press trip for bloggers

The Ultimate Guide To Press Trips For Bloggers & How to Land Them

P ress trips, also known as media trips or familiarization (FAM) tours, are essential opportunities for bloggers and influencers to explore destinations, experiences, and products firsthand while creating engaging content for their audience. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of press trips, offering actionable tips and insider strategies for securing opportunities, making the most of your experiences, and building lasting partnerships with brands and tourism boards.

I went on my first press trip this March, to Las Vegas when I attended the Travel Goods Show .

So here’s the skinny on press trips (sometimes call “fam trips” or “fams” from the word “familiarization”).

me at the travel goods tradeshow in 2024

How press trips for travel writers or bloggers work

Destinations, hotel chains, tour companies, and others often extend invitations to bloggers to experience what they offer. These invitations, known as press trips, aim to drum up publicity and sometimes social media buzz for the place or business. Typically, writers are invited as a group, ranging from a handful to dozens, coming from different places to one central location.

The idea is for the organization to showcase their offerings so that the writers will write about it and share photos or videos. For the writers, the goal is to create content for publications or videos. Ideally, they’ll enjoy the trip and want to talk about it.

Depending on how it’s set up, writers might have every minute planned out with a set itinerary, or they might have options for different activities or some free time to explore on their own. Transportation is usually provided, often in vans or buses, although sometimes trips to places like beach resorts or safaris involve staying in one place for most of the time.

source: travelwriting2.com

Understanding Press Trips for Travel Bloggers

Press trips offer bloggers and influencers a unique chance to immerse themselves in a destination or brand’s offerings, allowing them to create authentic and compelling content that resonates with their audience. These trips typically include complimentary accommodations, meals, activities, and sometimes even transportation, all provided by the hosting brand or tourism board. By participating in press trips, influencers can:

Gain firsthand experience: Press trips provide bloggers with firsthand experience of a destination, hotel, resort, or product, allowing them to create authentic and detailed content.
Build relationships: Press trips offer opportunities to network with other influencers, industry professionals, and representatives from brands and tourism boards, paving the way for future collaborations.
Increase exposure: By sharing their press trip experiences on their blog and social media channels, influencers can attract new followers, increase engagement, and enhance their credibility as trusted travel experts.

Tips for Finding and Securing Press Trip Opportunities

Securing press trip opportunities requires proactive outreach, strategic networking, and a strong online presence. Here are some tips for finding and securing press trips:

Build a strong online presence : Focus on creating high-quality content that showcases your unique voice, aesthetic, and expertise. Brands and tourism boards are more likely to invite influencers who have a strong and engaged following.
Network with industry professionals : Attend travel conferences, networking events, and industry meetups to connect with representatives from brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies. Building relationships with key decision-makers can lead to valuable press trip invitations.
Pitch personalized proposals : Instead of sending generic pitch emails, tailor your proposals to the specific brand or destination you’re interested in collaborating with. Highlight your relevant experience, audience demographics, and ideas for collaboration.
Utilize social media : Leverage your social media platforms to showcase your travel experiences and engage with potential collaborators. Use relevant hashtags, participate in Twitter chats, and join Facebook groups dedicated to travel blogging and influencer marketing.
Join influencer networks : Sign up for influencer marketing platforms and networks that connect bloggers with brands and tourism boards looking for collaboration opportunities. These platforms often list available press trip opportunities and provide tools for submitting applications.

my blogger press trip to joshua tree where i worked with the onsen hotel & spa

Making the Most of Your Press Trip Experiences

Once you’ve secured a press trip opportunity, it’s essential to make the most of your experience and maximize exposure for both yourself and the hosting brand or destination. Here are some tips for ensuring a successful press trip:

Research and prepare : Familiarize yourself with the destination, brand, or product you’ll be covering on the press trip. Research local attractions, cultural practices, and current events to ensure that your content is accurate and informative.
Create a content plan : Develop a content plan outlining the type of content you’ll create during the press trip, including blog posts, social media updates, videos, and photography. Consider how you’ll incorporate branded messaging while maintaining authenticity and transparency.
Engage with your audience : Keep your audience engaged throughout the press trip by sharing real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive polls or Q&A sessions. Encourage your followers to ask questions and share their own travel tips and experiences.
Capture high-quality visuals : Invest in high-quality photography and videography equipment to capture stunning visuals that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the destination or product. Experiment with different angles, lighting, and compositions to create captivating content.
Follow up with gratitude : After the press trip concludes, follow up with the hosting brand or destination to express your gratitude for the opportunity.
Share links to the content you created during the trip and inquire about potential future collaborations or partnerships. For example, when I left the Travel Goods show, I published this blog post, and posted it on MSN as well. I then sent it to the company along with a thank you email, and was immediately invited back for next year!

How to Get Invited to Press Trips and FAM Trips

Securing invitations to press trips and familiarization (FAM) tours requires a proactive approach, strategic networking, and a strong online presence. Here’s a detailed guide on how to increase your chances of getting invited to these coveted opportunities:

1. BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Develop a professional-looking website or blog that showcases your travel experiences, expertise, and writing style. Optimize your site for search engines to improve visibility.
Grow your social media following across platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Share high-quality content regularly and engage with your audience to build a loyal following.
Create a media kit that highlights your audience demographics, engagement rates, previous collaborations, and partnership opportunities. This will serve as a valuable tool when pitching to brands and PR firms.

2. NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

Attend travel conferences, trade shows, and networking events where you can connect with representatives from brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies. Be genuine and approachable, and focus on building authentic relationships.
Join online communities and forums for travel bloggers and influencers. Participate in discussions, share insights, and collaborate on projects to expand your network within the industry.
Follow brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies on social media, and interact with their content regularly. This will help you stay informed about upcoming opportunities and showcase your interest in collaborating.

3. PITCH PERSONALIZED PROPOSALS

Research brands, destinations, and PR firms that align with your niche, interests, and audience. Tailor your pitch emails to each recipient, highlighting why you’re a good fit for their upcoming press trips or FAM tours.
Include specific ideas for collaboration, such as content formats, themes, and potential deliverables. Demonstrate your creativity, professionalism, and enthusiasm for the opportunity.
Follow up on your pitches politely but persistently, especially if you don’t receive a response initially. Keep track of your communications and deadlines to stay organized.

4. CREATE COMPELLING CONTENT

Consistently produce high-quality content that showcases your storytelling skills, photography, and videography. Use your blog, social media channels, and other platforms to share engaging travel stories and inspire your audience.
Demonstrate your ability to generate buzz and engagement around travel-related topics. Showcase your unique perspective, voice, and personality to stand out from the crowd.
Collaborate with other bloggers, influencers, and brands on joint projects and campaigns. Cross-promote each other’s content to reach a wider audience and attract the attention of potential partners.

5. ATTEND INDUSTRY EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

Participate in workshops, webinars, and training sessions that offer insights into influencer marketing, PR strategies, and content creation. Learn from industry experts and apply their advice to your own approach.
Volunteer or speak at industry events to raise your profile and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Networking with attendees and speakers can lead to valuable connections and collaboration opportunities.

How to Reach Out to PR Firms and Get on PR Lists

Building relationships with PR firms is essential for gaining access to press trips, FAM tours, and other collaboration opportunities. Here’s how to effectively reach out to PR firms and get on their radar:

1. RESEARCH AND TARGET

Identify PR firms that specialize in travel, hospitality, and lifestyle clients. Research their clients, past campaigns, and areas of expertise to ensure they’re a good fit for your niche and audience. A great place to do this is on Instagram itself, or on LinkedIn.
Follow PR firms on social media, subscribe to their newsletters, and monitor their press releases and announcements. Stay informed about their latest projects, events, and opportunities.

2. CRAFT A PERSUASIVE PITCH

Tailor your pitch emails to each PR firm, addressing the recipient by name and personalizing the content based on their clients and interests. Highlight why you’re interested in collaborating and what value you can bring to their campaigns.
Showcase your previous collaborations, success stories, and audience demographics to demonstrate your credibility and reach. Provide links to your blog, social media profiles, and media kit for easy reference.

You can get my free pitch templates, and what I include in my pitch emails here!

3. BE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSISTENT

Follow PR firms’ submission guidelines and deadlines when reaching out. Keep your emails concise, professional, and error-free to make a good impression.
Follow up on your pitches politely but persistently if you don’t receive a response within a reasonable timeframe. PR professionals are often busy, so a gentle reminder can help keep your pitch top of mind.

4. ATTEND PR EVENTS AND MIXERS

Look for networking events, mixers, and meetups organized by PR firms or industry associations. Attend these events to meet PR professionals in person, exchange business cards, and build rapport.
Offer to collaborate on events or projects with PR firms, such as hosting a press trip or attending a media event as a guest speaker or panelist. Demonstrating your expertise and professionalism in person can lead to future opportunities.

5. FOLLOW UP AND NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS

After establishing contact with PR firms, stay in touch regularly by sharing updates, content, and feedback. Keep them informed about your travel plans, upcoming projects, and areas of interest.
Build genuine relationships with PR professionals based on trust, respect, and mutual benefit. Show appreciation for their efforts and contributions, and be responsive to their requests and feedback.

Securing invitations to press trips, FAM tours, and collaboration opportunities with PR firms requires a combination of proactive outreach, strategic networking, and high-quality content creation. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can increase your visibility, credibility, and opportunities for collaboration within the travel industry. Remember to stay persistent, professional, and authentic in your interactions, and success will follow. Happy travels!

More Resources:

Do Bloggers Get Paid? Debunking Myths About Blogging Income
Working with Tourism Boards: A Travel Blogger’s Guide
7 Ways to Start A Travel Blog And Make Money On a Budget

By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can increase your visibility, credibility, and opportunities for collaboration within the travel industry.

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Press Trip Tips

Finding press trips for travel writers, press trips for travel writers .

By Roy Stevenson

Novices always wonder how to snag press trips for travel writers. Once you have a few print and online travel bylines under your belt, and you’ve landed some local FAM tours, it’s time to move up to national or international press trips.

three ways to find press trips for travel writers

These trips are the prestigious glamour gigs that we all covet like the Holy Grail. They are much sought after. With press trips you are the guest of the tourist bureau of the region, state, or country you are touring. Public relations firms representing tourism boards and hotels and resorts also host trips.

Some tourism bureaus offer comprehensive, all-encompassing tours that take in most of a country’s main tourist attractions. Other tours are themed or specialty niches such as culinary or cultural tours. Typically, your hosts pick up all travel expenses—including your airfare. Although there are several types of press tours, they essentially follow the same format as local and regional FAM tours. The only difference, really, is that we tend to refer to national and international travel tours as Press Trips for travel writers.

Press trips for travel writers: To qualify, you need travel assignments...

Press trip for travel writers includes things like tours through this wine village in France

Every tourist agency has it’s own policies, so you always need to find out the policies for the place where you want to travel. Here are some guidelines: Generally, to qualify for a trip, freelance travel writers are required to have at least one assignment with a high visibility print or online publication. The tourist agency wants you to deliver one (or more) widely read stories about the trip in order to get invited. These can be print or online assignments, but the outlets must be respectable. It’s up to the tourist agency to decide what is “respectable” and what’s not. In my experience, getting an international trip without a letter of assignment is almost impossible. Very few travel writers are invited on trips “on spec” unless they’re at the very top of the travel writing pyramid and have a reputation that precedes them. Invitations to Press Trips for travel writers are more difficult to obtain than an invitation to a regional FAM tours. National and International Press Trips hold a higher status and value. There’s more competition for them. Tourist bureaus can afford to be selective about who they choose to invite on the trip. Seasoned travel writers with access to editors of high profile, larger circulation magazines often get first priority on these trips. You might also find magazine editors and guidebook writers on these trips. Because freelance travel writers have more difficulty qualifying for and getting accepted for national and international press tours, I’m a big believer in producing multiple stories about the destinations. This way the tourism agency gets a better return on their investment, and it’s easier to sell yourself and what you have to offer. My strategy is to pitch all magazines that might be interested in stories about the destination, and secure a spot on the tour by having multiple magazine assignments. That way, even if you don’t have an assignment with a high profile travel magazine, you can still get invited because you multiple assignments in lesser publications. You're still getting the word out to a large audience. To qualify for a press trip to Belgium I was able to offer their National Tourist Board rep three print articles and one online article — more than enough to secure a VIP seat on a wonderful gig! A good goal is to line up one or multiple publications with a total circulation of 100,000, or more. How do you find out a magazine’s total circulation? Check with the magazine’s editor to verify the circulation of their publications so you can present your case. What if you're lucky enough to be invited on a trip without an assignment? My advice is: don't take the trip unless you're absolutely sure you can produce at least one article after the trip in a respectable publication. Press trips for travel writers come with a qualification to write an article. Writers who take press tours and then fail to deliver anything cause harm for themselves and for other travel writers. They ruin their chances to be invited on another press trip by that PR company. And, they make tourist and PR companies cautious about working with other travel writers. Please, always deliver on your promises.

Locating press tours is half the battle. Once you figure out how to get invited, going on them is a breeze. Here are two sources that I use for tracking down national and international leads:

Contact Tourism Agencies

Many international tourism agencies organize trips for press every year. It could be a trip around their country, or to their major cities. The trips can be themed (culinary, cultural, architecture, etc.) or general roundups. Many tourism agencies work through their embassies and some work independently but practically every country in the world has a PR/media rep in the U.S. Here’s how to get on the press list in the countries you want to visit: Select the countries where you have viable and matching outlets. Visit their websites and find the media and press contacts in the U.S. Contact them and request your name be placed on their press list for consideration for future organized trips.

on a press trip to Sedona, Arizona - a view of Enchantment Resort

Join Targeted Social Media Sites to Find Press Trips for Travel Writers

The world’s largest online news portal for travel media and industry professionals is TravMedia. It’s a free medium for linking up tourism PR’s/ media reps with travel journalists — and it’s a darn good resource. TravMedia site has been a gold mine to me. I scored some great assistance with Balinese luxury resorts and boutique hotels, plus assignments with several prestigious cruise line on-board magazines, from listings found on TravMedia.

Once you place your profile on TravMedia, you’ll receive a weekly newsletter with the latest announcements from CVBs, tourism agencies, national tourist reps, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, tourist attractions, etc.

Editors often post requests for special articles here. You’ll also receive press trip notifications.

Tourist destination PR’s can “follow” you, similar to other social media like LinkedIn. You can contact any of TravMedia’s listed tourist agencies at any time with requests for assistance with your trips. To get on their press list, visit the TravMedia website and set up your profile on the media list, along with your photograph. You will receive a weekly newsletter packed with great information.  These are the ways to learn about national and international press trips. You can learn more in my eBook How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours:

Special Report:

How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours

I've written a guide about how to land press trips. It will tell you everything you want to know about how to get into the inner circle and get invited on regional, national and international press trips.

Learn more here...

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How to Get Invited on Press Trips in 17 Steps

Oh press trips – the holy grail for many a travel blogger. I’ve been on over 40 press trips in my time, so I’m going to share the knowledge of how YOU can get invited on travel blogger press trips too.

There’s no way I would’ve been able to see and explore as many countries as I have , if it wasn’t for the media trips I’ve been invited on.

I’ll tell you the secret.

My first travel blogger press trips

I remember my first one. Well it was kind of a press trip – I’d managed to persuade my employer to send me to the TBU conference in Porto. It was all very last minute and really exciting. An all expenses trip to Porto, yes please!

That weekend ended up being a brilliant insight into the world of travel bloggers – I met so many people who I’d admired online, learnt loads and totally fell in love with Porto.

I got a new job a few weeks later and ended up going to Toronto and New York in my first week so the excitement was trumped very quickly, but I’ll never forget how happy I was that I was getting paid to travel for the first time, for free.

The first press trip for my blog came in the form of Cape Town, South Africa. Pretty sweet hey?

When will you get a press trip?

That first travel blogger press trip was a good 18 months after I first registered my domain name though.

As I’ve said before, when you’re building up your blog you can’t rush things . It takes a while to gain traction and interest among PRs and recommendations from other travel blogger influencers. Remember how I said making friends with other travel bloggers is fun and productive? Well the press trips for travel bloggers I’ve been on have all come from word of mouth recommendations from other travel bloggers.

But no matter how many friends you manage to make in this world, there are a few more credentials to cover before you’re even considered for that elusive spot on a press trip for travel bloggers.

1. You need a substantial blog

By that, I mean to have some substance.

However great your five posts are, that’s not going to get you on the PRs hit list. You need to keep going.

As Woody Allen said “80% of success is showing up” and when you’re a travel blogger that means to keep writing, podcasting , blogging, whatever medium it is you use to get your message across. The PRs recruiting for the trip need some meat to sink their teeth into.

If you’re stuck on what to write about on your travel blog to build up the amount of posts you have, click through to that post.

