Looking for some fun Twitter chats to participate in and meet fellow travelers? You’ve come to the right place. I can’t believe Twitter has been around for over a decade! While other social media platforms have divided our attention, Twitter’s simplicity as a social network to connect with others around the world are giving it a surge in popularity again. As a blogger, it’s a great place to network. But Twitter is also a useful as a travel app to enhance your experience too.
Your Twitter Chat Questions Answered
So if you’re wondering “what are hashtags?” and “how do you ‘chat’ on Twitter?” Let me get you up to speed. I’ve answered these questions and more below! There’s also a list of popular Twitter chats related to travel. Some are weekly, some are monthly, and some are just a fun all-day party that you can hop in and out of anytime you like.
What Are Hashtags?
A hashtag is marked by the “#” symbol in front of a word such as “#Travel” or an acronym such as “#TTOT” which stands for Travel Talk On Twitter. Hashtags are a great way to search for a specific topic on Twitter, and likewise, it’s a way to tag your Tweets with a topic you’d like to have turn up in a search.
Hashtags are generally used for one of three things: a trending topic, an organized chat, or simply a funny headline.
You might notice the trending topics in the right column on Twitter web or within the app. These are topics that are the most tweeted about in that given time. When there is a news story breaking, typically you’ll find it on Twitter with a hashtag before you find it online or in television news.
There are also times when hashtags are used during meetings or conventions in order for attendees to communicate with each other and share information, opinions and general thoughts. An example of this would be something like #SXSW for the South by South West music and interactive conference.
Sometimes, hashtags are used just to be funny or make a point. If it’s not a trending topic or a live interactive chat, then you can bet it probably falls into this category. For example, I’ve seen “#confessions” at the end of a Tweet after a humorous reveal. It’s not a chat or trending topic, just a hashtag to illustrate a point.
What Are Twitter Chats?
A Twitter Chat is basically a scheduled time when a group of people will follow a specific hashtag on Twitter and “chat” together. Sometimes, specific questions are asked around a certain theme. You might see abbreviations like, “Q1” for “Question 1” and “A1” to indicate someone is answering that first question.
There are numerous chats on Twitter covering pretty much any topic imaginable. Here’s how it works: Find a scheduled chat (I have quite a few travel twitter chats listed below) and create a search for that hashtag using Twitter’s website, app, or create a column in programs such as Hootsuite or Tweetdeck. Read the questions, respond, comment, interact, and make new acquaintances interested in similar topics!
Travel Twitter Chats
Here’s a list of general travel-themed Twitter chats. Pick one depending on your niche or favorite topics! The date and time for each chat is listed as well as the host or founders information in case you have further questions about that specific chat.
#FunTravelChat – Who doesn’t love a little fun on Mondays? This chat runs all day long on Monday, so share and pop in whenever you get a chance. Hosted by @CharlesMcCool and @TravThroughLife
#iExploreChat – This is chat all about travel and topics change monthly. Founded by @iExplore and @TravelMindset. Held on the third Wednesday of every month at 1:00 PM EST / 10:00 AM PST
#TBINChat – This monthly travel chat is hosted by Travel Bloggers Influencer Network (#TBIN). Founded by Viv @WAVEJourney. Check @TBINChat for exact date and time.
#TourismChat – Tourism Chat is a monthly twitter chat focusing on digital marketing in the tourism industry. The date and time varies month-to-month, so check out the schedule on the Tourism Chat Facebook page.
#TravelSkills – Travel tips by frequent travelers. Hosted by @cjmcginnis and @johnnyjet on Fridays at Noon EST / 9:00 AM PST. Grab your breakfast or lunch and tweet in!
#TRLT – The Road Less Traveled. Hosted by @JLipowski, @LindaPeters64, @pip_says, and @PointChaser. Held on Tuesdays at 1:00 PM EST.
#TTOT – TTOT stands for Travel Talk On Twitter. This is one of the oldest and most well established travel twitter chats online. Sometimes you might find the hashtag used during the week just to tag travel content, but the chats are actually hosted every Tuesday at 9:30 AM/PM GMT. Founded by @TravelDudes
#TWChats – Even thought it’s hosted by Travel Weekly (@TWtravelnews), this is a monthly Twitter chat. Held the second Thursday of each month, at 3:00 PM EST
#WeekendWanderlust – A general travel community Twitter chat on Thursdays at 9:00 PM EST /6:00 PM PST. Hosted by @WWTravelChat
Niche Travel Twitter Chats
Are you interested in culture, food, luxury, or another travel topic? Then check out some of these niche travel Twitter chats.
