Tomorrow is the first conference I’ve ever hosted. With my first hosted conference kicking off in 30 hours, what am I thinking about? am in awe of the host of people who have invested an enormous amount of energy, imagination, effort, and time to make Social Story Conference possible. They are a bumper crop of people committed to being catalysts for community right here, right now. Bank of Travelers Rest. Conferences are simply awesome. Social media is incredibly cool, too, but there’s no comparison to the value of seeing people face-to-face. MORE >>

Ask any traveler: would you rather stay in a tourist compound (aka tourist ghetto) or get out and meet the locals? Overwhelmingly, travelers want to meet the locals! Today I am promoting the idea of connecting guest travel bloggers with local bloggers, to enhance the coverage of the destination and to build a deeper, more personal community online among the many voices in travel. This week the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau is hosting a group of travel bloggers for a new media press trip. Maui Life and Travel Tips. top bloggers. MORE >>

Small communities are great for mutual support. But before her, we have many organic farms, our favorite home delivery of locally sourced food from Kula Fields , and the most delicious (for all of the senses) outdoor pop-up dinners hosted by Kupu Maui ! Visitors Bureau , I insisted the writers disclose their free travel and per diem. Sometimes we relax things though that could actually support and protect us. FTC Blogger Rules are just such a case. Here on Maui, we love and support each other so much, we call it one big ?ohana ohana – that means family. MORE >>

But then again, I never expected the little website I created to keep friends and family informed about Jerry’s progress to become the largest online community for canine amputees and their people either. After his amputation we sold the business—and our home, along with most of our belongings—and bought an RV to travel the country making the most of our remaining time with Jerry, and searching for the next big thing. And when the community demanded an “Anything Goes&# forum we obliged, creating a place for members to discuss whatever they wanted. million views. MORE >>

Here in Hawaii community, is not just a buzz word, it is a really big deal. Words, deeds, and intentions travel quickly on the coconut wireless as well as on social media. It has made me more sensitive, I believe, to the pulse of the community as an ongoing aspect of what I do and how I experience the community. As a new resident of Maui, I have dropped in to many well-established communities of people – each with their own energies and hierarchies. By inadvertently creating cliques, we are anti-community building. Have you experienced this? MORE >>