Walla Walla Selected to Host Prestigious 2018 Wine Bloggers Conference

(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — Some of the most knowledgeable bloggers, writers and marketers in the wine industry will be visiting Walla Walla for the prestigious 2018 Wine Bloggers Conference. The four-day conference will be held Oct. 4-7 at the Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center.

Each year, the conference attracts wine bloggers, writers, wine marketers, winery associations, and other media. The conference includes sessions on writing, social media, technology, community building, career growth, and marketing.

The conference is expected to draw some 350 attendees, who will fully engage the town and the greater Walla Walla Valley. As part of their visit, they will experience wine tastings from conference sponsors, pre- and post-conference excursions exploring Walla Walla, and networking opportunities.

“Walla Walla is looking forward to sharing its historic town and premium, world-class wines with the greater wine community,” said Muriel Kenyon, Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance Board President.

The annual Wine Bloggers Conference — which was founded in 2008 and moves to a new location each year — last visited Walla Walla in 2010. The conference was one of the first niche blogging conferences in the world.

“Our plan is not to simply repeat our prior locations,” said Allan Wright, founder of Zephyr Adventures, which produces the conference. “However, we know many — perhaps a majority — of our current attendees have been blogging for less than five years. Walla Walla is so special we thought it was important to return, since the conference has not been held in Washington since it was last in Walla Walla eight years ago.”

Earlier this month, Ron Williams, executive director of Visit Walla Walla, attended the 2017 Wine Bloggers Conference in Sonoma, Calif., to help announce Walla Walla as the next destination.

“It was very gratifying when the announcement was made and the room erupted in cheers,” Williams said. “It will be a unique opportunity for us to showcase Walla Walla to such a prestigious group of media members and marketers.”

The conference is a joint venture of Visit Walla Walla and the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance. Additional partners will be invited to co-sponsor.

As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, go to www.visitwallawalla.com.

The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance is a non-profit wine industry membership organization whose primary mission is the marketing of the Walla Walla Valley’s American Viticultural Area (AVA). The Wine Alliance functions as the leading informational resource for consumers, media and trade interested in learning more about the Valley’s wine industry.