The Southern Travelers Explore conference is an educational vacation with a true Southern experience host by Melody Pittman and Taylor Hardy.
The first conference, #STEThomasville, was held in February 2020 in Thomasville, GA. It brought writers, bloggers, influencers, journalists, CVBs, DMOs, and brands from 13 states together for a weekend of networking, learning, and fun.
#STEThomasville kicked off with an intimate dinner and photography discussion in the historic Showboat Theater at South Eden Plantation, where the first screening of Gone With The Wind premiered.
The next morning, #STEThomasville attendees were dazzled with a presentation from world-famous keynote speaker Patricia Schultz, best selling author of 1000 Place To See Before You Die. Three educational sessions followed, where attendees learned about monetizing their website, podcasting, and working with destinations.
The conference attendees then split into small groups and dove into local activities: wine tasting, a food tour, and visiting a historic plantation. Afterward, a local hotel group hosted our attendees to a wine and cheese reception to share their newest development. Dinner was a dine-around Thomasville event where small groups went to three different local restaurants. The attendees loved spending time in small groups where they really got to know each other.
#STEThomasville concluded with a champagne breakfast, educational sessions (authentic travel and email marketing), and a marketplace where the bloggers/journalists/influencers met with CVBs and brands one-on-one to discuss future partnerships.
The attendees did not go home empty handed, as several Southern-based businesses (Cathead Vodka, Goo Goo Clusters, The Loveless Cafe, Anderson Design Group) donated products for #STEThomasville attendees to try. It was a fantastic weekend! You can see a visual of #STEThomasville in this post.
Future Conferences
The 2021 #STE conference will be held in Tupelo, Mississippi, at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Feb 19-21st. You can find everything you need to know about #STETupelo in this post.
Posts about Southern Travelers Explore
- Southern Travelers Explore Thomasville Conference https://www.whereverimayroamblog.com/southern-travelers-explore-thomasville-conference/
- The Ultimate Guide to Thomasville, GA https://www.whereverimayroamblog.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-thomasville-georgia/
- How to Experience the Southern Charm of Thomasville, GA https://www.roadtripsandcoffee.com/southern-charm-thomasville-georgia/
- Thomasville, Georgia is a Feast for your Senses https://www.roxieontheroad.com/things-to-do-in-thomasville-ga-2/
- Thomasville Georgia: A Trip Back in Time https://thetravelingwizard.com/2020/02/thomasville-georgia/
- Pebble Hill Plantation: Thomasville, GA https://southernhospitalityblog.com/pebble-hill-plantation-thomasville-ga/
- Discovering the Splendor of an Historic Sporting Plantation at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, GA https://www.roadtripsandcoffee.com/pebble-hill-plantation/
- Visiting Thomasville, Georgia https://southernhospitalityblog.com/visiting-thomasville-ga/
- Encounter Historic Quail Hunt Plantations in Thomasville, GA https://backroadplanet.com/quail-hunt-plantations-in-thomasville-ga/
- Houstonian Magazine https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2020/03/thomasville-georgia-travel-guide
- Thomasville Magazine https://issuu.com/thomasvillemagazine/docs/0320-tmag
- Press Release https://thomasville.org/about-us/press-releases/tourism-office-welcomes-southern-travelers-explore-thomasville
- Jewish Journal https://jewishjournal.com/tag/southern-travelers-explore-conference/
- Looking Forward to 2021 https://www.colemanconcierge.com/2021-coleman-concierge/