2. You need some stats

Not all companies want mega high stats across social media and your blog but you need at least some impact. There’ll be companies out there who prefer to see engagement in the comments section, others want a good Instagram following and others will just enjoy your writing style.

You can’t second guess it which is why it goes back to the most important thing in travel blogging – to just be yourself.

3. You need to be what they’re looking for

Someone looking to promote their golf tours to oldies is not going to want me. You can’t try and be what they want – you’re either it, or you’re not.

If you’re in a meeting with a PR don’t try and bend what you do to support what you’re guessing their goals are, they’ll see right through it. A strong sense of identity will be much more interesting to a PR than a flake who tries to cover all bases.

Even if you do somehow slip through the cracks and get invited somewhere you shouldn’t be, it’s just embarrassing. I was once invited on a river cruise in Russia with OAPS , and another time to explore an art gallery after hours in South Africa – neither were particularly my vibe and it all got totally awkward.

Don’t try and fit in a hole that’s not for you!

4. You need to be available

When I had a full time job there was a limit to what I could say yes to.

Then I booked myself up with personal travel for pretty much a year so again I had to say no to the travel blogger press trips for most of 2015 too, same for 2016. It wasn’t until 2017 when I really let myself loose on the media trips.

I reckon I’ve been invited on about 200 press trips over the years, but said no to at least three quarters. Either the offers didn’t suit me, or I didn’t have time for them.

Saying no to Israel, Alaska and Oman were definitely the toughest but if you will book yourself up like I do, then that’s what happens. The travel bloggers that go on the most press trips are flexible and free.

Press trips I’ve been on

5. You need to be on the PRs radar

Do companies that offer press trips even know about you?

You need to meet people and get on their radar and that’s where travel conferences and events come in. If you can’t make it to them just drop your destinations of interest PRs a note and introduce yourself to see if they work with bloggers.

When I went to Costa Rica on a press trip , some of the others who’d been invited were there because they’d introduced themselves to the PR company on Instagram. They ha strong accounts and so were first in line when it came to picking who went on the next travel blogger press trip.

6. You need to have reach

I’ve had two articles in Wanderlust magazine and mentioned it to one PR and was immediately offered a trip to the Cayman Islands. After I explained I was featured and not a regular contributor the emails went quiet.

But, my point is that the more coverage you can offer a PR or travel company the better asset you are.

During press trip negotiations

7. Have the right attitude

Depending on where you are in your travel blogging career you might need to take a rain check on your attitude.

As a newb you can’t go demanding money for this and money for that, saying you can’t possibly take that many photos in your week long trip or that it’ll take you a month to write it up. When you’re starting out you need to suck it up and be grateful you’re being considered – but you knew that right?

Even if you have been a travel blogger for ages, having a bad attitude can totally ruin everything you’ve built up.

8. Know your worth

At the same time, you need to understand your value and worth to them.

Go on a travel blogger press trip and you’ll be working, taking time out of your schedule and making sacrifices to go on the trip. Make sure it’s worth it to you, however it is you want to calculate that worth.

Press trips aren’t just a holiday

Travel blogger press trips can be hard work.

Once, I went to Thailand for 6 days and was expected to write 12 posts on an external blog created just for the trip in return. Every second of the trip was scheduled so there was no time to do anything while I was there.

It was tough with all my other work commitments at the time and I’d definitely got caught up with the excitement of going to Thailand rather than thinking about whether I’d be the best fit and if it suited my travel blog goals. Of course it was an incredible week and I got to go in a private plane and even meet the Mayor of Phuket, but I should’ve asked more questions beforehand so I was prepared.

9. Know what you’re signing up for

Press trips aren’t just a chance for a free holiday – you need to provide some real value back to the company that sponsored you to be there. Before you agree find out what they expect from you, and if you want to get a good name in the industry, always exceed those expectations.

In these preliminary questions make sure you know the timeframes for when exactly they’re expecting the content online. Also find out if they’re expecting you to live blog, or update your social media feeds while you’re there. All these things need to be ironed out before you leave so the travel blogger press trip goes as smoothly as possible.

10. Say now if you don’t like the itinerary

If it’s a solo press trip make sure you’re really involved in preparing the itinerary. Send them suggestions of things you’d really like to do and if you can, arrange a meeting to discuss what would suit your blog best.

If the itinerary is sorted for you, whether you’re on a group trip, or a solo trip, and there’s something you’re not comfortable with, make sure you tell them. Give a reason and a suggestion for something different.

You don’t have to do what’s set out in itinerary draft one, they obviously want you to be happy too and will want to give you want you want to increase the possibility of you enjoying their destination!

Once you have the press trip sorted

11. Underpromise and over deliver

Whatever your agreed press trip coverage with your sponsor, it’s a good idea to give them that little bit extra. Even if it’s just one more Instagram photo, another Facebook update or some great photos they can use in their promotional material. You’re more likely to be asked back, and you could be recommended to other PRs too.

Just like the way travel bloggers talk about PRs and companies so they talk about you, and us. I’d love to see their Facebook groups!

12. Be up, ready, alert and all charged up

No doubt you’ll be given a schedule at the beginning on the week and you need to be polite and courteous at all times to everyone involved.

You’re not some big shot because you’re on a press trip .

I’ve seen and heard of some people press trip diva fits about air conditioning and other such ‘essentials’ at their PR – that’s not going to get you anywhere.

Make sure you take some sort of back up kit for your camera and phone. There’s nothing worse that being sent in to interview someone and seeing that little red light flash up warning you to get a move on (gulp).

13. Don’t take the piss

Whether it’s the mini bar, the staff, your driver or the dinner bill, just approach them all within reason. On the press trips I’ve been on I get totally paranoid they’ll think I’ve gone too far but so long as you don’t go all Henry VIIIth at dinner time on them you’ll be fine.

Angie from angieaway.com has some really good tips for staying off the PR Social Media BlackList here 10 Tips to End Up on the Infamous Press Trip Blacklist

14. Just be awesome

If blog trips had an end of project report you’re aiming for an A+.

If an agency is sending you to review a country they’ll want to send someone they can trust. Everyone has someone to answer to and as long as you’re cool and can manage to turn up on time, reply to emails when they come through and conduct yourself in a polite but familial way, or however you do on your blog, you’ll be invited back and recommended within the industry. And if a country invites you of course they’ll want you to be respectful of their traditions and life.

How to get a press trip

If you’ve got all the bases covered at the start of this post then it’s time to track down some interesting PR people who are about to become your new BFFs.

Keep writing, grow your social media feeds, encourage interaction on your blog and get yourself known among tourist boards and PR companies.

15. Go to events

Go to conferences and events and chat to other bloggers and the companies who’ve paid to be there. They’re the ones who are really interested in working with bloggers and so the people who you’ll have the best chances with.

Events and conferences are the best way to meet the people who arrange and organise the travel blogger press trips in a company.

What can you do for them?

This isn’t all about you you know.

A PR will want to know exactly what you can do for them when it comes to press trips, so know your reach, your readership and your skills. Don’t be afraid to show them off either.

You need to demonstrate why they should choose you over every other blogger in the world. If you’re meeting a potential press trip organiser at an event you need to be sure of what you can provide them.

What can you offer and why should they work with you?

Have that right in your head and rolling off the tongue and you’re sure to be in with a better chance.

16. Helps to be multitalented

If you can take great photos, film and edit, and write, you’re quite the asset to a press trip. If you’re this multitalented make sure the PRs know it. If you’re not, no worries, having an expertise can make you stand out too. You just need to play to and market your strengths.

17. Produce a media kit

PR companies love media kits. These are basically just a way for you to show off what you can do, in a quick and easy to read way. Media kits are visual ways to see the top level stats – how many readers you have, blog posts, your social media stats, and maybe a testimonial or two, too. I’d definitely recommend putting one of these together.

You can have a nose at mine on my work with me page on the blog.

Some travel bloggers don’t like press trips; they say they’re an unnatural way to see a destination, that you’re rushed around and that they can actually be quite stressful. I can see what these bloggers mean, but going on the press trips I have has allowed me to see destinations I didn’t even know existed in ways I couldn’t imagine.

I love them!

Just to warn you, the press trip experiences I’m about to list will probably read like an epic directory of gloat and glory, but I just want to tip that balance back from the negativity about being a travel blogger I’ve written about before.

Because, really, it’s the best job in the world .

My Top 12 Unbelievable Press Trip Experiences

(in no particular order)

1. Driving a Mustang up the Pacific Coast Highway

When I accepted this trip I hadn’t actually driven for 10 years . And then only in England. And in a Nissan Micra which was the car I had when I passed my test.

So, me driving solo down the Pacific Coast Highway in a Ford Mustang one day and a Chevrolet Camaro the next was quite the challenge to my skills and confidence. There I was traversing a £30k+ car round the bends and twists of the Californian mountains.

I can’t say I loved every second of the drive, but when I look back on it I definitely had a good time and learnt a lot about my capabilities and self belief.

The whole trip with Visit California was incredible.

Absolutely incredible.

We stayed in Fairmont Hotels, ate at the best restaurants, had jacuzzis on our balconies and drank fancy cocktails every night. The fact that the other people on the trip were newspaper journalists at huge publications made me feel proud that my blog was considered as important as them by the tourist board (that was two years ago – of course blogs are now!)

15 Tips for Driving the Pacific Coast Highway

2. Flying first class with Virgin Atlantic

Oh my god after the Pacific Coast Highway trip I was SO tired. The driving, the eating, the late nights and early mornings – I was exhausted. And as soon as I landed I had to get back to the Midlands from Heathrow to go to my friend’s 30 th .

So when my ticket bleeped at LA Airport as it went through the machine and I was upgraded to *FIRST CLASS*. I nearly cried.

Gawd it was amazing.

The bed went flat out. They fed me a feast. They even gave me pyjamas. It is quite sad that I was so tired I couldn’t make the most of the alcohol possibilities, but I did eat a tonne of breakfast to make up for it when I woke up. With Champagne of course.

Thanks to the silence and proper duvet I slept for 10 of the 12-hour journey.

Best flight, everrrr!

3. Walking in the parade at Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Hogmanay is a huge New Year’s Eve Festival up in Edinburgh , Scotland. It sells out to thousands of ticket holders every year. People come in the afternoon and queue up to watch the parade going past, in the Scottish December. As in, it’s freezing. The Hogamanay Parade a big thing and people are excited to be near the front of the crowds.

Well, in 2015/16 I was invited to go, along with around eight of what coincidentally turned out to be my favourite bloggers, and we joined the parade. Not just at the back with everyone else. No, we were invited to join the start – up with the Vikings that had come over from the Shetland Islands. I walked with them, carrying my torch, while the crowds looked on probably wondering who on earth I was and we were photographed from every angle.

Our all access passes, and best view of the main stage made me feel like some sort of celeb. It was brilliant.

4. Using helicopters to get from A to B

New York , Grand Canyon , Munich, South Africa, Sweden, Panama City Beach….

Gawd, I’ve now been in a helicopter so many times now, but every time its a different view and the butterflies of excitement are still there. I’m going to pick two to tell you about.

Number one most unbelievable helicopter press trip experience was on a press trip with Lufthansa – the airline.

I arrived at Munich Airport with a few other bloggers for a skiing trip . We were picked up, and taken to the airport’s helicopter pad. From there we were flown to the slopes of Kitzbuhel – one of the fanciest ski slopes in Europe, never mind Austria.

We stayed in a stunning chalet for the night, skied all day and then parachuted down the mountain, landing within a few minutes of freshly poured mulled wine.

Incredible .

Another time, on a press trip in Swedish Lapland, we hiked up a mountain for a few hours to get the best view of the land below. When we got to the top a helicopter came to pick us up to take us to our next hotel. We flew high over the mountains and got to see wild reindeers on the snowy caps. Unreal.

All the helicopter experiences have been incredible, but using a helicopter for transport, rather than sightseeing just seems that little bit more indulgent, don’t you think?

5. Driving the Emerald Coast in Florida

I loved my week cruising along the Emerald Coast – one of the dreamiest press trips I’ve ever been on. Sometimes press trips can be a bit intense and you need to stick to a programme 24/7, all the while trying to get the photos and videos you need for the coverage you want to show.

This trip was different though. Visit Florida sorted my meals, accommodation and car and then I was free to do what I wanted all day. Loved it. It meant I got to experience the Emerald Coast like a normal person would, and gave me the chance to take the time over photos and video which I think shows in the coverage. I stayed at one of my most favourite places I’ve ever stayed – the Henderson Park Inn – and found somewhere I’ll definitely be coming back to too. And the drive was stunning .

12 Reasons to Visit the Emerald Coast

6. Relaxing at the Kurhotel Spa in Denmark

I went on a solo press trip with Visit Denmark. They arranged for me to go to the Kurhotel Spa and Hotel . Jeez, this place was beautiful. A huge white building that took up a good stretch of the coast just above Copenhagen. I was there for two beautiful nights and would love to return.

I did my first Crossfit class here, enjoyed the incredible (healthy) food in the restaurant overlooking the water and went to a Danish sauna session too. This basically involved me alternating between increasingly hot saunas and cold showers before finally jumping in the (FREEZING) lake.

I felt so good afterwards I promised myself I’d start to do this in London. Obviously that’s fallen way, way by the wayside and I’ve never done it again.

One day though.

7. Cruising on a Catamaran in Barbados

Have you ever had a moment in life where you’ve just felt totally free? The catamaran trip in Barbados was like that. I was there for Skyscanner and I’d spent the first few days worrying about what I was going to write about and photograph. Then I went on the catamaran and had so much fun with some new friends I’d met who’d just got engaged. I was there dancing at the front of the ship with everyone else, just loving life.

It was this moment, on my third day that really made love Barbados and I could see why people return again and again to Barbados for a holiday. All you need to do when you’re there is relax, enjoy yourself and eat at the many great Barbados restaurants.

The world can wait till you’re back in it.

Except when you’re on a press trip and meant to be getting photos and videos, of course, but I had that feeling for a few minutes!

8. Seeing the sloths in Costa Rica

I’d always wanted to go to Costa Rica , but for whatever reason, never quite made it. So when I was invited to go on a trip with Visit Costa Rica and British Airways (business class, YES!) obviously I said a ‘hell yeahhhh’.

I wanted to see a sloth, a toucan, colourful birds, iguanas and monkeys, but I never really thought we would, especially in just a few minutes. But then landing in to Tortugeuro via a tiny plane (another dream!) we boarded a boat and our journey down the canal was flanked by all the animals.

We saw three sloths in just a few minutes, it was AWESOME!

9. Driving an ATV in Israel

My VIBE Israel press trip was definitely one of my favourites from start to finish. It was also one of the most hectic, as in no sleep and totally action packed, but it was just a fascinating place to see.

Apart from all the incredible food, seeing all the key religious spots in Jerusalem I studied for my A Level in Religious Studies (serious), staying at a luxury spa, a super cool place in Tel Aviv and going to a wine festival, it was the ATV driving in Galilee I loved most.

I’ve been lucky enough to try a few ATV activities around the world but in Galilee they really let you push the vehicles to the extreme.

We were encouraged to go as fast as possible, to go through water and to just have fun in the wide open space. I had a great time – not sure about my passenger Jodie though…

10. The incredible places I’ve stayed

I’ve stayed at hotels that have made me stop in my tracks on the way through the door. Incredible accommodations that I would never be able to afford with the amount I travel.

I’m just going to list a few of the most memorable ones here, but honestly, there’ve been so, so many more.

Jungle Lodge in Gambia

– All that was for me!

Henderson Park Inn, Emerald Coast

– I had the best room overlooking the beach

Hahnenkamm Lodge, Kitzbuhel

– View from my room, this place costs tens of thousands a night

Yab Yum Huts, Goa

– All that hut belonged to me at the Yab Yums !

Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur, CA

– This was my balcony, we had a party that night

11. Going on a private jet in Thailand

One of the most memorable experiences I had while traveling in Thailand was chartering a private jet to take us from Bangkok to Pattaya and back. We were visiting some of the finest hotels in Phuket and on the final day, the group of us were treated to a luxurious ride on a private jet.

The cost of chartering this particular jet would have been a few thousand dollars, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was too good to pass up. We enjoyed Champagne, comfortable leather and wooden seats, and even had a guide pointing out landmarks and sights below us as we flew. This experience marked the beginning of my invitation to press trips, and it was truly unbelievable to think that this was now a part of my life. The charter flight was just one of the many amazing memories I made on that trip.

12. Experiencing Oktoberfes t

Oktoberfest with Busabout was so much fun. I’d always kind of wanted to go to Oktoberfest, but felt put off by what I imagined it to be – loads of drunk Antipodeans getting drunker. Which is kind of what it was.

But y’know – if you can’t beat them, join them.

A strong factor in why this trip was so good was because of the girls in my hostel dorm. They were so friendly and fun from the get go and we had a good team to enjoy Oktoberfest to its full potential. You definitely need to book your Oktoberfest accommodation in advance if you want to go.

