For those of you who have wondered how to work with tourism boards to arrange press trips, you are aware of the hurdles we all face trying to get in touch with the right person. Then, it’s a battle just trying to get our ideas across. Here are some helpful tips you can use for the next time you contact a tourism board. Over the past few years I have worked with several tourism boards across six continents. Before I start explaining how to work with tourism boards, I want to fully disclose that I never attend group press trips simply because they do not give me enough time to accomplish everything I need to, especially since I am gathering content for my travel guide series. Instead, I like to work with tourism boards that understand my needs and the needs of my readers. But group press trips may be exactly what you are looking for. There is some valuable advice here as well for those of you that do not mind the group thing.
I have read a few articles advising travel professionals on how to work with tourism boards. Some travel writers have the idea that if one does not cover their own costs, that person is not really traveling. My response: I completely disagree with this statement. I am working and I have to deliver. I am performing a service, not a favor. If a tourism board has the budget to sponsor a trip, then one would be silly not to take advantage of the opportunity.
Since November of 2010 I have had many invitations from tourism boards around the world. With their help, my travel guide library has expanded considerably. I did, however have to turn down a few trips because of length; mostly because they were too short and did not give me enough time to film the David’s Been Here webshow. Sometimes tourism boards cover all my costs (flights, hotels, food, driver, car, entrances to all attractions etc.) And other times all they can provide are contacts for hotels and restaurants for me to speak with about complimentary services. Here are some strategies and tips for you to get started contacting tourism boards and turning your dream trips into reality. Here are some tips about how to work with tourism boards…
1. How to contact tourism boards. This is the easiest part. You can search the name of a tourism board (i.e. Sri Lanka Tourism Board) on Google, or you can visit the Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory. This is the largest online directory that I know of, but some countries are unlisted and others have incorrect contact information. If you find yourself calling a number that doesn’t stop ringing, then it is best to head to the country’s official tourism website. A great way to connect with the right person at each organization is by attending trade shows. WTM in London, ITB in Berlin, or the New York Times Travel Show are all ideal places to meet the right people who handle press trips for travel professionals. This video is full of tips on how to schedule appointments at travel shows like WTM:
2. What should I have prepared for them? I would not start calling tourism boards unless you have some travel experience under your belt and have some type of website or digital portfolio (i.e. Media Kit). Your media kit should state important facts about your company’s mission, audience, past work, social media following and press coverage (if any). Approximately 50% of tourism boards have asked me for a media kit or to fill out an application with all the info I just mentioned.
3. Which countries should I speak with first? It really depends on what area of the world you are trying to cover. Remember that most tourism boards have limited budgets and they may not be able to comp you the flights. I have had this issue with certain tourism boards in Asia; they cannot afford to fly me out there so they say we can work together once I figure out when I will be in Asia. I would suggest contacting the countries that are easiest to get to (direct flights) in case your flights are not covered. If you are based in the U.S., you can reach out to the tourism offices of different states.
This is a good time to be thinking about a loyalty program for airlines. The two largest, One World and Star Alliance, each offer a loyalty points system that help you earn miles with participating airlines. A friend and fellow blogger, Mrs. O Around the World, shares her thoughts and experiences with both programs in a recent article she wrote. Also, you can find a wealth of information about airline loyalty programs and points on The Points Guy.
4. Call versus Email? I would not advise sending an email to a tourism board without having tried to contact someone there first. Why? Because chances are they might never see the email, and if they do they may assume it is spam. Make contact over the phone first. Get the name of the person who directly handles press trip and/or marketing for the country or region you are interested in. This shows you are professional and a go-getter. Once you have a name and email address, make your pitch in writing. Don’t be afraid to follow up in a week or two if you haven’t heard back.
Over the past 8 years each tourism board has offered me different things, depending on their budgets. As I mentioned before, I told many of them I do not do group trips. I explained exactly what I needed from them in order to do my work effectively. They agreed to host me and help me get my work done. While I did have unforgettable experiences in each country, I was there to work. Every tourism board was interested in different things. For instance, some were keener on blog posts about the country while others were more interested in the videos I could create of the sites, food and activities. I deliver everything I promise- X number of videos, blog posts and guides. The value of your proposal always has to be higher than the actual cost of hosting you. Translation: your work should be bringing in more people into the country.
See our popular article on How to Make Money and Travel the World
As you can see, press trips are all different. The first step is reaching out to the tourism boards you would like to work with. Ask them questions, tell them what you can do for their country and see what develops from there. I met a lot of my contacts in London at World Travel Market. Attending gave me the opportunity to connect with them better than if I was cold calling.
Tip: For certain countries, like all the “Stans” (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenista, etc.) I would suggest contacting independent tour operators. Many of these companies would love to have you join them on an expedition to promote their different packages.
Here are a few other blog posts about working with Tourism Boards that inspired me to write a bit about my past experiences.
Hopefully, this post inspires you to make the first step (always the hardest) and commit to planning a year full of new experiences around the globe.
-Begin your trip planning early! Many tourism boards have to stretch modest budgets, so it’s best to get in contact as early as six months to a year before you would like to visit.
-Be flexible with your dates.
-Offer extras like ad space.
-Give an approximation of when you will deliver what you promise. If you are behind schedule, communicate that in an email.
-Attend conferences.
-Be gracious and appreciative with everyone, always. Send thank you emails to the people who helped you get the trip done, especially your tourism board contact.
-Research the different customs of the country you are planning to visit (greeting, dining, tipping, etc.)
-Be open to new experiences!
Did you find this article about how to work with tourism boards helpful? Leave me a question or comment below!
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Nancy says:
Thanks a lot for this really helpful post! At the moment I only asked for accesses and guided tours but from now I want to take a step forward and try to get the transports covered, which to be honest is my main expense when traveling. I use Couchsurfing for the accomodation and I will never change that for any luxury hotel. I love meeting locals 🙂
Well thanks for the useful reading!
Nancy
Jojo says:
Hello David!
Those are really great advice! I was too busy thinking of leaving the states that I didn’t even think about tourism boards in the states.
Although this goes against what you were pretty much staying, do you have any advice for trying to work with tourism groups when the blog is just starting? I finally got around to starting my travel blog so I do not have a strong audience yet.
Thank you for all your advice so far!
David says:
Hi Jojo, thanks for stopping by! I would get in contact with the ones you want to work with and send them your stats and some ideas about what you want to write about/ how you want to promote their destination (nothing lengthy, just article ideas you may have). Sometimes, they just need fresh content to share with their readers/ fans/ followers. Ask them to keep you in mind for any future press trip opportunities that may arise. They might not have the budget to pay you, but you will definitely be building your portfolio of clients. I hope this helps in some small way to get you exploring new places!! Take care and good luck!!!! David
Stefan says:
This is really useful advice, thanks! Question – did you ever pitch for everything being covered plus paying you for content/campaigns on top of that? Any tips on this?
David says:
Also, ask other bloggers out of curiosity what they charge. That’s how I got the figures for my daily rates when I travel and make videos for tourism boards or hotels.
David says:
Hi Stefan, this of course is the toughest pitch of all. I have proposed it of course but the majority don’t want to pay since they have several bloggers who will go promote the destinations for free. If you believe you offer something of value, whether it’s significant social media following/ blog readership/ etc. Put a daily rate in your proposal. I know bloggers who charge $300 – $500 per instagram post. Note that many won’t bite but you can’t sell yourself short if you plan to make an actual business out of destination marketing.