The Tourism Society

Tips on media relations and successful campaign management for travel and tourism companies were passed on to an audience of 120 last night (Monday 5th November) at the Annual Media Masterclass organised by the Tourism Society and TravMedia.

The event boasted an expert panel of journalists including Kirsten Magasdi from BBC Fast Track, Gill Williams from the Sunday Mirror, Tom Chesshyre from The Times, Maria Pieri from ABTA Magazine, Sharron Livingston from The Travel Magazine and Richard Hammond; a specialist freelancer who works with the Guardian and Times.

Always send an image with a press release but use CDs or online image libraries instead of large attachments
Send releases to the general email for the publication/programme but include the topic in the subject line
Always try to give exclusivity as this will attract more attention
Tailor your pitch and highlight the issues/points that will interest a specialist
When organising press trips, allow plenty of free time to experience the destination as a tourist
Consider offering press packs on a memory stick and only use them in conjunction with a press trip or event
When dealing with a programme such as BBC Fast Track, try to help cut any red tape, e.g. filming permits
Never call a journalist to see if they have received your email
Campaigns about domestic issues, green issues, lifestyle elements, seasonal events/stories and new/different angles will get more attention

Flo Powell, Executive Director of The Tourism Society, said "this event is a vital part of the Society's calendar as our members recognise the huge importance of PR in tourism; a highly fragmented industry made up of small businesses who often do not have the budget for large-scale campaigns. This is just one of many excellent events that the Society organises nationwide for our 1020 members across all sectors."