I loved those few days!

And more…

Oh gawd there was also that time we went jet skiing for two hours in Australia, and that time I got to fly from the private terminal in St Kitts , I need to stop though… I lurrrve me a press trip!

Final note on getting invited on press trips

If you’re planning on starting a travel blog to get free press trips, trust me, you’d be better off getting yourself a minimum wage paid job and paying for the whole thing yourself. It can take a long time to build your blog up to the level to be invited on press trips.

Not saying you can’t, in fact, I’ve written a whole free course in how to be a travel blogger, but it just takes a lot of work.

But if you just want a happy sideline in a few press trips a year to supplement your travels, then good luck to you!

How Much Does it Cost to Be a Travel Blogger?
How I Afford to Travel So Much (+ 7 Tips for You Too)
My Mental Health as a Travel Blogger
19 Best Road Trip Gifts for Every Kind of Traveller
10 Years of Travel Blogging + 12 Tips for How to…
12 Reasons Why I’ve Succeeded in Making Travel…

Hi, I'm Vicky! I wrote this. You can find me on all the social media @VickyFlipFlop. I love a bit of adventure, will try anything once, and have a strong passion for the local food and drink, whatever it may be. I'm here to help inspire you to travel to places a little out of your comfort zone, or at least to explore the usual destinations in a different way. Stay, have a look around, and if you have any questions – let me know below.

39 Comments

Really helpful and informative post..thank you.

After reading it’s made me think about what’s right for me. With a new career as a flight attendant on the cards and more time in between to think on my blog this post was great for ideas

Oh congratulations – that’s an exciting job! And great that you’ll get to travel so much. Glad that I’ve given you some ideas for your blog. There’s a whole series called Travel Blogger High on here if you want any more tips and advice.

https://vickyflipfloptravels.com/travel-blogger-high/

Thanks for your comment Abigael, I’m glad you found my advice valuable. Gawd, I was SO excited on my first press trip but yes, as you say they’re always work too. I think you just need to accept the ones that suit how much work you’re prepared to do to make sure that you don’t resent the trip in any way and still manage to enjoy yourself.

Super valuable info Vicky! It’ll be a great resource to look back on in the future because it’s easy to forget how things should be done sometimes.

I remember my first press trip, it was really exciting but soon learned how much work it could be too. I didn’t mind because I was already doing it daily anyway. The second was better because my expectations were more realistic and I found the right balance between work and play which was nice. The next one… who knows! But I finally made a media kit so hopefully that’ll boost my chances.

I would just like to ask an administrative question regarding press trips. Since no money changes hands (I assume) is there any invoice or contract exchanged between parties? Just wondering how this is tracked for income tax purposes. Do the PR companies need to be dealing with a registered company?

– great information here for prospective travel bloggers!

Hi Gary, it totally depends on each project. Some times there’ll be a sort of contract in emails, other times there’ll be something proper to sign and then others it’s just left to you to write about your experiences. I wouldn’t be able to advise on that I’m afraid. I’d suggest you talk to a registered accountant. Sorry I can’t be more help and I’m glad you enjoyed my article.

So Cant wait to see you in Vietnam 😉

Such a nice post. I have been blogging for over a year now and slowly learning whta it is really about. I learn so much about myself and enjoy writing more and more. So many people say that press trips are such great experience. Maybe one day I will be able to see it from the inside. Thank you.

Ah thank you Anna, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Press trips are awesome – you just need to make sure you go on the right one for you and your blog!

I hope it all works out for you Beatrice – I’ve seen some truly incredible things while on press trips and done things I never, ever thought I would.

And I loved Cape Town – can’t believe I haven’t been back actually!

Hi Vicky, what a lovely post filled with tips that are so awesome I don’t actually have to keep googling. (I have been on over 20 websites in my research on press trips before I came to your blog). I’m very pleased that your first press trip was to Cape Town, fancy that?! It’s where I’ve called home for the past couple of years so, great choice you made :). Thanks for sharing all these tips and for being genuine and honest, not sugar-coating the fact that it’s not all glam and get, that it takes determination and hard work to get there too. I am buys with my Media Kit and hopefully get to implement your advice by approaching PR companies, making travel blogger friends and so on. Great post!

I hope you had a great time on your press trip Tamason, I’m sure you’ll never appear on one of those lists!

I hope others stumble upon this article so that they realise that blogging is extremely hard work and not something that you can do occasionally to reap big reward.

We have been working hard on our blog for the past two years now and have finally started to be rewarded for our hard work. I would hate to be seen as some clearly are from you ’10 ways to appear on a PR Blacklist’ linked in the post above and hope that on press trip we are about to embark on we can be seen as the professionals we hope we come across as.

This is a great, informative, and thorough post. It definitely helps me understand more about press trips. As a fairly new travel blogger, I felt a bit mystified by it all. My question would be, however, how do you find these PR reps and tourism boards? Is it just through networking at blogger conferences or can you reach out to them on Twitter, etc? I’m not sure what to look for. Thanks a lot in advance! 🙂

Hi Amy, I’ve heard of people being invited on press trips because they reached out to the PR in the past on Twitter, or via email to register their interest in the destination. They’ve set the seed that they’d like to go and then when the opportunity came up they were on the list.

I wouldn’t do this for every PR though. Make sure you’re selective in who you want to reach out to otherwise the PR will see right through it.

Networking at conferences is a great way to make friends with PRs and to find out more about who you’d like to work with.

Think of yourself as a PR and think how you’d like to be treated. That’s how I deal with all these unknown situations!

Your blog is amazing and i love this post, and your blog. Im about to start my own blog and i wanted to know if you could suggest some good networking/bloging/travel events i could go to??

Hello Ashlee, thank you! I’m currently at TBEX in Spain, which is a great event but you’ll have to get here pretty quick as it starts tomorrow!

Otherwise you could try Blogstock or Traverse – run by the same people at different points in the year. Or TBEX is also in Asia and the USA in October. I’m going to Blogtacular in London in a few weeks.

Whereabouts are you based?

hello Vicky, This post is just awe-some.. there is so much information here..I agree with most points you present. I have never been on a press trip, but would love to experience it some day. Based on my profile, I am interested in travel for vegetarians and luxury travel. I am not sure if anyone does press trips for that :). Looking forward to reading through your blog, and your new posts. Thanks!

Hi Pragati, thanks for reading 🙂 There will definitely be a market for that! Just have a look at who PRs your favourite products and veggie based holidays and go from there. Vegetarianism is only getting bigger with people becoming more health conscious so I’d say that was definitely a good market to be in right now. Good luck and let me know how you get on 🙂

Hi Vicky, Thanks for your response. I have never ventured into the whole sponsored post or sponsored travel realm before, so I don’t know where to start!

‘have a look at who PRs your favourite products and veggie based holidays and go from there. ‘ I think that would be the toughest thing for me, first finding out what kind of holiday can be sponsored, and then finding out who does the PR for them.

I think I have taken a step by redoing my About page. I have made it a bit more detailed than before, and provided a lot of background, actually, much more than I have ever been open about. I don’t know if it is too much..Maybe you could have a look sometime when you get a chance? Would love to have your opinion on it..

thanks!! Happy FlipFlopping 🙂

Thank you for the tip! I was offered a chance a few weeks back but was skeptical because they expected me to do a full itinerary with less than 6 hours of sleep/night. 🙁

Thanks for the great tips and advice! This is a super informative post. (I’m loving your travel blogging newsletter series by the way.) I’m going to a women’s travel conference this month and I’m really excited to meet other bloggers and people in the travel industry. Thanks for all the insight!

Thanks Rachel – that’s good to hear! I hope the travel conference goes well. Did you read my post on making friends with travel bloggers? That might help?

vickyflipfloptravels.com/make-friends-with-travel-bloggers/

Thanks for including me in your post! Definitely great tips here and I can’t agree more with your last statement: “If you’re planning on starting a travel blog to get free press trips, trust me, you’d be better off getting yourself a minimum wage paid job and paying for the whole thing yourself.”

Press trips aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, and it’s so important for those of us who’ve been around for a while to make sure newbies realize that travel blogging isn’t all free trips and free food and free activities! It’s a ton of work – fun work, and certainly better than cubicle life – but work, nonetheless. I’m bookmarking your post to share with anyone seeking advice on getting “free” trips!

No worries Angie. Thanks for the great advice! I’ve definitely noticed a trend among people, both travel bloggers and friends and family, to think that a press trip is just a holiday at a PRs expense. Not so!

Do you think having a .com benefits too? You mentioned that you got your first press trip a year after getting a domain.

Ah I may not have phrased that very well Mandy, sorry. I just meant since I registered my blog. Although, yes, I do think a .com helps. It looks more serious and in turn other people will take you more seriously too. Have you read my article on choosing a domain name? It may help.

vickyflipfloptravels.com/choose-domain-name-travel-blog/

Another article loaded with useful information. I never been to a press trip before (it’s on the bucket list) and will use this timeless piece as a reminder in the future. Thanks Vicky!

No worries. Happy to help!

Such a great post! I went on my first press trip last September and it was such a nice ‘introduction’ to them. I went to the islands where my family are originally from (Isles of Scilly) so I knew them very well. I didn’t have too much of an itinerary other than to go to the food festival, so I was free to do whatever I wanted the other days. It was really nice and I was actually really happy that I went alone as it gave me some time to really explore where my family lived on my own terms.

My recent press trip to Slovakia was the complete opposite, there was a really full itinerary, but as I’d never visited the country before it was brilliant! I just gave the PR two places I really wanted to visit (Lomnicky Peak and skiing at Strbske Pleso) and the rest they organized. It was the perfect itinerary and so much fun, but I do worry sometimes that press trips can be disappointing if you *really* want to go somewhere and then you don’t have the freedom to see things you really want to see. For example if I was ever offered a trip to Croatia, I think I’d probably decline purely because I have such a set itinerary of exactly where I want to go and what I want to do.

Like you I try not to take advantage, same when reviewing a restaurant in London, I never order all the expensive stuff and just order what I usually would if I were paying myself. I think it’s also important to understand that not everything on a press trip is free and no one should expect to have absolutely everything for free. In Slovakia we just had to pay for our lunches and any extra drinks we wanted, which we were more than happy with. It’s about reaching the right balance with the PR, and like you said, knowing your worth and not thinking you’re worth more than you actually are.

C x | Lux Life

Oo I’ve never been there, that must’ve been nice to revisit. It’s nice to have a really relaxed press trip – I was like that in Saint Lucia – it meant I could discover the island in my own time, which was really fun. Yeah you need to make sure the press trip suits both parties goals. It can be tempting to just say yes to anything, but you really need to think about whether it’s right for you. As you say, it’s all about the balance!

Great post Vicky,

I should also say that having an interactive Media Kit on your blog will really help you to get the Press Trips that you want,. The Media Kit will help educate and advise prospective press trip PRs in making sure that they are the right fit for you and vice versa.

However, it doesn’t mean that you should create one and wait for the PRs to come to you. Travel bloggers also have to do the work. It’s a great resource to include in your emails to your PRs or Tourism boards as they will like to see your previous work and stats.

The majority of my press trips came through this way as they often remark about a piece of information or previous work and then after some discussion they will get a feel of what your blog is all about and also the person behind the blog.

My text tip also is yours. Be professional and courteous at all times! Actually scratch that, use the good old British stiff upper lip charm!

Yes Ed! Huge point I missed out. In fact I will add the media kit in asap! Really good tips there. Thanks x

Ed perhaps I am naive but what is an ‘interactive’ media kit?

http://www.crjag.com/

How to Find the Best Press Trips in 2022

Posted by Michele Peterson on May 29, 2021 in Destinations , Writing Craft | Comments Off on How to Find the Best Press Trips in 2022

Want to travel the world and get paid for it? Looking for invitations for international tourism board press trips for travel writers or curious about how to get hotel, airfare and destination support for an individual media trip?

You’re not alone. These are some of the most popular questions I get asked as a Canadian travel writer, blogger and publisher.

Explore the world – from Asia to the Caribbean – on a press trip

Public relations firms and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are responsible for inviting journalists and bloggers on press trips or arranging media visits, both group and individual. They’re your best source for getting a media FAM trip invitation.

Here are some of the best sources of press trips for travel writers, bloggers and other media professionals who want to network with travel industry pros and discover the best press trip opportunities in 2021 and beyond.

Note: Dates, costs, fees and other details of conferences can change without notice so readers should double-check for accuracy.

1. International Media Marketplace ( IMM)

This single-day networking and relationship-building Media Marketplace and Summit hosted by TravMedia , is one of the top events for travel journalists, editors and broadcasters to meet travel and tourism brands. It’s a prime place to get story ideas and opportunities to participate in press trips for travel writers and bloggers.

In order to be successful in pitching with the brands you like the most, you should prepare for your meetings. Conduct some advance research on the brands you’re meeting with and be prepared to showcase yourself and demonstrate your unique value. At minimum you should have demographics of your audience, reach and social channels (see our Media Kit for one example).

International Media Marketplace is held in the US as well as other locations around the world and since 2013, has featured more than 1,425 exhibitors represented by more than 1,835 PR and Travel Industry Professionals.

It takes place in New York in January 2023.

2. TBEX Europe and TBEX North America 2022 and 2023

If you’re a travel blogger, podcaster, videographer or writer, TBEX offers an opportunity to network with fellow new media creators and industry professionals such as PR representatives, major brands, tourism boards and destination marketing organizations.

It’s also an opportunity to bolster your skills in SEO, affiliate marketing, photography and growing your social media presence on Pinterest , Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. The fee to attend is relatively low and there are generally attractively discounted accommodation options and a wealth of pre and post trips.

TBEX Europe 2022 was held in Marbella, Spain and will take place in Thailand in the fall. Get details on other upcoming events at TBEX

3. Travel Media Association of Canada

Canada’s national trade association representing qualified members of the travel media will hold their 2023 conference in Sudbury, Ontario.

Monthly Munch n’ Mingle events and directory listings offer the opportunity to meet with industry pros. Membership in TMAC is by qualification and there is a fee to attend the conference. Get details at Travel Media Association of Canada

Related: If you’re headed to Victoria and have to pass through Vancouver, check out these ideas for great day trips from Vancouver.

The 3-day U.S. Travel Association’s IPW is the travel industry’s top international marketplace and brings together 6,000 attendees including more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations as well as international media.

During the event, travel journalists also have the opportunity to participate in specialized press tours and can also sign-up for official post-FAMs offered by the state. It will be held in Orlando, Florida on June 4 to 8, June 3, 2022. Get details at IPW

5. Society of American Travel Writers

Qualify to join this prestigious organization and you’ll be attending conferences (and pre/post trips) in exciting locations.

In 2022, the SATW convention will be held in Colombia, South America. Plus, you’ll be listed in a Directory that’s a go-to spot for PR and travel industry pros.

Get details at Society of American Travel Writers

6. North America Travel Journalists Association

The annual NATJA conference offers its members the opportunity to meet with US, Canadian and international tourism representatives, attend personal development sessions, network with other travel writers/editors and participate in destination tours as well as pre and post press tours.

In 2019, the NATJA Conference & Marketplace was held in Syracuse, New York from May 15-May 18, 2019. In 2020, it will be held in Puerto Rico.

A wide selection of Pre and Post Press trips will be available for attendees. NATJA membership is by qualification and there is a fee to attend the conference. Get details at North America Travel Journalists Association

7. The World Travel Market (WTM)

WTM is the grand-daddy of travel industry events, drawing almost 48,000 industry professionals across four days.

Score an invitation to this conference and you’ll meet with reps from over 150 countries – Angola to Uzbekistan. Get details at World Travel Market

8. International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association

This network of journalists covering the hospitality industry offers an annual conference as well as ongoing press trip opportunities for Taste & Tour events in foodie destinations such as Missouri, Switzerland and California.

Get details at International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association

9. Travel Classics Writers Conference

This event offers pre/ post conference trips and includes presentations & workshops with top magazine editors, one-on-one consultations with 6-8 guest editors (not for the tongue-tied). This conference is focused more on the craft of writing and building contacts with editors than press trip opportunities.

10. Visit Europe Media Exchange ( VEMEX)

Presented by the European Travel Commission, the Visit Europe Media Exchange (VEMEX) is a one day forum in late October for industry professionals and invited travel media. Formerly held in three locations in North America, it’s a whirlwind series of one-on-one appointments much like speed dating.

Be ready to pitch your best story ideas to industry representatives at break-neck speed. If there’s a match, you may be invited on a press visit. If not, at least you’ll have a suitcase full of swag and plenty of story ideas. There is no charge for invited media.

11. GoMedia Canada Marketplace

Sponsored by the Canadian Tourism Commission, this is where Canada’s provinces, territories and industry suppliers strut their stuff in a selection of first rate pre/post conference press trip opportunities. GoMedia 2020 will be held September 10 to 13 in Victoria, B.C.

