Austria’s beautiful city of Graz was the location of the first Propel Conference – an event that will be hard to beat (but we’re always up for a challenge).
Our long weekend in Graz included three incredible evening events, a fantastic conference venue in the Grand Hotel Weisler, 11 presentations and workshops, 71 one-one PRO Sessions, five post-conference tours (check out the content on #PropelGraz on social media), plus a workshop specifically for local industry partners, and even a spot of yodelling! You can see more on Propel Graz’s speakers and presentations.
Opened by the city’s mayor, Siegfried Nagl, the conference saw 31 bloggers and speakers from around the world come together to share and learn before using their newfound skills and already established platforms to reveal the best of Graz to their audiences.
Propel Conference in numbers
The conference was followed by five post trips that matched bloggers’ niche markets and audiences and gave the bloggers plenty of time to experience the destination and highlight a variety of experiences to travellers.
Twenty bloggers and two speakers who have their own travel blogs, participated in the post trips and delivered:
- 62 articles and videos.
- 104,200 social media engagements (comments, likes and shares).
- 2.78 million people reached on social media.
Graz Tourism sponsored the event with the support of the Austrian National Tourist Office, and we also held a workshop specifically for Graz Tourism’s local industry partners.
Meanwhile the conference and post trips garnered publicity in mainstream media with coverage on television, in newspapers and industry publications.
A successful event
Su Höller, head of marketing at Graz Tourism said: “It was amazing to host the first Propel Conference together with the talented Captivate team here in Graz.
“The conference days were packed with professional information and tips and the evenings were happy gatherings of bloggers and speakers in various locations around Graz.
“I am sure it will make an impact on Graz with so many stories being shared on social networks already. And for us as a destination marketing organisation, we are proud to be at the forefront of digital/influencer marketing within Austria.”
Propel Graz was a hugely successful event with attendees referring to it as a game changer, and it averaged a 98.8% satisfaction rating from attendees in the conference survey.
- As a long-standing partaker in many events for bloggers, I was very curious to see what a new-comer could bring to the scene that wasn’t already there. And Propel exceeded all my expectations! The content goes beyond all those things « we already know » and there’s a lot to learn, even for advanced bloggers. The opportunity to submit our questions to experts was invaluable and the tight group makes it very easy to connect, share and learn with like-minded professionals.
The Propel Conference was a smashing success! From the selection of speakers to the topics picked I learned so many more ways to take my blog to the next level. When you’ve been in the game for a while it’s really hard to find a conference that meets you where you’re at, and can propel you to a higher bracket.”
I can't say enough good things about Propel! Super organised, well thought through, professionally implemented, great fun and relaxed. I learnt new things that will definitely add major value to my blog.
Just got back from Propel in Graz by the Captivate team. If any of you bloggers get the chance to go next, GO! I’ve been blogging for eight years and have been pretty successful, but the things I’ve learnt over the last few days will take my blog to another level. An absolute game-changer!
Propel was by far the most useful, actionable and fun travel blogging conference I've attended. Exceptional speakers, a stunning location and a real focus on quality advice, it gave me the confidence and actionable tasks to grow professionally. Travelling through Regional Graz afterwards was the cherry on top - loved every second and I will be back
The talks were not only inspiring but full of useful hands-on information, the personal PRO sessions were extremely valuable and the small group size as well as the friendly atmosphere made the conference a unique and fun experience.
Propel was both the most useful and the most fun blogging conference I've been to yet. The sessions were well thought out and perfectly targeted for intermediate bloggers. The one-to-one sessions were gold. I've been implementing what I learned at Propel and I am already seeing positive results. Thank you!
Despite being a writer for a living, I can barely put into words quite how incredible the Propel Conference was. Not only were sessions led by some of the biggest names in the blogging industry, but they were honest, open and inspiring, and their advice has influenced everything I am now doing with my blog to grow and make it even more successful.
Promoting Graz
Propel was more than just a conference – it also gave the bloggers the opportunity to explore Graz, and on a series of post trips, the bloggers visited destinations beyond the city into the region of Styria. They then shared their experiences in engaging posts on social media, in vlogs and videos and also in blog posts that will be found for years to come. See the content produced from the post trips – all 54 posts and videos.
Many thanks to the wonderful city of Graz and Graz Tourism for hosting us and for their foresight. Thanks also to the Austrian National Tourist Office for their valued support.
Find out more – host the conference or register to attend Propel in 2020…
Want to see more? Take a look at more photos from Propel Graz.