PR has always been a substantial part of the tourism industry. Leisure and lifestyle brands have relied on engaging campaigns to get audiences invested – from TV ads to engaging social media campaigns, these brands have a huge presence, so it’s vital they stand out from the crowd.
Of course, with the cost of living rising and all signs pointing to a slowdown in domestic travel, being strategic, engaging and unique with their PR is increasingly important for such brands. So, how can UK travel and leisure businesses use the power of PR to maximise their destination appeal?
Wild Card’s top tips for promoting travel & leisure businesses
With two decades in leisure and tourism comms, the Wild Card PR team has seen first-hand the positive and immediate impact that well placed editorial coverage can have on visitor numbers, bookings and enquiries.
Julia Hughes, Wild Card Account Director, gives her 5 top tips for businesses looking to promote themselves this Summer.
1. Showcase your brand’s USPs
To stand out from the crowd, it’s pivotal that you think about your USPs and dial those up in your communications. What added extras make your hotel, restaurant or venue extra special? Is there an amazing view? A vineyard next door? Can you offer visitors an experience they couldn’t get elsewhere?
Identifying your USPs and communicating them to customers in a way that meets them where they’re at is vital, so understanding who your target audience is – and what they want – is just as important as being aware of the gaps your USPs are filling.
2. Focus on communicating ‘what’s new’ to your audience
If your business has any recent additions that are aimed at enhancing your customers’ experience, these can be a great thing to communicate in your brand’s PR.
Things like revamped menus, room renovations or special events – these add incentive to would-be customers to invest in a new experience. What’s more, ‘new news’ provides the perfect opportunity to get in touch with media, who will be more willing to shout about your brand if there’s something new to say about it.
3. Entice them with promotions & deals
While this isn’t the right approach for every brand, journalists are keen to hear about special offers for visitors – whether that’s discounted room rates or complimentary extras. Again, this can be newsworthy in itself if the tone and offering is right, and publications are generally more willing to label your brand as newsworthy if there’s a special offer running.
4. Offer empty rooms to journalists and influencers for additional coverage
This is a tactic that’s become increasingly popular with the rise of influencer marketing. If you do have empty rooms at any point in the summer season, think about inviting key members of the press, or relevant influencers, for a visit. At Wild card, we ourselves have had incredible results if a journalist has enjoyed a brilliant stay in the venue, as their endorsements can entice their audiences to investigate your business for themselves.
5. Don’t forget to run local campaigns
It’s not just people coming into your county that might be interested to book a stay or visit you. With the rising cost of living, staycations are increasingly popular, so consider running a local campaign to highlight to entice potential customers nearby.
To do this, be sure to include local media & influencers in your comms plan to engage with your community, as well as targeting more national publications to broaden your reach. You may be surprised at how effective this approach can be.
Take your travel & leisure business further with Wild Card PR
At Wild Card PR, we’ve worked with many businesses in the travel and leisure sector, gaining them favourable coverage and getting their brands seen by the people that matter.
If you’re interested in improving your own reach, get in touch with the experts at Wild Card for advice.