Prospective attendees must register at the beginning of each year to be considered. There is no fee to attend and airfare/transportation is usually provided for qualified and invited attendees.

12. Travel South Showcase

This conference is focused mostly on tour operators and suppliers but still offers plenty of networking and city FAM tours for travel trade journalists looking for an excuse to visit Waffle House or enjoy some southern hospitality in the winter. The 7th annual Travel South USA International Showcase will be in Baton Rouge March 8-11, 2020. Get information at the Travel South Showcase.

13. Travel Media Showcase

This annual 2-day event, held in different U.S. cities each year, offers an opportunity for travel journalists and travel industry professionals to meet one-on-one, at a single location. A wide range of often unique Pre/Post tours can make it worth braving the intense appointment schedule. Dates for TMS 2020 have not yet been announced so check for updates at Travel Media Showcase

14. Adventure Travel World Summit

Strap on your mountaineering gear for this conference focused on outdoor adventure, extreme sports and professional development. The 2020 Adventure Travel World Summit will be held in Adelaide, Australia October 6-9, 2020.

It features top notch speakers, networking, marketplace appointments with suppliers and plenty of opportunity to explore the host destination. Membership is by qualification

15. The KITI

Sign up for a membership to this online information exchange that unites working travel journalists and PR professionals worldwide.

Get story ideas, submit requests or respond to others according to your account level. Search, save and reply to what is of interest. The KITI

16. Travel Massive

This worldwide network of welcoming travel professionals, bloggers, new media creators and industry pros meets regularly in a social setting ( think drinks and munchies) to share information, learn about online writing craft, technology and destinations. With chapters everywhere from Amsterdam to Washington, you might be able to find ‘one in your home city.

If not, it’s worth checking out the online event calendar and joining an event on one of your travels. You’ll need to qualify, but new bloggers are welcome to join so Travel Massive is a good place to begin if you’re new to the industry. Get details at Travel Massive

17. Mid-Atlantic Media Marketplace

Hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance ( MATRA) this fall event includes press trip opportunities and media meetings with PR professionals representing Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The MATPRA Media Marketplace 2020 will be held September 21-23. Apply early if you’re interested in attending Mid-Atlantic Media Marketplace

18. Adventure Travel Mexico

Hosted by the Mexico Tourism Board, the ATMEX conference showcases what Mexico in terms of adventure, nature and cultural travel. It’s an opportunity to network with the people responsible for organizing immersive experiences and Mexico’s wealth of outdoor adventure destinations.

ATMEX will be taking place in Baja California Sur in the Fall 2020. FAM trips and press trip opportunities are available. Hosted Media have airfare and accommodation paid. Get details at Adventure Travel Mexico

19. Tianguis Turistico – Mexico Tourism Media Marketplace

This annual event hosted by Mexico Tourism generally takes place in Acapulco, Guerrero but in 2020 it will be taking place in Merida. Dates for Tianguis 2020 are March 22-25, 2020. Get details at Tianguis Turistico

20. Women in Travel Summit

The WITS event is aimed at women travel influencers and publishers as well as brands that want to work with them. WITS North America will be held in Kansas in April 2020 and WITS Europe will take place in Gdank, Poland from October 16-18, 2020. Visit their website at Women in Travel Summit.

21. Tourism Boards

It’s also possible to contact tourism boards directly and submit an application for an individual press trip or group trip. Most tourism boards and travel writing conferences require qualification by way of clips, significant publication circulation and readership stats and more. Competition for invitations can be fierce and press trip disclosure rules apply.

How to Work with Public Relations Companies

It’s also worth mentioning that there are many other reasons to attend conferences, join professional associations and maintain relationships with public relations firms and destination marketing organizations (DMOs).

Not only are the people you meet at these media marketplace events, experts about their destinations, they often have insider access to interview sources, fact-checking resources, image banks, unique story ideas and the latest news about upcoming developments — all of which can help you write better travel stories.

What is a FAM Trip?

Although often confused with a media press trip, the term “FAM trip” originally referred to a “Familiarization trip” and was aimed at travel agents. It was intended to be (and still is) a free or low cost way for travel agents to become familiar with a destination in order to portray it more accurately to their clients and sell more product.

A FAM trip for travel agents or consultant is often provided by a tour operator, hotel brand or an airline as a means of promoting their service.

A beach cabana during a press trip in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Differences between a FAM Trip and a Press trip

The terms FAM trip and Press Trip are often used interchangeably, but press trips for travel writers and bloggers generally include more opportunities for experiencing a destination through its cuisine, culture and history rather than hotel inspections. A FAM trip is generally focused more on property inspections and may include more hotel and attraction tours than a media press trip.

Another important difference is that a FAM trip may (but not always) have a cost associated with it. Travel writers are not charged a cost to participate in a media press trip.

Other Ways to Find Press Trips for Travel Writers, Bloggers, Influencers and Journalists

Become Cabin Crew: If you’re not interested in freelance travel writing, you might be interested in a job as cabin crew with an airline. Check out Resources for Prospective Cabin Crew to help secure a job travelling the world with airlines such as Norwegian Air, Thai Airways, Air India and others.

Volunteer Abroad: If you’re interested in teaching English, working overseas or volunteering in a foreign country, a worthwhile website to browse is Transitions Abroad. Since 1977, it’s been helping readers explore the world and broaden their horizons.

Awards and Recognition: If you win an award for travel writing (as we did for our Costa Rica Intergenerational Family Travel story) or are recognized for travel writing excellence, then you’ll likely be contacted and approached directly for travel press trip opportunities. But beware of scams – in no case should you be expected to pay a deposit to secure a place on a press trip.

If you’re just starting out, you might want to learn more about how to start a travel blog. You might also be interested in my How to Break into Travel Writing Online Course and Workshop.

Do you know of other sources for finding travel writing press trip opportunities or PR contacts for media visits? Do you have other favourite conferences for travel writers? Let me know and I’ll add them to the list

How to Find Press Trips - a free listing for travel writers and bloggers

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How to Press Trip | Tips for Bloggers

Published on January 18, 2018
Last updated on November 16, 2020

More than 3.5 years ago I attended my first press trip – ever since I’ve been invited to more than 40 press trips, fam trips and blogger trips. Now now it’s time to share my experience with you in this post. Please note that I will use the terms press trip, fam trip and blogger trip exchangeably – I simply refer to a trip that a blogger is invited to.

Today, there are more and more trips created exclusively for bloggers and their young audiences. Some tourism boards will mix bloggers and journalists, some will keep them strictly apart. If it is up to me: I’d be happy to join the journalists.

All Press Trips are Different

There are press trips that have more activities in their programme than could possibly fit in a single day. There’s barely a moment to breathe and explore the city or region without the group. Many times the programme is so fully packed, that you are completely exhausted after the first day. However, all press trips are different, so are bloggers. And there are press trips that have planned a very relaxed program and allow bloggers enough space to discover places on their own.

Tips for Press Trips for Bloggers

Before a press trip | a: receive an invitation.

Before I agree to accept an invitation to a press trip at all, I ask for the (provisional) program and look at it carefully. That way I can ensure that this trip fits me and my blog readers. A surf trip to Spain just does not fit my blog. In order for the marketing agency or the destination to be able to organize their trip successfully anyway, I like to recommend blogger colleagues who write about those topics.

I also want to know who else will be there on the trip – how big is the group, how many bloggers or journalists will travel together, will I be able to do things on my own?

What is expected of me as a blogger? How many posts on Facebook and Instagram? How many blog articles? Should I write about something specific? When all this is clarified, both sides know who they are getting involved with and disappointments are kept to a minimum.

Sometimes I ask to arrive a bit earlier and/or stay a bit longer. This gives me time to explore the place at my own pace and do things that aren’t in the programme.

What about the reimbursement? Who pays for transportation to the destination, is the food included and what about drinks? When travelling internationally, I also ask about the flights and whether there are direct flights from Vienna or whether it would also be possible to fly from Linz.

Is there a budget? Is the journey a paid trip or an invitation?

After all that information, I accept – or decline the invitation.

Before a Press Trip | B: Send a request

Every now and then I try to get in touch with tourism boards and hotels and ask whether they want to work together. In a detailed email, I explain what I have planned, when I intend on visiting, what I expect and what I can offer in return.

When I look for hotels to work with, I always email several at the same time. Why? Some hotels sort emails from bloggers straight into the spam folder. I always ask for at least three nights for either myself or two. I don’t ask for less because I can’t invest so much time writing about it if the exchange is not worth my time. Think about it how much time goes into writing one blog post, finding photos, posting it on social media (know your worth).

Before a Press Trip | Planning and Preparation

It doesn’t matter if I’ll be on an individual press trip or on a trip with a group of journalists or bloggers, I do my research about the place. What is there to see, what places will we visit? I also like to get updated on changes to the itinerary.

I save all places that we are visiting and that I wish to visit on either google maps or maps.me to get an idea of where will we be. I ask the hosts if some of the places I’d like to see can be added to the itinerary.

I let my hosts know that I don’t eat meat, but fish will be fine.

Hashtags: I ask my hosts which hashtags they want us to use and which pages to tag on our social media channels.

Before I start packing, I browse the program and the relevant emails once more. I do my own research on what to bring as well. I also make sure that all batteries are fully charged, the memory cards are empty and that my power bank is packed.

Some bloggers let the hosts check them in with the airline. I prefer to do that myself and chose a seat that I like. #TeamWindowSeat

I print the itinerary, take copies of my passport and write down all relevant phone numbers.

During the Press Trip | On Site

My most important rule on a press trip: show up on time! Always!

Whenever I join international press trips I take some Austrian pralines for our guide and host – of course, they enjoy that gesture and will remember you.

I always have a small notebook and pen ready to write down things that I would like to mention later on my blog. Often there is so much information on press trips and although I always think I can remember everything, at the end of the day I realize that very few things have stuck with me. I try to write everything in as much detail as possible so that I can use the information well and play it back home.

I have NEVER drunk so much on a press trip that I should have been ashamed. Unfortunately, there are a few bloggers who consider press trips as drinking trips. I am not surprised if some hosts do not pay for alcoholic beverages.

After the Press Trip | Writing + Report

I try to keep my promises to the hosts as best I can. If I have clarified in advance what I deliver and when then I have to stick to it and there are no nasty surprises from any side. Of course, it happened to me that I missed a deadline, but that should be the exception and not the rule.

Normally this includes one or more blog posts in German and English. These will then be shared on my social media channels. In addition, there is still – if appropriate – Pinterest graphics .

Generally, I always deliver a bit more. This leaves a good impression with those responsible and you may be invited back or even recommended to colleagues.

If agreed, I sum up my social media posts (likes, engagement, reach, …) in a report and send it to my contact.

After the press trip is before the press trip

After all this, I lean back and try to analyze what went well and what did not go so well. What were the causes? How can I make it better next time?

I read what the other blogger colleagues have written, how did they write about the trip, how did they feel about it. Are there any videos? I get inspired by it and take ideas for other trips and reports.

How is your experience with press trips? Do you have any tips?

Do more of what makes you happy Chronic wanderlust

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Grüß dich, I'm Viki!

At Chronic Wanderlust, I write about my two great passions: travelling and diving – and have been doing so since 2013.

I usually spend a solid majority of the year travelling to experience extraordinary underwater adventures, taking road trips through countries I don’t know (yet) or exploring my home country of Austria.

As a certified divemaster, passionate underwater & travel photographer, road trip enthusiast and individual traveller, I collect unique moments all over the world.

I don’t believe that severe cases of wanderlust – aka chronic wanderlust – can be cured, only treated. On this blog, I want to show you how this can best be realised.

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Blogger Press Trips: The Lowdown

Photographing the lagoons near El Tatio, Chile

“You’re a travel blogger, so you’re basically on holiday all the time right?” Ummmm… not exactly. But what’s an average day travelling with a travel blogger really like?

I started this blog three years ago, and it’s been my full-time job for a year and a bit. It’s a strange lifestyle, and as a lot of people ask how I structure my life, I thought I’d break it down a little. I don’t write about the world of blogging very often, but there are a few elements I’ve been dying to write about!

So there are two distinct variables… being away and being at home. Days at home are usually spent tapping away on my laptop creating content about previous travels, editing photos and videos and meeting clients about future travel campaigns and trips. I also try to squeeze in some local trips and hotel and restaurant reviews.

While occasionally I go away on self-planned trips, the majority are organised by a PR company or tourist board. Some are solo like my week in Austria this summer, some are with my partner or friends, while others are group press trips. A year ago I was doing a lot of group press trips, but over the last six months I’ve really enjoyed having opportunities to travel with friends and my partner (Macca from An Adventurous World ).

Usually on a group press trip there will be 5 or 6 bloggers/journalists plus a PR representative from the UK. PR companies carefully select bloggers according to their niche, quality of content and number of readers/followers. I enjoy group press trips as you meet a great bunch of people, all learn from each other, and we all understand each other’s needs, so it’s a supportive environment! I’ve made a lot of great friends on these trips and we’ve shared some unforgettable experiences.

There was the hilarious gourmet trip through Slovenia I did with Jen from She Gets Around, the Blogtrotters Greece trip where I met Emily Luxton (one of my best blogger pals), Hayley from Frock Me I’m Famous , Amelia from xAmeliax and Megan Ellaby. There was St Kitts (more on that below) with a fun group including Vicky Flip Flop . Oh and then there was #itrekhere – a Trek America trip through California with a fab bunch including a few of my faves – Amy from The Little Magpie , Laura Bubble and Scott from Intrepid Escape .

To be honest, before I became a blogger I’d always enjoyed group tours with companies such as Intrepid and Trek America so I guess blogger press trips are a work version of those!

Travelling solo but thinking of booking a group tour? Check out my guide to the best tour companies for solo travellers.

Sometimes though, it’s really lovely to be able to share special travel experiences with my best friends or my partner. Recently I travelled to Nice with my school friend Kristina, sailed around Sicily with another school friend Becca and enjoyed big adventures with my partner in Mauritius and Dubai .

Daily Routine

What daily routine?! That gets thrown out of the window when I’m travelling, and that’s part of the reason I love it! When I started this blog it was a time when I was pretty fed up with routine, waking up at the same time every day, seeing the same people, cooking the same food, watching the same TV shows and going to bed again. I was feeling a bit stuck. Travel flipped it all upside down and it was so refreshing.

I’ve picked what I think sums up a pretty ‘average’ day on a blogger press trip. This is taken from a trip I did to St Kitts last year. It was back when Snapchat (RIP) ruled over Instagram Stories! You’ll see that SOOOO much of it is fun, interesting and pleasurable, but there are plenty of things you probably wouldn’t put on a holiday itinerary. Nope, it’s not all about ‘hot dog or legs’ pics on Instagram or drinking cocktails by the pool!

Blogger Press Trip: An Average Day

07.00: Wake up, quick check of phone for important emails. Shower, get ready for the day.

07.30: Social media and emails. It’s always important to publish content at times your audience are awake and online, so when I’m on trips I often schedule social media posts ahead of time. I also schedule blogs if I’ve managed to get some ready in advance. In St Kitts we were 4 hours behind so I’d often edit photos when I woke up ready to publish on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter later in the UK day.

08.00: Breakfast. Don’t expect breakfast to be a relaxing affair on a blogger press trip! Most likely everyone will be photographing or capturing videos of their food for their blogs, and documenting it on Instagram Stories for their followers. At this particular breakfast in St Kitts we were joined by several large birds who tried to steal food off our plates (much to our amusement), while chickens clucked around on the floor. Welcome to the Caribbean!

Breakfast at Timothy Beach Resort, St Kitts

08.30: Collected in a minibus and driven to Wingfield Estate for a trek through the rainforest.

09.15 – 11am: Rainforest hike with O’Neil – a local who has lived on the island his whole life. I took lots of photos on my camera, posted live snaps on Snapchat, recorded video content on my DSLR and on my GoPro. I also typed a few notes in my phone so I had some details when I wrote my blogs back home. I really enjoyed this trek, but as it was so pretty I often found myself lagging behind to snap photos without people in!

11.15 – 12.15: Zip-lining through the rainforest. This was pure fun, but obviously the GoPro came too! What a rush!

12.15 – 13.00: Guided tour of Caribelle Batik art studios and the gardens.

13:15: Drive to Ital Creations (a vegan food truck) for a tour of the organic farm and lunch. We enjoyed a tour of the gardens and learned about the produce growing there. We were all starving by lunchtime, and once we’d taken photos of our meals we finally enjoyed a lovely group lunch.

18.00: Pick up from hotel for dinner.

18.30 – 21.30: Yes blog trips often involve plenty of eating and drinking. On this night we enjoyed cocktails at Spice Mill with the owner who told us all about the restaurant’s cuisine, the bar and his life on the island. Then it was time for dinner (cue more photos and Snapchats!)

