BOSTON– September 2, 2015—Bindu Media, the new itinerary-based website site to launch in mid-November, 2015 has shaded in another region on their global content map, as two veteran Australian journalists join the growing list of contributors. Their participation will be part of what's new at the annual convention of the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) in Uluru on 4-6 September.

 

Bindu name-drops

Lee Mylne, a key influencer and linchpin to Bindu's success Down Under, is Bindu Media's Regional Acquisitions Editor for Australia & New Zealand. Ever true to her authoring roots, New Zealand-born Mylne will also be the destination expert for her native land as well as her adopted home of Brisbane, Australia, and more.

 

Lee Atkinson, author of the The Big Lap, has accepted the invitation to be the destination expert for Sydney and the Australia-wide specialist for “On the Cheap” travel. Both buckets are integral to Bindu's success. Atkinson most recently published The Big Lap, a pictorial guide chronicling her 10-month odyssey around Australia.

 

Mylne and Atkinson are highly respected journalists, past Presidents of ASTW, Life Members of ASTW and multiple finalist and award winners in the annual ASTW Awards for Excellence in Travel Journalism. 

 

Mylne and Atkinson join more than 200 of the world's best travel writers on Bindu Media

Through their authoritative, collective and individual voices, they offer varied itineraries that cover experiences, sights and sounds that a traveler should not miss.  Authors hail from the ranks of Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Moon, Fodor's, Frommer's, DK Eyewitness, National Geographic Traveler and Countryman Press. Many other recognizable travel outposts constitute the spokes of the Bindu Media hub. The itinerary collections and destination guides by Bindu experts have a two-fold mission: to inspire, delight and inform travelers, and to save travelers precious time, money and sanity. (Rare is the traveler who enjoys piecing together a holiday plan from an average of 38 websites, says Skift.com in a recent vacation study.)  BinduMedia.com will also allow users to connect and recommend content directly to the itinerary author.

 

Innovative revenue model shares with contributors

Another reason Bindu is the new BFF of travel journalists is a unique revenue-share model that incentivizes and rewards journalists for their years of destination and thematic expertise.  Revenue streams will include native advertising, sponsored and identified DMO and CVB content, corporate partnerships, affiliate linking, e-books, apps and more.

 

As Lee Mylne realized early on, “Bindu's tagline of 'infinite possibilities' seemed as appropriate to travel writers as it does to our readers. And my role as RAE for this exciting new platform is giving me the opportunity to explore those opportunities with many of my colleagues in the travel writing fraternity. It's a fantastic new opportunity for Australian and New Zealand writers to expand their horizons and draw on their years of knowledge and experience, and I look forward to welcoming more of them to the Bindu team as we expand.”

 

How Bindu's Decision Funnel Works

Although Bindu Media emphasizes itineraries, trips and collections of inspired content, the site's veteran writers assist the user through a “decision funnel” for the best experience.  For example, if a traveler has decided to visit Yosemite National Park in Northern California, they would be well-served to know that San Francisco International Airport is the nearest major gateway airport even though it may not appear that way on a map; that some of the park entrances have wait times during peak season; where the most and least crowded areas of the park are; how to book a full moon photography class; about the proximity to lodging at park entrances – rather than the elevation of Half Dome and how many camp sites there are available in the park.

 

Along with “36 Hours In”, “Top Ten Reasons Why” and other useful organizing principles, travel interest categories (to date) include Art/Culture/Literacy, Beaches, Budget, Cruises, Countryside, Eco & Green, Family, Food & Wine, LGBT, Historic, Luxury, Mountains & National Parks, Off the Beaten Path, Road Trips, Romantic, Shopping and Urban.

 

Approvals, Credentials and Accolades

“Having 'both Lees' contributing to the Bindu portfolio guarantees that any traveler to Australia and New Zealand will have a great time working through their bucket list,” says Founder Kim Grant, a 30-year veteran authoring more than 40 guidebooks herself.  “The meaning of Bindu – 'point containing infinite possibility' perfectly describes Australia.  Our itineraries reveal ideas and options which surprise even some locals, and that's the kind of friend you want to travel with.”

 

CEO and Founder of TravMedia, Nick Wayland, chimed in, noting “that Bindu is another great way to have the world's best travel journalists recognized for their dedication to their craft, somewhat the way TravMedia's portal allows article postings.  Between Kim Grant and her team around the world we are all one in the industry and support and champion each other's next great achievement.”

 

Grant and her team of Regional Acquisitions Editors (including longtime ASTW member Alison Plummer who serves as Bindu's RAE for Asia) are seeking veteran and entrepreneurial travel voices in and beyond Australia.  Interested, forward-thinking journalists may reach her at kim@bindumedia.com.  Until the site launches, follow Bindu on twitter.com/bindumedia and facebook.com/travelwithbindu, and in Australia and New Zealand, contact Lee Mylne at lee.mylne@bindumedia.com and Alison Plummer at alison.plummer@bindumedia.com.

 

About Bindu Media

Bindu Media is a responsive website optimized for mobile and tablet, known for its varied, expert itineraries and sophisticated and customizable itinerary-builder.  The site features curated content from more than 200 of the world's best indie travel writers, and users may connect individually with those experts for itinerary comments and recommendations. Bindu Media itineraries help travelers organize and make sense of a destination depending on their interests and how much time they have. Based on research by users looking for valuable content, Bindu Media is primarily a website rather than a native app that needs to be downloaded. It emphasizes “getting it right” for the best trip for a traveler, and leaving the “explore places around you” to the almighty Google and the Starbuck's app for the nearest location.    Founder Kim Grant is also Editorial Director.  She is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers, a member of the (San Francisco) Bay Area Travel Writers and a media delegate to the U.S. Travel Association's prestigious IPW.  Veteran Public Relations professional Susan Wilson is managing publicity, reachable at Susan.Wilson@susanwilsonmarketing.com.  480-824-3015.

 

Follow Bindu Media until launch and beyond on Twittter (twitter.com/bindumedia) and Facebook (facebook.com/travelwithbindu).