Five ways travel and tourism brands can secure impactful media coverage

 

From destinations and attractions to hotels and visitor experiences, travel and tourism is one of the most competitive sectors for media attention.  

At Aberfield, we’ve helped a range of travel, leisure and tourism organisations cut through the noise, from Q Hotels and Newmarket Racecourse to Castle Howard, Visit Leeds and Experience Wakefield. Through targeted PR campaigns, media relations and content-led storytelling, we’ve helped organisations connect with audiences, increase visibility and strengthen their reputation. 

Successful travel and tourism PR isn’t just about generating coverage. It’s about reaching the right audiences in the right places, and the brands that do this best are those that understand the media landscape and make it easy for journalists to tell their story. 

Here are our top five tips for travel and tourism PR campaigns:  

1. Be on journalists’ radar before they need you 

One of the biggest mistakes tourism businesses make is only reaching out when they have a story to tell. In reality, travel, lifestyle and ‘things to do’ content is often planned months in advance, particularly around seasonal peaks such as Easter, summer holidays, bank holidays and Christmas.  

This is why proactive media is so important. We issue media bulletins for our tourism clients around seasonal peaks to journalists, well in-advance, so our brands are always front of mind. It can help inspire journalists to write content too, and the result is often a piece led by your brand.  

Top tip: Create a PR calendar around key calendar moments and start pitching ideas well in advance. 

2. Make life easy with a strong press pack 

A press pack should be the foundation of any tourism brand’s PR approach. It’s one of the first things we create for our tourism clients, bringing together everything a journalist needs, from business overviews and key attractions to feature angles, itineraries and high-quality imagery. 

An effective press pack has multiple benefits. It provides a simple introduction to your brand, gives journalists a useful resource they can return to throughout the year, and makes it easier to secure coverage when opportunities come up. 

Top tip: Review your press pack every quarter to ensure details, imagery and statistics and events remain up to date. 

3. Research journalists properly before pitching 

Personalisation remains one of the most effective tools in PR. 

Too many businesses rely on media databases alone or send the same story to hundreds of contacts. The problem? The journalist you’re targeting may not actually cover that topic anymore, or the story may simply not fit their audience. 

Instead, spend time researching who is actively writing about your sector. Who is genuinely getting out and about on FAM trips? Who is covering similar attractions or destinations to your own? Read their recent articles, understand the type of content they produce and think carefully about why your story will be relevant to their readers. 

Top tip: Before sending a pitch, ask yourself one simple question: “Why would this journalist care about this story right now?” 

 4. Make it easy for journalists to cover you 

Journalists are incredibly time poor. The easier you make their job, the more likely they are to engage with your story. 

Whether you’re sharing a new attraction launch, seasonal event or destination update, make sure you’re providing everything needed from the outset. That means a clear story angle, strong imagery, spokespeople, key facts and any supporting information that adds value. 

Top tip: Before sending a story, or an attraction or event for inclusion, ask yourself: “Could a journalist write a piece from what I’ve provided?” The answer should always be yes. 

5. Don’t wait for news, create a story 

One of the biggest challenges for tourism businesses is feeling like there’s nothing new to talk about. 

But really, not every successful piece of coverage stems from a major announcement. Some of the strongest stories are built around visitor insights, seasonal trends, anniversaries or original research. 

For destinations and attractions in particular, there are often stories hiding in plain sight. Speak to people across the organisation, from front of house staff to leadership teams, to uncover unique experiences, local knowledge and human-interest stories that can resonate with audiences and journalists alike. 

Top tip: If you’re struggling to find a news angle, think about what would genuinely interest your audience rather than what’s happening within your business. 

Successful travel and tourism PR isn’t about generating the most headlines. It’s about reaching the right audiences with the right stories. By understanding the media landscape and taking a strategic approach, travel and tourism brands can give themselves the best chance of standing out in a crowded market. 

Does your tourism brand need support cutting through in a competitive market? We’re here to help! Get in touch here.