Cocktails at Spice Mill Restaurant, St Kitts

22.00: Arrive back at the hotel. Either check out the nightlife scene (for research obviously!) or hit the hay (once all gadgets are charging!)… or publish a blog post… or collapse in a heap ready to do it all over again in 9 hours!

15 hour+ days are pretty standard when you’re travelling on press trips, and while it can be tiring, it’s part of the experience! I’ve had plenty of amazing experiences on press trips, and as they’re often just a few days long, it’s all about packing as much in to the time you have.

So I’ve lifted the lid on a little bit of what a blogger press trip entails. Hopefully now you can get a feel for how I work, and how the content you read on this site is created!

Would you like to see more behind the scenes blogs about the world of travel blogging? Let me know in the comments below! And if you fancy finding out how my video from St Kitts turned out, you can check it out here.

Enjoyed this post? Pin it…

Chloe Gunning

With a passion for food, fun and adventure, Chloe is the content creator behind one of the UK's top travel blogs Wanderlust Chloe. From volcano boarding in Nicaragua, to sailing around Sicily and eating her way around Japan, her travels have taken her to some of the coolest spots on the planet. Named Travel Influencer of the Year in 2022, Chloe regularly works with a number of tourism boards, producing inspirational travel content across multiple platforms. Find out more about Chloe here.

9 thoughts on “Blogger Press Trips: The Lowdown”

You’ve summed it up! Lol!

Thanks Angie! It feels like I’ve just scratched the surface!

Perfect post, great insights- not so glam indeed!

Thanks so much for reading! Sometimes it feels like a job, other days I think I’m living the dream! I guess there are two sides to every story 🙂

That’s it in a nutshell!

YES to this post girl, you’ve nailed it! I always get the ‘oh you’re always on holiday’ chat and it’s so frustrating when you’re constantly snapping new content, 14 hour days and have 197372872 pictures to edit once you get home. It’s definitely not a holiday – but still SO fun when you get to travel with cuties like you! <3

Hayley xo http://www.frockmeimfamous.com

Love this post Chloe. You totally nailed it!

So lovely to hear from you, and fab meeting you too! I feel the same – need a holiday after a press trip to recover!!!

Love the post (and it was great meeting you at WTM!) 🙂 Some friends talk about my occasional press trips as if it’s just a free holiday, but there’s so much more involved… To be honest I often go back home with a cold because the days are so long and intense and you never have a chance to rest – wouldn’t trade it for the world though! ahah

Thais http://www.setemilkm.com

How Travel Bloggers Get on Press Trips

So you’ve got this bright idea to start a travel blog so you can write and be free, travel the world on someone else’s dime, and make a shit ton of money. God that sounds amazing, why didn’t I think of that. Newsflash. You have a long road of free-labor ahead of you, free-labor and failure. But nothing that amazing comes easy now does it?

Travel blogging is in fact a skill, and a very technical one at that. If you don’t already know it involves web development, social media management, cutting-edge and resource based marketing strategies, professionalism, creativity, writing skills, photography skills, an understanding of how the back-end of the travel and tourism industry works, an understanding of SEO, brand development, networking, networking and more networking, and of course, traveling. But that’s the fun part right?

Getting from point A to point B is not by any means a simple task. There are a host of great sites out there that can offer you the right answers, consulting services, even all out schools for blogging. There’s so many it’s overwhelming. Perhaps you’ve done that, or maybe you’re too conservative to make the investment. Either way, for whatever reason, you are probably here because you’re already a blogger who’s looking for something more. Like how travel bloggers get on press trips.

I’m going to be dead on with you, you don’t just get them. You have to work for them. ROI (return on investment) is a very real thing, and a very real thing that very real DMO’s (Destination Marketing Organizations) care about, a very real thing that hoteliers and tour operators care about. So you have to ask yourself this question before you can ask about free press trips, “How can I provide a reasonable ROI?”. Before we can answer the question how travel bloggers get on press trips, let’s ask this:

What’s Your Blog Worth?

Let’s start at the very basic of basic, your travel blog, with a minimum of 50 posts, a nice user-friendly design, and a logo. At this very bottom, your value is about $150 / post. Now this doesn’t mean you can charge someone $150 for freelancing, this is just a gauge for you. Do you think you can reach out to a tourism PR rep and ask for flights, hotels, rental car, food, and tours? No, because that costs way more than what your worth. This doesn’t mean it’s a flop. Start small.

How can you increase your value?

You increase your value with traffic, domain authority, page rank, global rank and the rank you hold in your main audience country, social media following, and networking. Overwhelming? Tell me about it. There is no short cut to this, but here are some sure-fire ways to get there:

Quality content
Good SEO (I recommend Yoast plugin)
Sharing threads in facebook groups (pick 3 and stick to those groups or you will spontaneously explode).
Link ups. This gives great comment love, link juice and traction with social media and traffic which builds page rank, domain authority and global / local rank.
Be active in your facebook communities so people know you.
Great pictures in all your tweets, facebook posts, google+ and pins. Use questions to engage.

These are My Favorite Go to Sites for Everything Blogging, Growing and Digital Influence

I’ve been reading content from these guys for years. Some of it I flip through, some of it applies to me, but it is all accurate. You can thank me later. You now don’t have to ask yourself where to find the answers to everything. All three of these sites are great for making that leap to monetizing your blog.

Digital Marketer – I love this site for its easy-to-understand and affordable tutorials .
Razor Social – Ian Cleary rounds up the best tools on the web to get your work done faster.
Quick Sprout – Where you go when you want to understand how SEO works and how to get traffic .

While you are growing these things like a perfect garden, you can be traveling in your local areas, and places you’re willing to pay the transport to, and reaching out to hotels. Remember, keep yourself in that value range. You can get by in your first year working with destinations if you are willing to pay the airfare or gas to get there. Seasoned travel bloggers get on press trips through press trip announcements on industry sites, by invitation (through referral and reputation), or by pitching to areas they want to visit for the next year. You don’t want to race the car without the engine. Slow down.

CVBs (Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus) will work with you if you are already going to be there. Nine times out of ten they will give you a media pass and a few hotel names to reach out to on your own. Nine times out of ten if you’re not calling the Plaza in NYC, you’ll get in. Reach out to historic B&B’s, and boutique hotels. Research their brand and tell them why you’d like to share them, not just because you need a hot shower and a fluffy pillow. This is going to be the first year of your blogging life so you need to get used to that. Most importantly, deliver, deliver, and deliver on time! These brands will take care of you in the future as you grow if you do right by them.

Travel blogging takes a lot of patience. The Travel Bloggers Network on facebook is an amazing community of bloggers on all levels that are at your fingertips. Pay attention to the focus points by day, ask questions, and don’t ever assume that everything you hear is truth. ALWAYS be diligent in researching the info afterwards. You don’t just get press trips, you have to be involved in circles of bloggers and PR reps who offer them by networking and applying to places like Media Kitty. At the end of the day, if you don’t have the value to back up the pitch, you’re beat. Stick to the smaller adventures while you grow your reputation, and you can only go up from there.

Christa Thompson is the Founder and Chief Editor of The Fairytale Traveler. She started traveling the world in 2003 when she attended a summer abroad study at the University of Cambridge in England. Since then, her wanderlust has been fierce. Her three passions in life are her son, traveling, and being creative. The Fairytale Traveler brand gives Christa the opportunity to do all of these things and to live intentionally every day. "It's never too late to believe in what you love and to pursue your dreams." -Christa Thompson

Fairy Legend, Music and Dinner at the Brazen Head, Dublin

Explore Neverland with Peter Pan in London, Kensington Gardens

39 comments.

I would also suggest attending travel shows in your local area. It’s always good to connect at events. Most of those PR or marketing people are there for the general public but it’s good to introduce yourself. It’s good to get cards or give out cards. While I may not have the greatest luck at the shows targeted to the general public, I have been lucky to get at least one press trip or work with a DMO/business from going. Never hurts to try.

Totally true. You should plan ahead for these, make it an expense but one that moves you forward. Check out the Do’s and Don’ts of Standing Out at TBEX for tips on rocking the casbah at events.

Travel and Adventure show is free for press. I work with a media company but I am sure that bloggers are considered press.

Realize the value of networking and attending events like Travel Massive and conferences like TBEX.

If you’re attending TBEX, market yourself well and make that profile super noticeable. I was a really new blogger at the Toronto TBEX and my traffic was pretty pathetic but filled up my schedule for speed dates and even had out of conference meetings with people. Within 2 months I had my first official press trip.

Also remember sometimes you have to nurture those relationships for a while. I started emailing with a woman and it took about a year before she called me and invited me to a press trip with other journalists but it was worth the wait.

All very true. World Travel Market is also a great one that is free for press. New Media Expo is a big one too. Great insight here girly 😉

Christa, thanks for sharing the press trip information in an honest, yet encouraging way. It means a lot to those of us who are growing our blogs.

You’re welcome. You can always email if you have any questions. 😉

This is super useful, thank you so much for posting! I’ve been trying to make the leap into more press trip type stuff, but figuring out my blog’s “worth” is tough for me. It’s nice to know a little more information about them. Thanks again!

Totally! There’s always a worth. Always 😉

What a fabulous post! Very useful! I actually got my first press trip after only a few months of blogging – a free trip to go sailing with a great company in Croatia. How did I get it? By asking! New bloggers often underestimate their value – asking is free and the worst thing that can happen is them telling you no. And is that really so awful?

I couldn’t agree with you more. I teach all of my students to start now. Understanding your value and understanding their needs is the first place to start. Then you want to develop an angle that will provide lasting media value for them, and pitch them so that in the end they have nothing to think about. Seal the deal.

Great article Christa and a reality check for some I’m sure. Slowly but surely you can build your blog brand and you’ve demonstrated how it is done.

I endorse the FB community, I just wish I had more time to be active on it! This topic amongst others have been discussed there and it is a valued pool to converse with.

I’ve not ventured into press trips, yet I know as you highlight it is a commitment and far from a free ride as some may perceive.

Yes that is very much true haha!

I would say that as an extension on value is that you need to have a niche and that niche can increase the value of your site disproportionately to the UMV / followers metrics. For instance …

If I am a spa PR person and I have two equally capable writers but one is about Spas and Luxury Travel and one is about Moms I am going to pick the Spa one – even if that has a fraction of the traffic since it is likely that is more in my target market vs something from a niche that is extremely wide. This is even more important as subjects like SEO start coming into play.

This has worked well for me on ManTripping since I cover “men’s travel” and there isn’t a lot of coverage in this area though it is something where there is a lot of interest. My site happens to have a good following, is well laid out, and I have been told that I am a fun guest to have on trips … so that helps too but from a pure numbers basis there will always be someone with better “stats”.

I totally agree. I firmly believe it is the reason I catapulted into this industry the way I did. No one is writing about this, yet there are so many places that touch on the fairy tales and the elements of fairy tales.

I totally agree about the smaller local trips. That’s how I got started with press trips, and all those local trips were amazing experiences!

I still do local trips!

You know.. before I started blogging I tried searching and searching and searching for a straight forward and easy to understand blog post like this. I am reading it now and still think it was an incredibly well written piece that is not only helpful for the ‘newbies’ but for intermediate and even advanced bloggers and travel writers out there.

Thanks for such a wonderful share! 🙂

– Jenna

Thanks Jenna! It’s such a complex landscape now. Nothing is TRULY cut and dry. Just when you think you know it, it’s changing. I’m even changing my own writing style! You really have to keep a sharp edge, be creative in ways you can communicate and use your social media influence. Stand out and you’ll pick up on things faster than you think.

Thank you for putting the most honest and easy to understand article I have read yet (on the truth of travel blogging and what it takes). I still feel so far away. Much to learn. Thanks for helping. Karina

You’re so welcome! If you need anything let me know! Are you in the Travel Bloggers Network? It’s a fb group.

With this post, I started dreaming about getting a press trip to some place I haven’t seen yet. Thank you for this true account of press trips and its insider secrets.

Awesome! Good luck!

The whole blogging thing takes time, patience, careful planning and strategy. If you want engagement that is 🙂 thanks for sharing this.

All those things are true lol. Thanks for reading!

I just shared this! As a beginner blogger, i is difficult to know when you have reached the point where you can actually start doing these types of things. This is very descriptive and to the point! No BS. Love it!

Thanks Bobbi! So glad you found it helpful. Thanks for sharing!! xo

Hi Christa,

Great post with a lot of information for travel bloggers!! Thank you for sharing your insight and knowledge. I have been blogging for 1 1/2 and I just recently got an invitation to a local event with a media pass. It’s taken me a long time to build my brand. I’m not going to lie, I still have a lot of work ahead of me. I still have a lot to learn as well. Juggling a full time job, family and blogging is a lot, but I have to do it and make the necessary time if I want to succeed.

Thank you for sharing your tips and advice!

Sincerely, Ruthie

Awe Ruthie, I’m so glad you liked it. Also, I know how hard it is to do the juggle. Keep at it, it’s totally worth it! Good luck! If you need anything ever, let me know 😉

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Although I travel for the last 30+ years, only a little over 6 months have I started blogging. I haven’t taken any press trips yet, but your suggestion to start small makes a lot of sense and is in line with what I was thinking.

Also, the tip about Media Kitty is great! I have already subscribed.

Since you mentioned the Travel Bloggers Network and I just saw you are one of the moderators, I need a favor! My request to join is still pending for a while now. Could you be so kind as to give me a hand there? 😉

Thanks a lot and all the best!

Mark I would be happy to, and please also friend me on Facebook. I’m always happy to be in touch with other bloggers and make myself available to those who truly want to be successful in this industry. Also, there’s 836 active requests so it would be much easier if you friended me first fb/com/ christaspersonalpage

Hello Christa! I have been blogging for a while and am only just venturing into trying to seek travel blogging opportunities. You offer such a wealth of info, the kind that is generally under wraps.

I like when you say ‘don’t believe everything’… that’s just the reality check! Looking forward to some success, especially in my niche which is luxury travel for vegetarians and older people. Thanks for this post!

Hi Pragati! Thanks for the kind words. Let me know if you need any more insight. Feel free to email me. Are you in the Travel Bloggers Network on Facebook?

Hi Christa! You talked about blog post values but how are you supposed to know the value? what level is good and what is bad? Thanks for the amazing and incredibly helpful post!

a-million-little-moments.blogspot.in

Great tips thanks. Just started my bog, happy to chip away over a long time to grow. Nothing comes without a bit of hard work.

Good luck Aaron. And you can find lots of help in the Travel Bloggers Network on facebook too!

Hi! Thanks for this great article, it gave so much insight and great tips (from people commenting as well)! We have just started a travel/photography website and hope it will only get more and more “worth” as we continue to publish over the next months.

That’s awesome! Let me know if you have any questions! And come join us at the Travel Bloggers Netowrk on facebook! Just shoot me a pm and I’ll add you 😉

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Awesome! thanks for witing the tips

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A Travel Bloggers Guide to Press Trips

Written By: The Planet D

Digital Nomads

Updated On: June 3, 2023

This guide to Press Trips for Travel Bloggers will help you do the best work for your client.

We have been fortunate to have been invited on several press trips as Travel Bloggers. From tourism boards to cruise lines, hotel chains and tour companies, we have definitely had some exciting sponsored travel. We’ve learned a lot and made a lot of mistakes.

Table of Contents

We have learned a lot during our press trips. We’ve experienced a different way of travel, been spoiled and pampered, and enjoyed some of the most amazing adventures of our lives.

At the same time, we made a lot of mistakes and discovered that there are many factors that a travel blogger needs to take into account before accepting just any free trip.

We were lucky to kick off our travel blogging careers with the Princess Cruises Twitter Trip. It set the standard as to what we knew to expect from each press trip afterward. When you start high, you know what should be included in other press trips.

Press Trip Tips for Travel Bloggers

We take our work very seriously and a Press Trip is very hard work.

There is a lot expected of you and you are not there to simply party and enjoy the beach. While other guests are enjoying their vacation, you are back in your room working until all hours of the night getting posts out and sending out photos and regular publicity.

Here are some tips that we have learned since last June and nine press trips later.

1. Ask the Right Questions

When you receive your first email inviting you on a press trip you will be very excited and will end up saying yes to anything.

But you want to make sure that you will have access to everything that you need to be able to do your job properly.

Are flights covered?
Are tips and gratuities taken care of for you
Is the trip within your niche?

If you don’t have any of the above, how can you properly do your job? You aren’t getting paid for this trip, they are offering you a tour in exchange for you writing about your experience. No money should be coming out of your pockets to help them promote their product.

2. Internet – Reliable connections

You are a travel blogger not a travel writer for a newspaper. Your job is to be online. You need to tweet, Instagram, and Facebook about your trip and you can best create interest by sending out social media updates during your time on your press tour.