#CultureTrav – As the name suggests, this chat is all about travel and culture. Founded by @nicolette_o. Hosted on Thursdays at 2:30 PM EST.
#FoodTravelChat – You’re gonna want to make sure you have some snacks set aside for this chat as it will make you hungry. Hosted every Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM EST. Founded by @FoodTravelist
#LuxTravelChat – Love luxury travel? Than this is the chat for you. It is hosted every Thursday at 9:30 AM PST / 12:30 PM EST / 5:30 PM GMT. Founded by @luxurytravelmom and @mrsoaroundworld
#MWTravel – This chat features Midwest travel destinations and is scheduled every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the Month. Hosted by @mwtravelnetwork. Check their Twitter handle for exact time.
#ParkChat – A monthly chat hosted by @59NationalParks. This chat is held every Wednesday night at 9:00 PM EST
#PhotographyChat: A community chat for photographers. Every Wednesday at 3:00 PM EDT. Founded by @TogChat
#RoadTripChat – Love a good road trip? Than tweet in to #RoadTripChat on Mondays at 8:00 PM CT. Hosted by Lori @SouthernerSays
#ScotlandHour -This is a Scottish tourism chat held ever last Wednesday of the month at 9:00 PM. Hosted by @bairdtravels
#SmallTownTourismChat – A monthly chat about small town tourism hosted by @UnionGapWA. It’s typically hosted the 3rd Wednesday of each month, but double check their Twitter handle just to be sure.
#SundaySunsets – Held the first Sunday of every month, this chat is actually all day long and is a space for bloggers to share their favorite sunset shots from their travels. Hosted by @Always5star and @RoarLoudTravel.
#TravelBlogTips – A monthly chat to help you with travel blogging. Held on the last Sunday of each month at 6:00 PM GMT. Hosted by @TravelBugsWorld, @Clarissa_Laskey, @KaliTravel, @GreenMochila, @MonkeysVentures, @AuraPriiscel.
#TravelChatSA – This chat is all about South Africa! Scheduled Wednesdays at 7:00 PM SAST (UTC+2). Hosted by @TravelChatSA
#WeGetOutside – This weekly travel chat is Canada’s leading online chat for outdoor enthusiasts. Held on Tuesdays at 6:30 CT / 7:30 PM EST. Run by @Some_Eventful
Tourism Board Twitter Chats
Some tourism boards host their own monthly Twitter chat! The dates and times change monthly, so it’s best to check their Twitter handle for exact times. Here’s a list of the ones I know:
#FLTravelChat – A monthly Twitter chat hosted by Visit Florida. Follow @VisitFlorida for more info.
#PureMichiganChat – Hosted by @PureMichigan. Check their Twitter handle for dates and times.
Other Great Travel Hashtags On Twitter
These are not specific Twitter chats at a dedicated time, rather, just a hashtag to boost your tweets to get seen and engage with like-minded travelers.
#ChatAdventure – If you love adventure travel, this hashtag is for you.
#CruiseChat – This used to be a regularly scheduled Twitter chat, but I can’t find any current information about dates and times. Though, it seems bloggers are still using #CruiseChat to share their cruise related content.
#JAChat – Jetting Around! Founded by Pola @JettingAround. The hashtag is used every Thursday (all day long) to share travel stories and photos.
#MexMonday – If your niche or interest is travel in Mexico, this is a great hashtag to use on Mondays.
#PassionPassport – A general travel community hashtag to share your travel passions.
#TMOM – Traveling Moms! This used to be a regularly held chat by @travelingmoms, but now it’s mostly used to share family travel content.
#TravelTuesday – Sometimes also abbreviated as #TT, this is a general travel hashtag used on Tuesdays.
#WanderlustWednesday – Like #TT above, this is another general travel hashtag used on Wednesdays.
#WellnessChat and #TravelWell – This on is not specifically travel related, but could be your niche. It’s just a general community lifestyle hashtag about healthy living.
#WineWednesday – Another tag that isn’t travel per se, but is definitely a niche that relates to travel.
Do you know of any other chats that you think should be included on this list? Email TheTravelBite@gmail.com.
Originally published Jul 24, 2011. Updated 2019
Great list thanks so much.