How Travel PR Has Changed
By Karoo Meyer | October 6, 2021
I am sure that each one of us deep down wishes we could be Indiana Jones and explore the unknown. Most of us can agree that to travel and to see what the world has to show us, is one of life’s most enjoyable pastimes. However, due to COVID – 19, travel has changed on all fronts, whether taking that once in a lifetime trip or carving out a career in travel PR.
How has travel PR changed? Prior to 2020 and global shutdown, Public Relations specialists would frequently travel to secure coverage of a specific destination. Press-trips were a must and standard procedure for the job. However, as we know, most people have been in a state of varying degrees of lockdown for the last year and a half. Therefore, the usual avenues of PR communication have shifted and changed.
While social media has made a large impact in how companies, people, and society in general operate these days, it is now bigger than ever. Previously, social media management and media relations were treated as separates. However, with the increasing trend of people using social media as one of their prime educational outlets, and consumer/community resources, travel brands have been rethinking their PR tactics on how to target and engage with their audiences. They are essentially using social media as their dominant source and figuring out how it can complement their traditional form of outreach.
Another aspect which was happening prior to the pandemic but on a smaller scale, is companies using local writers for publicity. To give exposure to some sensational location, a company’s PR team would acquire a local writer’s perspective and have them share their experience. This was an essential tactic in creating a warm and trustworthy trip for potential customers. With the travel desire to visit the unknown, there is also a lingering unknown of, “will my trip be cancelled and is it safe to travel?” Therefore, there’s been a dramatic increase in media latching on and using local sources to create trustworthy and informative content.
To build on the idea of trust, which is the big word of 2020 and beyond, seeing as the world has gone mental; building trust is more crucial than ever before. Bygone is the era of large fluff and claims-to-be. People want transparency and honest answers. This heavily pertains to travel in the sense of safety and enjoyability, as consumers want clear and precise details. They want to know if bookings are flexible and what the safety measures are. Public Relations professionals have now landed the ever so important position of the middleman. They are constantly sharing facts from government bodies and trusted sources to make sure clients are well informed and can make positive travel decisions. Press releases are now overflowing with sanitation practices, air-travel requirements, and even outbreak numbers based on a specific location.
Public Relations is an ever-changing industry, and I suppose that’s what makes it exciting. However, when I say changing, I don’t mean change in the sense of a slightly different client demand, I mean change in the fact that COVID-19 has obliterated almost all sense of normality. People want assurance and trust, and therefore PR has played a major role in creating and building that trust between companies and consumers. Travel is no longer about finding the most luxurious hotel or most exciting location to visit. It is now all about safety, and this has made travel-based PR firms set sail in a different direction. Bottom line is, that PR professionals’ top priority is to give exposure and highlight the safest forms of travel and stay. Pack your bags, and perhaps that dodgy motel off route 66 is your best and most enjoyable bet. Stay safe.
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Author’s Bio: My name is Karoo Meyer, and I am a junior studying Public Relations here at CSUN. I have lived in three countries and appreciate connecting with people from all over and hearing their stories. I hope to one day specialize in Travel or extreme sports-based PR. I wish to work in an industry that gets people excited to live and explore the world around them.
Photo By: Cayuga Hospitality Consultants