If you don’t have access to an internet connection you cannot do your job properly. Every trip should offer free internet service during the time that you are there.

Internet should be covered at hotels and if you don’t have a good world data plan, they should provide a portable WiFi or local SIM Card. We’ve even had companies provide a cell phone to use

3. Be Clear on What They Expect From You

Will you tweet, share Instagram stories and Facebook regularly before, after and during your trip? How many posts will you write and where will they be shown.
Will you have to provide them with posts for their own blog above and beyond writing on your own site?
Will you have to be available for interviews?
Will they want your photographs to be used in promotion and what rights will they have to your photographs and articles?
How Many articles or videos do they expect you to deliver.

Everything should be laid out before the trip begins.

Like we said, our trips have been so well tailored that we can provide a lot of coverage for them and in return, we have gotten excellent content for our blog.

Our trip to China with Intrepid Travel was a turning point in our blog. We gained new followers, we found that we ended up inspiring people to go to China and developed an excellent relationship with Intrepid Travel.

By providing them with the details of our travels, they can gain more information on the power of a Bloggers coverage and we can hopefully develop a long and happy working friendship.

4. Don’t be Taken Advantage of

Some companies may think that just because you got something for free, you should be grateful and give them whatever they want. This is not true.

Your time is valuable and while you are on a media trip each and every minute is scheduled. You will not have time to network, answer advertisers or promote your blog.

They need to know that this is your job and there should be mutual respect. It is upsetting when a company actually makes you feel that you should be happy to be there and if anything goes wrong, well that’s just too bad, you got a free trip.

Tourism Fiji did an excellent job in making sure that we were comfortable in Fiji. They phoned us and emailed to see if there was anything more they could do, they asked.

They even asked us for feedback upon our return home on how they could improve for the next trip. They understood that the power of social media and made sure that they invited different styles of writers to cover different aspects of Fiji.

5. What Excursions are Included?

ocean guide to press trips for travel bloggers

Will they send you on excursions that fit your niche? It isn’t going to do you or your readers any good if you are an adventure blog and you are stuck sitting on a bus for a month.

Make sure that they will send you out on trips and excursions, that they are included in the trip and that you don’t have to pay for them and most of all that they are something your readers will want to read about.

The Flying Kiwi did an excellent job of lining up adventures for us in New Zealand.

If we didn’t have excursions each and every day, they would not have gotten their money’s worth from us because we wouldn’t have had anything to write about.

By sending us out there to skydive , swim with dolphins and bungy jump , we could showcase the best of New Zealand and let our readers know that the Flying Kiwi is an excellent way to move around the country while having the adventure of a lifetime.

6. You Can Change Your Itinerary

You have a right to change things if you like. We have made the mistake on a trip by assuming that the company will give us an adventure simply because they said they would.

We have had to take matters into our own hands once we arrived rather than have it all laid out in an email beforehand.

It turns out that companies want you to have the best time possible and if there are things on the tour that don’t fit with your travel style, they are willing to change it.

But if you don’t speak up, you will come away without a story and that isn’t good for either party.

We discussed our itinerary before the tour began over skype and they tailored an amazing two weeks that fit in well with our type of Blogging style. We had never had any company pay such close attention to making sure that both parties were getting the most out of this media trip.

7. Be Prepared

Press Trips take up a lot of your time. Nearly every minute is scheduled and you won’t have time to do your usual work.

Before we leave on a press tour, we schedule tweets and posts so that we aren’t worrying about getting to an Internet. We even go as far as to say what is on our schedule for the day.

If we know that we are going to Petra by Night, we will schedule a tweet for that day stating that we are excited about seeing Petra tonight. It is important to alleviate as much work as possible.

We don’t put up posts about our trip while we are there, we take our time when we get home to do that.

Instead, harness the power of social media to create interest in your upcoming posts and take notes while you are there instead. We also use the press releases and brochures that they give us. We pick up every flyer and pamphlet that we can on the destination that we are visiting.

8. If the Dates Don’t Work, They Can be Changed

Sometimes trips are scheduled for a certain time to harness the power of multiple Bloggers all at once.

But sometimes you are on your own and you can turn down the first offer when it comes to dates. If you are too busy or on another trip, let them know that another time would be good for you. They will most likely be flexible.

Or they will invite you back for the next one.

Once you are on someone’s radar, they will keep an eye out for you in the future. We have turned down three trips since returning home because we have a lot of preparations for the Mongol Rally that begins in 53 days.

The PR and Tourism boards were gracious and told us that they would have us come and visit in the fall upon the completion of our trip.

9. You Can Say No

Sometimes a trip just isn’t a very good offer. We have had people want us to buy our own flights for a 4-day travel and we have had people invite us on a trip that doesn’t even work for our readers.

We cannot accept this type of work. We have said no and then watched other Bloggers accept the same trip and wonder why they said yes to such poor terms?

You need to have integrity. Another trip will come along.

As your blog grows people will want you to come to them to help promote their destination because they enjoy the way you write. I know it can be tempting.

Travel is expensive and to keep going non-stop for years on end it helps to have some free trips come your way, but you should never give up your vision and end up spending a lot of money for a few free days.

10. Tell the Truth

deb snowshoeing in the Thirty Bench vineyard

Let the company know up front that you will be telling the truth about the experience.

Nobody wants to hear a fluffy press piece selling a property just because you got it for free.

We let companies know that it states clearly on our “About Page” that we tell the truth about travel. If we don’t share the good and the bad with our readers, they will never take anything we say seriously. You also need to let your readers know that this was a sponsored trip.

They will appreciate your honesty and if you tell a truthful account of your experience, they won’t even care that it was.

People believe us when we say that we like a place or destination because if we didn’t we would say so.

Just because someone gives you a free trip, don’t feel obligated to write an amazing review. We always think of movie reviewers, it is their job to help you decide if you want to see the movie.

Like them, we feel that it is our job to provide you with all the information you need to decide whether you want to see a country for yourself or stay at a hotel that you stayed it.

We won’t change our blogging style just because someone gave us a trip for free. But we can guarantee that a company will receive unprecedented coverage in the online and social media industry.

Get Paid to Travel
How to Become a Professional Travel Blogger
How to Build Engagement on Facebook
8 Ways to Promote Your Travel Blog – Tips to Finding Traffic

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO .

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

Allianz - Occasional Travelers.
Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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64 thoughts on “A Travel Bloggers Guide to Press Trips”

so glad I stumbled across your blog! I’m going on my first sponsored trip this fall and super excited!

THANK YOU FOR SHARING

I couldn’t have come across this article at a better time. We are going on our very first press trip this coming weekend! We are looking forward to it but I am trying to figure out the ropes of what is expected of me! Thank you for all your tips! They were extremely helpful!

This article was super helpful. I would like to know from your perspective, how soon do you think is too soon for a new blogger to begin to ask for free trips in exchange for writing about a place? Your response is greatly appreciated.

Hi Jaimee, a lot of that depends on your experience. I don’t think it is wise to approach people if you don’t have the audience to back it up. Everything needs to give a company value. Numbers are important as well as engagement, niche and demographics. Would a company get value out of giving you a trip? I know that we talked to many companies who attended TBEX Toronto and they told us that many bloggers didn’t offer them value. They sat down and asked for a free trip and couldn’t give them a reason why they should say yes. You need to have a strong media package together. Dave and I took well over a year before we asked for our first trip. We were already in the country that we approached, so they didn’t have to cover flights which was a big bonus and we had a clear plan designed for them regarding what they would get in return. By then, we probably had about 30,000 readers a month at that time, so we felt confident that they would get some value from us with little investment. Once your profile is raised more, you will find that companies will start approaching you. Start engaging early with the people that you want to work with in the future so that they know who you are and know that you exist. If they can’t find you, they can’t hire you. Best of luck!

Ooh these are some really great tips for my first press trip coming up!!!! I’m starting to plan as much as possible before I go. I’m brainstorming story ideas and even drafting titles and intros to get a head start. I need to think of scheduling my social media posts though. Thnx D&D!!

PRETTY, PRETTY MAJORCAN PETIT HOTEL.

Great information. I am new to this, but I am in a good position to capitalize. It seems acceptable to travel as a two-person team, especially if you both work for the media outlet. Is that correct? Also, are you aware of any opportunities for press travel as a (3-person) family? Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Happy travels!

hi Brian, no we don’t work for a media outlet, we work for ourselves at this blog. Everything we do is for ThePlanetD. I do know of many families that are traveling now too. You are in a great niche.

I don’t know how I didn’t see this post earlier. I guess I just wasn’t supposed to see it until now. I was wondering how people had “sponsored trips” and this helps explain it. We are new to the living abroad and blogging scene and will use your advice, when something comes our way. (Positive thinking here). Thanks so much for sharing!

Glad you found it Heidi. I think life works out that way a lot, you see things when you are supposed to, when you are ready. Hopefully a sponsored trip comes your way soon.

Thanks for sharing your tips D and D:)

I had my first press trip to Japan two months ago and since then I’ve refused another two but have accepted one to Canada:) So looking forward to visiting your beautiful country and great to connect with you.

Yay! Canada will be happy to have you. When are you coming? Congratulations on your success, it sounds like you are doing well.

great tips! this is definitely a post that I will come back and look at more than once 🙂

Thanks Miss Cailin. Glad we have something you can come back to!

Truth be told, I’m hoping like hell for one of these trips!

That said, the reality is good to know. This article is a great resource. Thank you.

Thanks Jim. I hope that you get one soon. We find them to be invaluable to meet our fellow travel bloggers, we get some great content and we get to share a new destination with our readers

Great article! I don’t think these kinds of sponsored trips fit within my niche, but I’m glad I read this in case I ever find an interesting offer in my inbox!

Thank you for this guide! I think all of us in the industry have wondered about press trips.. next up, can you tell us how to pitch to a tourism board? Or do they always just contact you?

That is something we were actually just talking about. We are going to write a post about that soon. We have had a mix of both. They have contacted us, but we have also contacted them ourselves.

Hey guys- Great tips and very thorough post. I have been on several media trips for TV that were specifically tailored to a show I was producing and now I have been on some as a blogger. Either way – it should be the same. No matter what, you are providing publicity for them and sometimes that is worth thousands of dollars/Euros/Baht. We produced half hour shows on Aspen, Montreal, Cabo, etc…this was virtually a free 30 min commercial for them. But in no way should they have any editorial control. Or be able to see the show or your post beforehand. Same goes for blogs. Most trips are more good than bad and, in the end, any publicity is good publicity.

What great points Lisa. You are so right about having editorial control. That is something I should have pointed out and I appreciate the heads up. I think it is important to start thinking about value and what people are getting in return. We see over 100,000 visitors a month that are coming to our site specifically for travel. That’s pretty good publicity. Unlike ads during a tv show, people here are specifically visiting our site because they are interested in travel and the destination we are talking about. It is important that PR agencies and destinations know this. Cheers.

This is a good point. They are getting WAY more out of this than they put in – which is totally fine. But the very nature of the agreement, it seems to me, is that the blogger/producer/etc be totally honest about the experience.

I agree, you have to be honest about your experience or else you will lose your credibility. Luckily for us we have had amazing experiences with our travels and press trips. But when we dont’ think that something is worth it for our readers or not the best, we say it to. IT’s important to be honest. I think that both the blogger and the destination get equal value. We get an experience at a destination that we may not have had before, content for our readers and a chance to meet our fellow bloggers and network with tourism boards and pr agencies. You can get a lot out of a press trip as a travel blogger if you are professional and think of it as a business.

Great write guys! I like how you summarize it all up and love this one ‘You Can Say No’ while this is so true – “Travel is expensive and to keep going non stop for years on end it helps to have some free trips come your way, but you should never give up your vision and end up spending a lot of money for a few free days.”

End of the day, not everyone is going to get invited for press trips. Correct me if I am wrong but if your influence is good on your blog or twitter, the chances are much higher. So this leaves the casual travel bloggers with slim chances. I mean, put yourself in the tourism reps shoes, would you take a blogger with not much traffic and activity on social media? I wouldn’t. So it all goes back to how active you are. Also, there is the target market perspective like what Jordan did. They were hitting out on all the well known travel bloggers who had a big influence in the USA and Europe which was a strategic move which worked awesome! Look at your articles, made me want to go to Jordan too.

Anyway, just an honest opinion from the other side of the world. Keep up the great work guys!

Thanks David. I think you are right. I never know what tourism boards and PR agencies are looking for, but of course it definitely helps to have a high profile on the Internet. Just like so much of advertising and sales. A well known actor that sells tickets to blockbuster movies will sell a product better than a small art house film actor even though they are respected among their audience and peers. The advertiser will go with the George Clooney’s over the Stanley Tucci’s. (although Stanley Tucci might be a bad example since he’s won an academy award recently). But I hope you get my drift:) I am glad that you felt that you wanted to go to Jordan after reading the articles. It was somewhere that we truly felt a special feeling towards press trip or no press trip. Actually, I think it would have been even better without the press trip because we were scheduled so tightly and we were never left alone very much. We like to have more freedom than what we were given, but the country still shone through, so that says something. As you probably can tell, I can’t hide my feelings very well when writing, so if I don’t like a place, I couldn’t fake it in a post even if I wanted to:-)

I wrote about bloggers and press trips recently. I agree that travel bloggers have to consider each press trip on its merits: http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/blog/2011/03/29/blogging-business/

Thanks Karen, I remember that post you wrote it was great. It also generated a lot of comments and discussion which is an excellent thing for the travel blogging community.

Great tips- I can defintely relate to needing to stay firm with our wants and needs- we’ve just gotten our first email regarding a press trip and it was hard sticking to our guns.

Congratulations Jade. I hope it all worked out. We were talking with a fellow blogger that we admire the other day and she put it perfectly. It doesn’t hurt to give things away at first to build your brand and profile as long as you are comfortable with it. After a while you have to start laying ground rules, but like anything, building takes time.

Outstanding piece on press trips. More information than I could have ever imagined about doing this. Thanks so much for the perspective and details on this!

Jeremy, I’m so glad you got something out of it and I am glad that other people are leaving their thoughts as well. Everyone has a different perspective and take on things and when people share, others can take away ideas from all sides.

This is a great post, and I know a lot of travel bloggers are looking for this information, so it’s good that you’ve published it.

I do have a couple comments though, but I’m primarily coming from a travel writer’s perspective, so maybe I’m a little off here, but I have been on blogging press trips as well, and I found that the same things applied. Regarding the fact that tips and gratuities should be paid for, they often aren’t, and I think most people going on press trips don’t realize this. By all means, you should ask if these are included in the trip, but don’t be surprised if they aren’t. Leaving a tip for housekeeping, at meals for tour operators, etc., is a way to show appreciation, and even if there is a tip built into a trip, it’s often okay to go above and beyond that acknowledge the service. I have often tipped at a meal when other travelers haven’t, and the PR host has thanked me for doing so. I honestly don’t think it’s asking too much to leave a tip, and I would definitely recommend that bloggers look into this before assuming gratuities are covered.

Regarding changing the itinerary, I think it’s fair to work with the host before leaving for your trip on creating the right itinerary. In fact, people should be looking long and hard at the itinerary anyway to ensure it meets their specific needs and won’t be a bum trip for their purposes, but don’t wait to do this. Though itineraries can be changed on the go, this is often difficult and costly to the host, and it should be taken care of prior to the trip. I’ve had PR reps tell me that it’s particularly difficult to make these changes on the go with group trips, when they then have to juggle multiple people who all suddenly want to do different things. But before the trip, I definitely think all of this stuff is up for negotiation, especially because you do need to know if you can fulfill what’s being asked of you, and you want to be able to provide something of value to your readers.

Overall, though, great suggestions. Keep up the good work on your blog ~ I look forward to following the two of you on future blogging press trips!

Great point JoAnna. We have had some press trips where people have made a point of telling us that tips are paid for. They have said we don’t want you to have to worry about a thing and we appreciate that. I think that your right though, leaving things for housekeeping etc. it a very good thing in general. These won’t be included. (although we have had these included as well-maybe we’ve been spoiled) Either way, you should ask what is included so that you don’t fret about it during the trip and always wonder what you are supposed to be doing. When we haven’t had them covered, we pay for them. I guess we have been lucky though because we have had the luxury of people telling us that they are indeed included. Tips can add up quickly and we can end up shelling out a lot of money. Especially when doing a lot of adventures. We have had tips for guides add up quite a bit and have been a little stressed by it. The trips where the people made a point of letting us know they’re included have been some of the most well organized and successful companies out there. So they are definitely doing something right all around. But I am glad you brought it up, I definitely don’t want people to think that we would stiff people, if tips are not included, we tip. As ex and ex waiter and waitress, we know how important receiving those tips are. And you are so right, you must work with the host before the trip. That is what we learned early. We had a recent trip where we only received the itinerary 3 days before leaving. We kept asking them for the details and they never came. By the time we got it, we were busy on another tour and didn’t have the time to really peruse it. It ended up not being the greatest itinerary for us. Especially when we saw how many adventures a person could do there. But by the time we got to there it was too late to do anything about it. Our hands were sort of tied though because we kept asking for the itinerary and it never came.

