful photographer you have, and I really enjoy your camera!
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January 31st, 2010 at 6:36 am
[...] You find the original post here http://www.terella.no/2010/ … | RennyBA [...]
January 31st, 2010 at 8:54 am
[...] the original: For Oslo Blog Gathering at Norway Travel Fair Share and [...]
January 31st, 2010 at 10:13 pm
My dear Renny
I need a time to understand and translate about the program fee.
I go and read about.
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January 31st, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Meget flott post.
Jeg er selv født og oppvokst i Oslo men har nå bodd i Drammen siden 2003. Ja det har blitt veldig flott i byen her nå. Har du ikke vært her på mange å så vil jeg anbefale å ta en tur
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January 31st, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Program fee booked right now!!!
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January 31st, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Now that looks like a lot of fun, what a good idea to tell about the Bloggers’ Gathering,. can’t wait!
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February 1st, 2010 at 12:57 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Simone and Renny Bakke Amundsen, Community Strategies. Community Strategies said: OnlineNetworking.biz: For Oslo Blog Gathering at Norway Travel Fair: Planning for the Oslo Blog Gathering, Norway Trave http://url4.eu/1Gj16 [...]
February 1st, 2010 at 2:21 am
So so tempting Renny and what a good line-up there
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February 1st, 2010 at 4:10 am
nice place, you like massage ?
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February 1st, 2010 at 4:51 pm
What is the best way to go about getting an RV loan/financing for a travel trailer with fair credit?
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February 1st, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Renny your are a master at PR for your city of Oslo – I am sure many bloggers will attend as it sounds as a wonderful and exciting event.
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February 1st, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Maybe someday! I would love to go to this…perhaps when the children are totally out of the house…
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February 1st, 2010 at 8:47 pm
You’ve been working very hard, Renny! Congrat’s on doing such a wonderful job for tourism in Norway! The pictures are great!
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February 1st, 2010 at 10:03 pm
This is just SO cool to see the making of! I’m super impressed!
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February 1st, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Wow, Renny, you sure do get around. Norway can do so much more to attract visitors! Vestfold/Torp has recently been criticized by Ryan Air for not doing more to publicize its tourist offerings—it’s one of the first times I’ve agreed with Ryan! You are now part of the solution, sir!
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February 2nd, 2010 at 4:24 am
You make Norway looks so friendly and welcoming (which I’m sure it is!). Funny how much I learned through you and Diane, considering I could barely put the country on a map two years ago (shame, shame on me!).
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February 2nd, 2010 at 7:26 am
Europe is the world’s leading tourist region, with 500 million arrivals per year accounting for 53 per cent of global tourism. Of course Norway has a lot of potential in the world travel market, both within and beyond Europe
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February 2nd, 2010 at 12:57 pm
That looks pretty exciting. Nice pics by the way and great shirt.
Have a wonderful day…:)
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February 2nd, 2010 at 7:38 pm
We are really looking forward to the first international Blogmeeting.
And I know the conference fee is only a small percentage of the value of all the Oslo Card( free transportation- bus. metro, local train and ferries), Oslo in 4 hours with guide, sightseeings, museums etc. due to the fact of your effort and VisitOslo’s understanding of the power of blogging.
I’ll be there as a native from Oslo.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 12:10 am
[...] For Oslo Blog Gathering at Norway Travel Fair Feb [...]
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:19 am
I need to buy some souvenirs here
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February 3rd, 2010 at 4:38 am
Oooh I love that I HEART Oslo tee!
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February 3rd, 2010 at 8:17 am
[...] 13. Buggys 14. happilyretired 15. Wendster16. Ana17. RennyBA [...]
February 4th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Such fairs can be really interesting and giving
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February 6th, 2010 at 4:06 am
There is so much information for me to digest now.
I’m sure the bloggers’ meet will be an awesome one.
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February 7th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
I like to have one with “I heart oslo” tee
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February 9th, 2010 at 11:18 am
I pay gas/insurance/maintenence on my car which I also use for personal. mileage reimbursement is of course only for business travel. Whats fair? any feedback helps.
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February 15th, 2010 at 7:25 am
I want to massaged too … oslo blog gathering , nice.. I hope i could attend that
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