PR 101 for tour operators, activities and attractions

PR 101 for tour operators, activities and attractions

Public relations — known to many in the communications industry as “PR” — is the process of establishing your brand and getting the word out to your target audience by way of the media. Most tour and activity companies do not have a PR professional on staff, so you often will have to become your own public relations manager. Here’s our PR 101 for tour operators, activities and attractions businesses. We’ll look at whether you should delve into the world of PR, and if so, the best way to do it.

Benefits of having a PR strategy

• It allows you to develop relationships with members of the local media. This includes newspaper reporters, online reporters, television reporters, bloggers and more. These professional partnerships will allow you to disseminate news about your tour and activity company and increase your recognition within your local community.
• It allows you to create goals for your tour and activity brand. Before you begin creating or implementing a PR strategy, you need to develop goals for the specific campaign you are working on. This gives you an opportunity to evaluate your current business and decide where you need to focus your efforts moving forward.
• An effective PR strategy gives you a chance to quickly raise awareness about what’s happening at your brand. Launching a new tour or refreshing your website can have a big impact on your business, but you need your target audience to know about these efforts. Public relations allows you to spread the word in a fast and efficient manner.

How to connect with media professionals

If you are going to pitch a news story to media professionals, you need to be armed and ready with the type of information and data that they need to do their jobs. Make sure that with each PR pitch you include:

• Data and statistics — Numbers play a big role in reporting, and they add validation to any claims you are making about your tour and activity company. Include numbers that will entice the audience, such as the percentage of your tours that sell out or the number of tours you run each day.
• High-resolution photos — Most reporters and media members will want art to accent their piece. High-resolution photos that include people and action are preferred.

Remember that most media members — whether they specialize in print, online or TV reporting — are limited by the traditional structure and word counts at their organizations. They only have so much space to work with, and each word they report needs to count.

How to use your own PR channels

Of course, in today’s social world of online sharing, you don’t always have to rely on members of the media to get the word out about your brand. Create your own following by using social channels, such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Implementing your PR strategy requires you to have the right technology systems in place at your brand. If you enjoyed PR 101 for tour operators, activities and attractions,  find out how we can help you generate buzz about company by requesting your free demo today.

Image credit: Jeremy Galliani