I must say I’m really jealous of all your press trips!! There’s a reason why you keep getting them though- because you rock.

Thank you so much. This is so helpful and given me lots of things to consider for our next press trip. Not sure where it is yet, but I am expecting it! 🙂

Aw Caz. Thanks so much. It is good that we won’t be doing as many this year though. It is an amazing way to see places that we wouldn’t otherwise see, but we are looking forward to things like the Mongol Rally to get down and dirty in the desert and grime:-) I am sure you will be getting one again soon. They seem to come in batches.

I really enjoyed reading this post. I haven’t had any press trip offers, but I’ll know what to look for when that day comes. Thanks for sharing.

Hugely inspirational and very helpful–while it doesn’t apply to me yet, I hope that some day it will! Cheers for sharing your experience 🙂

It will Christine. I remember last year saying to Dave…How do we get on these excellent Blogger Trips? And then it was only a couple of weeks later that we started getting the emails.

I am curious at what point did you get your first email. Were you doing something on your own besides just writing your blog to get the prized email? Contacting PR’s, reaching out to these companies on your own, ect…

Excellent post guys. I have never been on press trip but I am sure one will present itself in the near future. It is great that his post has generated more discussion and advise around the topic. I will be sure to re-read this post when my time comes. Keep writing – Joel

Thanks Joel, best of luck to you on your first press tirp.

Great post! I also want to add that this is great advice for, not only bloggers, but travel writers as well. 🙂 I have a friend who is writing a novel and her main character is a travel writer. Naturally, she wanted to pick my brain about what it’s like to do what I do. Most people don’t even think about the behind-the-scenes process of press trips, which can be pretty fascinating, and she had lots of questions about the logistics of “funding” my travel. That’s actually the question I get asked most often…

There are some pretty thin lines and I’m so glad that you have written a post that doesn’t glamourize these trips and hook readers by saying, “travel the world for free!” Those ads drive me nuts… 😉

Thanks so much Lori. Press trips can be exhausting and stressful. We want to give the best coverage for the destination while providing our readers with an honest account of our travels. I appreciate you saying that it works for Travel Writers as well. I am assuming the writers need to be connected at all times as well. I just couldn’t speak for them since I am a blogger. Cheers. While we love what we do, it is true. It isn’t glamorous but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Just like actors say all the time that acting isn’t glamorous, travel writing isn’t easy. But I sure do love my job:)

I agree with pretty much all of what you say, especially the point that this is an exchange in which both sides get some benefit but it’s certainly not a free holiday. I’d agree with John and prefer to use the term sponsored trip rather than free trip. It’s misleading to say the trip is free because you are paying for it with your blog articles and social media coverage.

I haven’t actually been on any group press trips but have been on a number of sponsored trips that I have arranged myself to places that I really wanted to visit. Others I was approached and if the proposal suited my blog and I could include my husband or family then I went for it. Talking to other bloggers I know that many prefer to work this way as it enables them to get a different angle than they might if they are at the same place at the same time with a number of other bloggers.

On the subject of flights, although they may be included in a group press trip, I’ve not managed to get them covered as part of an individually arranged trip, so I now have to be careful or a ‘free’ trip can end up costing me a small fortune in airfares and other costs and I still have to end up working for it.

That is exactly what this post is stating. Whenever I mention the term free trip it is when I state don’t be taken advantage of. I state, don’t let people make you think that because it is a free tour, you should be grateful to them and bow to their every whim. We have been on both group press trips, individual press trips, trips where other bloggers are at a different location or there at a different time and we have found them all to be very successful. We have found that even when we are with other bloggers we are all off doing our own thing in our respective niches. Maybe we have been lucky. We have never felt that we are on a “fam tour” following the crowd around getting tours of resorts. We have always been sent off on adventures and meet up with other bloggers at night or sometimes ont at all. It is true about flights. They can be the most expensive thing in travel and a lot of companies won’t pay for them. We have had a few covered and there have been other times when they only covered 1 flight. We can understand that because most journalists work alone. We didn’t have our flights covered for Flying kiwi, but for that trip we weighed the expense of what a trip to New Zealand would be complete with every adventure excursion you could think of in the country. Plus we were already in South East Asia when they approached us so the flight wasn’t breaking the bank. Like I said, a trip will have to be pretty amazing for us to cover our flights. 6 weeks in New Zealand with all excursions, food and accommodation covered was justifiable

Thanks for putting together such great advice. I recently responded to another press trip invitation, and was much more firm with my terms than I would’ve been a year or two ago.

I’ve only been on one press trip so far, to Rwanda, and that certainly set a high standard in terms of what to expect, even though I did have to cough up the roundtrip airfare myself (as did everyone on the trip). When the dust settled, the experience, new relationships, and content I created all made it worthwhile.

At the end of the day, I think each blogger has to decide for him/herself if paying some money out of pocket will be worth the experience and exposure they can generate from the trip.

You are right Dave. It is up to the individual. We have paid for flights before, but have now decided that we won’t. It will have to be a very special trip for us to fork out that kind of money again. Because there are two of us, some will only pay for one flight and that is understandable, but now that we have a few under our belts, we are like you and are becoming more firm. It is up to us to decide if the exposure is worth the out of pocket expense. B

Thanks so much for posting this information. It is nice to read about your experiences and how you handled them. I appreciate the part about saying no. This is something I had a hard time doing when I got my first press trip offers. Either the schedule didn’t work or it didn’t fit with my niche. I wanted so badly to make it work because I was so excited to get the offer. I was afraid that turning it down meant no other opportunities would come along but I just couldn’t make it work for me and my site (and a better opportunity and contact came along later).

Hi Jen, I am so glad that a better opportunity came along. I know, when we have turned some down, I had a pit in my stomach thinking, did I do the right thing? Did I burn a contact, will they call me again? But sometimes it is much better to say no than to go on a trip that won’t work for you.

Thank you for posting this. Being somewhat newbies to the travel blogging we have not had any press trip requests yet, but who knows what the future holds… This posts answers so many of our questions of what we should ask and what should be expected of us. I agree with Mark in the comment above in that you have to be able to give an honest review, otherwise you are putting your own reputation at risk.

Thank you again for this post. Great stuff!

Glad we could help Pete. We didn’t know much at all on our first one. Like we said, we were lucky because it was Princess Cruises was so organized that we learned quickly what to look for.

I’m also learning the best way to handle press trips. When we went on a river cruise in Europe last year, I wrote a post every single day. Instead of experiencing any night life at all, we were in our room every night as I wrote and posted. Not only that, I had a new iPad and we didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get the photos from the camera to the iPad – we eventually got them on our Mac and then my husband emailed them to me. Took FOREVER. I have learned not to put myself under so much pressure and write some when I am traveling, but then write a lot when I get home so I don’t miss everything! I also had my first bad experience (with a restaurant) on our last trip and I was just in a quandary about what to do. I really didn’t want to write a bad review, so instead I emailed the PR person and told her about our experience and exactly why it was so bad. I figured they would rather have me do that than write about it for the world. Maybe they will want me to give them another chance sometime in future and I am willing to do that. It could be a completely different experience next time. Having someone pay for your airfare is really a plus and I have only had that happen twice so far. We don’t mind paying for part of the trip because they are such great experiences, but eventually I want all expenses paid!

Thanks for sharing your experiences Jan. You are so right about putting too much pressure on yourself. We did that too and then learned to use twitter and facebook more to generate interest and then write our posts when we get home. We are still writing about Jordan now that we are home, but we were sending people to the JTB website and using their hashtag throughout our time in Jordan. You have given me a point that I forgot to write about and I am going to add to that now. Preparation. I’m adding it in. That’s something I love about a blog, you can always edit as you go! It is also a difficult choice to write about it or leave it out. We always say that people should have confidence in their product for you to give them an honest review. I’ll never forget the Flying Kiwi telling us that they invited us knowing that it could be a risk. But they had to believe that their company was good enough for us to enjoy it. If a company does their research on your blog, you should end up having a great trip. We wouldn’t have thought that the Marriott in the Caribbean would be a good fit for us, but they did their research on the destination to send us to and we ended up climbing volcanoes, ziplining and hiking. They knew that they could tailor the right trip for the right blog.

Nice guide and very true. I’m looking forward to getting to do some of these. I think most of the bloggers who take them go to great lengths to be honest about their experiences. So far, I haven’t noticed any posts that read like press releases, which is good.

You are so right Scott, that is what makes travel blogs so powerful. We only have our readers to think about. We don’t get a regular salary or have an editor to answer to. Most travel bloggers care about the integrity of their blogs and companies are taking notice of that.

thanks for this one… i received my first free trip last year and i didnt know what to do… i ended up asking a friend to cover for me since i was in singapore (the free trip is in the philippines) and doesnt want to let the opportunity to pass by… now i feel more confident in dealing with possible future offers because of the points that you outlined… 🙂

Glad we could help Flip. Good luck with future trips.

I disagree with your term “free trips”, it is not what Press Trips are about. In fact I will go so far as to say that by describing them as such you undermine what you are trying to convey in your post.

Thanks John, What shall I use instead? You are right, it is not a “free trip” and as a matter of fact we say that quite clearly, we state right off the top “there are many factors that a travel blogger needs to take into account before accepting just any free trip.” That says it pretty clearly to me – a press trip it is an exchange in publicity for very hard work on the Bloggers part. A free trip is not what a press trip is all about.

Dave and Deb, Press Trips or blog trips, not free trips. Free trips are got as a result of winning a competition. The most they require on behalf of the person winning a competetion is a photo for publicity purposes and to prove they did actually award the prize. The trips you are writing about exist to publicise whatever the organisation running them wants to. Usually they have a fixed itinerary, although some allow the blogger more freedom to discover what they want not what the organisation wants them to see.

Your comments make no sense and you aren’t being clear as to what your point is. My entire post is about the fact that a press trip is not simply a free trip. It’s funny, whenever I mention the term free trip in this post, it is in the exact opposite context of what you are accusing me of using it in. I say things like “It is upsetting when a company actually makes you feel that you should be happy to be there and if anything goes wrong, well that’s just too bad, you got a free trip.” That is stating that the last thing a person should be thinking is a press trip is a free trip. It states that this is your job and the company should respect that you are there to do it.

Incredibly useful information in this post!

The entire article is great, but I especially like the tip at the end. If you CLEARLY state to the company before you go on the trip that you will be honest to your readers about the experience, you avoid the hassle of possibly feeling bad about writing negative feelings.

Thanks so much!

You are right Mark, you have to be clear. Something that we learned over the year. At first we just accepted and hoped for the best. We have been very lucky because they have turned out well, but there were times when we wished that we outlined our terms more clearly before leaving.

How To Land Paid Press Trips

Learn how to truly get paid to travel in this in-depth masterclass.

Lifetime access included!

It’s incredible how working with brands and tourism boards can increase your income, especially today.

Honestly, if you would have told me back in 2011 when I started Jessie on a Journey that one day I'd actually get PAID to go on press trips, I would have laughed (and then cried, because I worked way too much for way too little back then).

But here's the thing...

It’s not as easy as simply sending out an email to a tourism board saying you have a blog.

And while influencer networks can certainly help you find opportunities, you’ll also need a strategy in place to land them and make paid press trips a reality.

The good news:

I've got the perfect strategy for you right here, in an incredible masterclass I like to call:

How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

Stop working for exposure, and start truly getting paid to travel.

For many travel bloggers, landing press trips is a big goal. In fact, it may even be a driving factor for starting a blog in the first place.

But, did you know you can actually get paid for these trips? As in, a check on top of your hosted trip. Because while free travel is fun, it doesn’t pay the bills.

Even if you have a smaller following, there are steps you can take to make your blog more attractive to potential press trip partners.

Ready to learn how?

Keep in mind, I'll show you the exact step-by-step system I use to continuously get paid to travel and earn thousands of dollars per press trip! ← We'll talk more about rates in the course.

Inside this masterclass, you’ll learn how to:

Position yourself as a premium blogger that tourism boards/brands can’t wait to work with
Make your blog searchable to trip hosts and set yourself up to receive press trip invitations
Turn unpaid press trips into paid invites, even if the host has no budget
Find and pitch tourism boards/brands that actually work with bloggers
Create a rate card that helps you earn more than your base package
Turn a one-off campaign into a long-term partnership
And much more - not to mention there are loads of examples and templates to bring strategies to life!

Over the years I’ve worked with thousands of travel bloggers, helping them to increase their income and build their dream businesses.

And now, I’d love to help you too.

Testimonials

Jessie's masterclass is super insightful and filled with actionable advice that even new bloggers can put into action right away to see results!

What I found very helpful were the pitch templates and case studies, especially the case study where a PR rep shares what brands and tourism boards are looking for when partnering with bloggers. I can’t wait to put all the tips and advice I’ve learned from this masterclass into action...I’m already planning to make some tweaks to my blog to make it more searchable and attractive to brands! I highly recommend taking this masterclass. It’s truly eye-opening and packed with so much value!

-Ping Carlson, How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

I'm learning more about the behind-the-scenes life of being a travel blogger and content creator that other successful or veteran travel bloggers keep to themselves!

The provided resource list alone is invaluable, as are the recommendations for travel events, press trips, photography classes and so much more. As bloggers we wear many hats, from content creators to editors to website troubleshooters to photographers, and the resource list introduces you to helpful digital apps and tools you've probably never heard of. I would absolutely recommend this masterclass! I know that not every newbie blogger has the funds to invest in classes, but this was an investment and I'm glad I took the plunge. It's been very useful!

-Kemi Ibeh, How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

I feel much more confident now and have even landed partnerships and work without a big following!

I love everything Jessie puts out into the world because I know the value she provides. She offers real-life experience without hypotheticals as well as real tips and examples to achieve your desired goals. I chose this program because I know Jessie is a well-respected expert in the blogging field, and will always provide practical information for new bloggers. I also love being able to reference back to the class and programs if I need to review anything. My biggest takeaway from the masterclass was how to actually pitch to and land press trips. I never really knew how to do this or who to reach out to. But now I'm very clear as to what value I bring, and what tourism boards are looking for as a result of this class. My biggest struggle before the masterclass was just not knowing where to start, or how to start. I feel much more confident now and have even landed partnerships and work without a big following! I've seen the most growth in my business in my ability and confidence to pitch. I understand the cycles of the year better, and I am not offended if I don't receive an answer to my emails/pitches.

-Mira Zaki, How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

I WAS EXPECTING IT TO BE GOOD, BUT NOT THIS GOOD!

I am LOVING this course. You really need to charge more for it because it is so packed with actionable tips and information. I was expecting it to be good, but not THIS good! Thank you for providing so much value, Jessie!

- Marie Hampton, How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

alison watta how to land paid press trips course

I’m so excited to have found Jessie’s course on How To Land Paid Press Trips As a Travel Blogger!

Everyone was telling me you can’t actually make money this way. It was refreshing to hear from Jessie that it is possible and learn it’s not out of my reach. Throughout her course, she is transparent and doesn’t hold back in providing the real information you need to be effective. I’m now energized and working through my plan to make it happen. If you want to generate income as a blogger, you need help from an expert like Jessie. I would recommend her courses to anyone wanting to start their blogging business.

- Alison Watta, How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger

jessie festa, solo female travel blogger

Here's What You Get When You Purchase This Masterclass:

video masterclass for travel blog prosperity

In-depth masterclass showing you step-by-step how to land, rock & get paid for press trips

How To Confidently Pitch Brands As A Micro-Blogger Workshop with Rachel-Jean Firchau

Creating Aligned Partnerships With CVBs & Landing Paid Collaborations Workshop with Anna Cook

how to land paid press trips course workbook

Course implementation workbook to help you take action and see results

how to land paid press trips branding workbook

Branding workbook to help you more easily create a blog that brands can't wait to work with

Pitch templates + an editable rate card template that can help you increase your earnings

how to land paid press trips influencer networks

Master list of 60+ influencer networks you can join to start getting found by brands + applying for paid campaigns

Pitch tracking spreadsheet to keep yourself organized and your strategy on track

Sample press trip campaign contract that you can edit and use for yourself

Interviews with other creators sharing their top tips for landing paid press trips

how to land paid press trips PR interviews

Interviews with PR reps + tourism boards sharing what they're really looking for — including in your pitches

digital journal prompts for travel blog prosperity course

Access to a private discussion forum so you can get any and all of your questions answered

Hi, i'm jessie.

before I was implementing the strategies I now teach Inside how to land paid press trip as a travel blogger...

I wanted nothing more than to be able to turn my passion for travel into a career.

But, it was exhausting!

