Blubrry team members Aaron and Cathy took to the road and skies to explore TravelCon 2025 in Tucson, Ariz.! Tucson offered a spectacular scenic backdrop where travelers from all over North America convened and shared their expertise and stories. A huge shoutout to the organizers, especially Jessica and Tyler who were super attentive to our needs.
Here’s what the Blubrry contingent came away with:
Over three full days (March 14-16), we had the privilege of representing Blubrry as both a sponsor and the only podcasting company in attendance — an honor we didn’t take lightly! Not only did we relish the opportunity to flaunt all the Blubrry tools, features and perks, we also got to chat with people about the podcasting industry overall and how it can benefit them.
Empowering Energy
With an incredibly professional crowd of travel-focused creators — radio personalities, YouTubers, podcasters, and influencers — there was an amazing spectrum of travel niches. Adventure travel, sustainable travel, culinary food travel, points and miles travel, solo travel and budget travel were just a few of the categories being explored.
Attendees were a diverse and dynamic group — from The Traveling Cheesehead to Kat the Artful Tourist to Unwound Retreats, which offers events and resources in-and-out of the U.S. to nurses, to couples who were vanning across the country. We were grateful that they shared their experiences with us. And now those stories will help us grow in this podcast revolution while we aim to help them grow their shows and audiences.
While YouTube and social media were major focuses, podcasting was definitely on people’s minds. In nearly every session, podcasting came up as an important tool for content expansion, and we even got a few well-placed shoutouts for being there to support travelers.
Vid2Pod Turned Heads
One of the hottest topics of discussion at our booth? Vid2Pod. We had so many YouTubers and video-first creators eager to explore how they could automatically convert their YouTube playlists into audio podcasts. And we kept it real: while podcasting is a fantastic medium, we didn’t push it on anyone. We emphasized how Vid2Pod makes the transition seamless, but ultimately, content creators should only dive into podcasting if it’s right for them. Still, the ease of use and automation had many seriously considering it for the first time.
Podcasting AMA and AI Insights
The conference lineup was stellar, with several standing-room-only sessions. Aaron attended the Podcasting AMA panel with Crystal and Danielle, which was packed with insights about launching and growing a show. Meanwhile, Cathy jumped into the AI session with Sadie and Kevin, which was an engaging discussion about maintaining authenticity while leveraging AI tools. It was the perfect way to kick off the conference and set the stage for meaningful conversations throughout the weekend.
Instagram Reigns Supreme
In addition to YouTube and folks’ personal podcasts, if there was one platform that dominated TravelCon discussions, it was Instagram. We noticed a trend — many attendees weren’t interested in X (formerly Twitter) but were eager to find ways to transform their Instagram content into podcasts. Short-form audio paired with transcripts? That’s something they could see working and that we’ll be taking a good look at. This insight reinforced just how much content creators are looking for new ways to repurpose their work across multiple platforms.
The Podcast Website Buzz
Another hot topic? Podcast websites. Attendees were very interested in what we’re working on with Podcast Sites. Having a strong online presence is a priority for creators looking to build their brand beyond social media, and we had some great conversations about how Blubrry can help with that.
A Beautiful Tucson Backdrop
Tucson provided a stunning setting, and on Day 2, they did not schedule any morning sessions, perhaps to allow attendees to explore the area. While that meant a quieter morning at our booth and led to some incredible one-on-one conversations with those who stopped by.
We learned more about FinCon 2025 Sept. 10-12 in Portland for money and business types and, heck, maybe we’ll see you there.
AARON’S FAVORITE TAKEAWAY
“Many travelers we met have the audience and have little to no experience podcasting. They were eager for knowledge of how to get started, price, and production demands. Blubrry has an advantage with our built-in conversion systems like Vid2Pod, Podcast Sites, and podcast AI.
“Our products can integrate into their current production flow. While attendance was small the quality of new podcasters is gold. These are users who already have a brand and following to boost their show’s early success.”
CATHY’S FAVORITE TAKEAWAY
“I was absolutely enthralled by the motivations and stories of these fascinating people! It felt like we were on the trails right there with them. Short of trying to sneak into their cars and vans to tag along with them, I look forward to examining their sites and channels and learning more about what they do . . . and how Blubrry can help them do more.”
The Best of the Best!
- Best Business Card: “Where To” with Kyla Federowicz — a small cardboard suitcase with a globe pattern, doubling as a keychain and complete with Biscoff biscotti.
- Best Friends: Deandre and Taryn of Boldly Go and Lesa and Laria of Girl Camper — all of whom are part of our Blubrry Family.
- Best Intentions: Nicole from Unwound Retreats, Found Down Podcast, which supports nurses.
- Most Likely to Start a Podcast: Daryl of Take Off with Daryl