Five blog posts per week, days editing photos, and hours crafting social media shares published across way too many platforms left me with little to show.

And when I say "little," I mean I was doing a happy dance if even my mom left a comment on one of my blog posts.

Sure, I was traveling, but I was spending more time searching for WiFi than actually enjoying the places I was visiting.

While I was working longer hours than ever, I was earning almost nothing.

Isn’t freedom from the 9-to-5 supposed to be fun?

So, I changed my strategy (which, let's be real, I never had in the first place).

I analyzed my daily schedule, cut out time-wasting tasks, and focused on what would grow my traffic, community and income.

I also learned to value my work and myself as a content creator.

Today, I work about half as many hours, but make a full-time salary through my blog.

You don’t need luck to turn your travel blog into a profitable business.

You need a clear strategy and proven action plan that works. And through this masterclass, you’ll get just that.

You've got this

So often, the thing holding us back from reaching a goal isn't our ability to succeed, but a lack of knowledge about what steps need to be taken to get where we want to go.

That you leave the course with absolutely everything you need to start landing paid press trips as a blogger!

In fact, I've been going on press trips for 12 years now. To create this masterclass, I've packaged up everything I've learned in that time and turned it into a one-stop-shop for learning all you need to know about landing them .

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s the deal with free trainings:

The instructor usually fills you with fluff, provides their most basic tips or provides a piece of a strategy that you’d need to buy their $1000 course to complete.

Not with this masterclass.

Inside, I’m sharing with you the step-by-step strategy I've used to consistently land paid press trips over and over again.

Moreover, I take you behind the scenes to see my rate cards, emails, and press trip campaigns so you truly see how to put this strategy into practice.

Along with an in-depth training sharing everything you need to land, rock, and get paid for press trips, you’ll get:

Course workbook to help you take action and see results
Branding workbook to help you create a blog that tourism boards/brands can't wait to work with
Master list of 60+ influencer networks you can join right now to start getting found by brands and applying for paid campaigns
Templates for pitching tourism boards/brands, creating a rate card, and writing partnership contracts
Pitch tracking spreadsheet to keep yourself organized
Private discussion forum to get questions answered

This is a video masterclass, with templates and workbooks helping to drive information home.

You'll have your own course dashboard (I use the Teachable platform), including the masterclass, resources and a discussion forum to get questions answered.

While there are many visuals, I explain in-depth as well, so you can also listen to the masterclass while you're grocery shopping, cooking, or whatever else you may be busy doing.

Honestly...no.

I don't see anyone openly sharing their rates, pitch templates, press trip campaign deliverables, emails and strategies for landing paid press trips.

People talk about growing a blog, and some mention they've been paid for a press trip, but if you want the effective step-by-step strategy that will help YOU land these, you won't find that for free online.

This course is meant for bloggers who are interested in landing press trips but who aren’t yet landing them, as well as bloggers who are landing them but who are struggling to get paid for their work.

I'm not going to lie and say traffic isn't important for paid press trips.

But it's also not the only way to land a press trip. In fact, I'll be sharing a case study of a blogger with less than 1,000 pageviews per month who takes press trips (and how one trip in particular turned into a very lucrative opportunity!).

What's also great about this masterclass is I walk you through what you need to do before you pitch a press trip or start asking to get paid for one.

In short, yes, this masterclass will still benefit you. 🙂

Do I need to be an Instagram model to see success with press trips?

Absolutely not! In fact, what you truly need to be is YOU.

You will have a much easier time building a following — which will make it easier to land paid campaigns — if you focus on authenticity and the things that make you uniquely you vs copying a blueprint to fit a mold.

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now. 😉

But we’ll definitely speak more about this in the course!

I’ve been going on press trips for the last 12 years. To create this masterclass, I've packaged up everything I've learned in that time and turned it into a one-stop-shop for learning everything you need to know about landing paid press trips.

Some of the many tourism boards and brands I’ve worked with on press trip campaigns include Marriott, Qantas, Japan National Tourism Organization, South African Tourism, BeachBound, Tourism Australia, and many more.

But, you won't just hear from me, as the course also includes interviews with other creators and PR reps – not to mention workshops taught by other bloggers landing press trips – for a truly behind-the-scenes look at how this all works.

I’m so passionate about making sure you get results from this course that I’ve included multiple ways to get support:

Discussion forums — you’ll find these underneath every lesson so you can quickly ask questions when they arise
Private student Facebook group — I have a special “student lounge” that I check almost daily
Email — I’m never more than a quick click away 🙂

No hidden fees here! You’ll pay a one-time fee of $149 for lifetime access to this course.

This includes access to future updates, live Q&As (you can find the replay from the last one in the course dashboard), and more.

Plus, you’ll be learning a strategy that can help you earn what you spend back – and much more.

Yes, videos include closed captions, which can be turned on or off with the click of a button.

I would never want you to be unhappy!

This course is non-refundable; however, if are unhappy for any reason please contact Jessie at jessie@jessieonajourney and I will do my best to make it right.

That being said, I'm confident you'll love it. I've really put my heart and soul into making this course incredibly in-depth, valuable, and actionable, and created it with the goal of having it be a one-stop-shop for learning everything you need to know about landing paid press trips.

Ready to learn how to laid paid press trips?

© Jessie on a Journey 2024 | All Rights Reserved | contact

Press Trip Etiquette for Bloggers

Last fall, I chatted about how to ramp up your travel blogging partnerships , and it was one of my most buzzed-about posts of 2017. Let’s say you’re a little more experienced: you’re headed to a hotel stay or a FAM in the next few months, and you’re wondering how to handle yourself. Even though travel blogging is an excellent experience, it is still work: and you still need to be a professional from beginning to end.

A lot of companies that organize press trips also work with travel writers from regional and national media outlets as well — they’re not working with just bloggers/influencers. I’ve talked to a few PR folks that have worked with bloggers who haven’t been the most pleasant to work with, and this devastates me: in our industry, it only takes one bad apple to ruin it for us all.

Press Trip Etiquette for Bloggers by popular Washington DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Press Trip vs. FAM: Bringing Guests

One of the first learning curves with press trips? Learning the difference between a press trip and a FAM , and whether you can bring a guest or not. I define a press trip as an experience where I’m the only media outlet invited to an experience, and a FAM is when multiple bloggers and travel writers are hosted on one trip.

If it’s a press trip, most of the time they’ll understand that you need to bring a guest. If I bring a guest, I let my guest know that this isn’t going to be a leisurely vacation: we have a tight itinerary, they have to help me out with photography, and they need to be on their best behavior. For FAM trips, most of the time you’re not allowed to bring a guest — but I always ask in advance. This might sound nerve-racking, but I love going on FAM trips with other writers I’ve never met before: some of the people I’ve met on FAM trips have become really good friends!

Review the Itinerary in Advance & Note Any Issues

You’ll be provided a copy of the itinerary in advance before a trip, and if there are any major conflicts that you see on it, notify your contact immediately. For example, I’m headed on a FAM trip next month, and it includes a hike. I’m still recovering from a knee injury, and I’m physically unable to complete the hike. However, I’m letting the CVB know well in advance that I’m unable to do this portion of the trip. This way, they can either schedule another activity for me or I can have a PR rep stay behind with me while the others enjoy the hike.

To Tip or Not To Tip?

When you’re on a FAM trip with other writers, typically the tourism board or CVB that you’re partnering with will take care of any checks and tip accordingly.

However, when you’re on a press trip by yourself? If you have a meal that is comped, I would highly recommend asking if gratuity is included or not. Sometimes it will be, but most often it isn’t. I rarely carry cash, but I’ll ask the restaurant to run my card for a dollar so that I can leave a tip, and I like to tip 20-25% of the value of our meal.

Say Your Proper Thank-Yous & Follow Up

Guys…please make sure to say thank you. I like to email within 48 hours of returning home from the experience, and if I had an experience that was exceptionally great, I might send a hand-written thank you note or send baked goods/flowers to the team (rare, but it happens!)

In my thank you note, if I’m planning on writing a blog post about the experience, I like to give them an approximate date that it will go live. If I’m being paid on top of the trip, the turnaround time is a lot shorter for me to get a post up. If an experience is unpaid, I still aim to post on the blog within a 2-month timeframe — since I shoot a lot of photos on a trip, it takes a longer time for me to sort through photos and figure out my exact angle for a post.

How to Cover Your Experience

I’ve been on some press trips and FAMs that are pretty laid back, and that don’t set hard guidelines for coverage: they just hope that if you enjoyed your experience, you’d want to share it on all of your platforms. I’ve also been on some trips where they say right off the bat that you need to post a certain about of times on certain platforms.

I’m always a fan of underpromising and overdelivering: I went on one trip where 3 Instagram Stories were required, and I ended up posting 7 of them. Keep track of every social mention you make and every inclusion for a blog post — the folks who are coordinating the trip want to measure reach and ROI from a press trip and/or FAM, so you’ll want to keep track of everything!

Always Be Honest

Not every trip is going to be an ideal experience for you. Just because you received something complimentary, doesn’t mean that you should give it a glowing review.

If you didn’t enjoy something about your trip, I would let your contact know in your follow-up email. I don’t have to do this too often since I review the itinerary before a trip and make sure I’m aligned with it, but sometimes things happen. A little constructive, polite notes about a trip can go a long way. Sometimes I’ll omit parts of a press trip that I genuinely didn’t enjoy, or don’t think would resonate with my readers.

What are your press trip tips and tricks?

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28 Comments

This is such a great post Alicia! It’s been so exciting to watch the travel side of your blog flourish this past year. I went on my first press trip in December and definitely used some of these tips you mentioned today! 🙂

xoxo A http://www.southernbelleintraining.com

Thank you so much lady! Can’t wait to see where you get to go in 2018!

this is great. thank you for sharing those tips and specially the last one is my fav 🙂 being honest is always good.

Thanks so much Shenali!

I loved reading this post! It’s been a secret goal of mine to find a way to do more press or FAM trips and I have been researching it a bit. Loved reading your perspective on press trips and I have loved following your adventures on your blog and Instagram!

Thank you Amanda! I know you can achieve that goal of doing more trips this year!

Such a great post, I need to do more press trips instead of reaching out and pitching myself. I want to make sure I’m getting the full experience to share with my readers. Love your tips!

The Champagne Edit

Which reminds me….I finally want to plan a trip for all my blogger friends this year and have you there!!

I am SO down! xx

Awesome tips! I’ve never done a press trip of FAM but I feel like these tips on how to handle oneself professionally can be applied in other places as well!

Thank you so much Cynthia!

These are great tips! I haven’t done a ton of these, but I hope to ramp them up in 2018, so this is really well timed. Excellent post!

Thank you Nicole! I totally think you can ramp them up this year!

These are wonderful tips! I haven;t gone on a press trip yet, but I’m glad to have read the advice you have here!

Thanks Jenni! I hope you get to go on a trip soon!

Great tips! I was so confused when I first started going on trips. I always make sure to tip for press trips.

I was clueless when I first started too, such a new concept!

Great info! I’m hoping to do some press and FAM trips during 2018!

Thanks Vicki! I hope you crush your goal!

Love these tips! I’ve only been on one press trip so far and it was so fun so I’m looking to do more in 2018.

I’m sure you’re going to go on some fab press trips this year!!

I have not gone on any trips yet as I am still a new blogger but I hope to in the future and these tips make a lot of sense. I will remember these! Thank you for sharing them.

I used to work on the brand side of influencer marketing and while I had many great experiences with bloggers, I also had some not so great interactions. These tips are important to follow if you want to get hired for a second time!

Gennifer Rose | http://www.GenniferRose.com

This is a great post for bloggers who are new to this experience. I am kind of shocked how many bloggers who have tried to turn a press trip into a leisurely vacation. I am a stickler for being on time, so it surprises me when people decide to miss events.

Good tips. I used to be in PR and now am a blogger. You hit it on the money.

Great tips, I wouldn’t add a thing. Press trips are a lot of work and although they are fun, you are there to do a job.

This was such an interesting read, Alicia! It makes me want to work for a company that organizes these press trips (ha ha)! I’m excited to read more about upcoming travel from you!

Lisa http://www.theeeverydayelevated.com

I’ve been invited on my first FAM trip and am so excited as I’m hoping it will be a chance to not only learn about a new place, but meet some new bloggers and writers. These were such great tips that I will definitely keep in mind!

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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PRESS TRIPS FOR BLOGGERS & HOW TO LAND THEM

Press trips, also known as media trips or familiarization (FAM) tours, are essential opportunities for bloggers and influencers to explore destinations, experiences, and products firsthand while creating engaging content for their audience. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of press trips, offering actionable tips and insider strategies for securing opportunities, making the most of your experiences, and building lasting partnerships with brands and tourism boards.

I went on my first press trip this March, to Las Vegas when I attended the Travel Goods Show .

So here’s the skinny on press trips (sometimes call “fam trips” or “fams” from the word “familiarization”).

me at the travel goods tradeshow in 2024

How press trips for travel writers or bloggers work

source: travelwriting2.com

Understanding Press Trips for Travel Bloggers

Gain firsthand experience: Press trips provide bloggers with firsthand experience of a destination, hotel, resort, or product, allowing them to create authentic and detailed content.
Build relationships: Press trips offer opportunities to network with other influencers, industry professionals, and representatives from brands and tourism boards, paving the way for future collaborations.
Increase exposure: By sharing their press trip experiences on their blog and social media channels, influencers can attract new followers, increase engagement, and enhance their credibility as trusted travel experts.

Tips for Finding and Securing Press Trip Opportunities

Securing press trip opportunities requires proactive outreach, strategic networking, and a strong online presence. Here are some tips for finding and securing press trips:

Build a strong online presence : Focus on creating high-quality content that showcases your unique voice, aesthetic, and expertise. Brands and tourism boards are more likely to invite influencers who have a strong and engaged following.
Network with industry professionals : Attend travel conferences, networking events, and industry meetups to connect with representatives from brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies. Building relationships with key decision-makers can lead to valuable press trip invitations.
Pitch personalized proposals : Instead of sending generic pitch emails, tailor your proposals to the specific brand or destination you’re interested in collaborating with. Highlight your relevant experience, audience demographics, and ideas for collaboration.
Utilize social media : Leverage your social media platforms to showcase your travel experiences and engage with potential collaborators. Use relevant hashtags, participate in Twitter chats, and join Facebook groups dedicated to travel blogging and influencer marketing.
Join influencer networks : Sign up for influencer marketing platforms and networks that connect bloggers with brands and tourism boards looking for collaboration opportunities. These platforms often list available press trip opportunities and provide tools for submitting applications.

my blogger press trip to joshua tree where i worked with the onsen hotel & spa

Making the Most of Your Press Trip Experiences

Research and prepare : Familiarize yourself with the destination, brand, or product you’ll be covering on the press trip. Research local attractions, cultural practices, and current events to ensure that your content is accurate and informative.
Create a content plan : Develop a content plan outlining the type of content you’ll create during the press trip, including blog posts, social media updates, videos, and photography. Consider how you’ll incorporate branded messaging while maintaining authenticity and transparency.
Engage with your audience : Keep your audience engaged throughout the press trip by sharing real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive polls or Q&A sessions. Encourage your followers to ask questions and share their own travel tips and experiences.
Capture high-quality visuals : Invest in high-quality photography and videography equipment to capture stunning visuals that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the destination or product. Experiment with different angles, lighting, and compositions to create captivating content.
Follow up with gratitude : After the press trip concludes, follow up with the hosting brand or destination to express your gratitude for the opportunity.
Share links to the content you created during the trip and inquire about potential future collaborations or partnerships. For example, when I left the Travel Goods show, I published this blog post, and posted it on MSN as well. I then sent it to the company along with a thank you email, and was immediately invited back for next year!

How to Get Invited to Press Trips and FAM Trips

1. BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Develop a professional-looking website or blog that showcases your travel experiences, expertise, and writing style. Optimize your site for search engines to improve visibility.
Grow your social media following across platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Share high-quality content regularly and engage with your audience to build a loyal following.
Create a media kit that highlights your audience demographics, engagement rates, previous collaborations, and partnership opportunities. This will serve as a valuable tool when pitching to brands and PR firms.

2. NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

Attend travel conferences, trade shows, and networking events where you can connect with representatives from brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies. Be genuine and approachable, and focus on building authentic relationships.
Join online communities and forums for travel bloggers and influencers. Participate in discussions, share insights, and collaborate on projects to expand your network within the industry.
Follow brands, tourism boards, and PR agencies on social media, and interact with their content regularly. This will help you stay informed about upcoming opportunities and showcase your interest in collaborating.

3. PITCH PERSONALIZED PROPOSALS

Research brands, destinations, and PR firms that align with your niche, interests, and audience. Tailor your pitch emails to each recipient, highlighting why you’re a good fit for their upcoming press trips or FAM tours.
Include specific ideas for collaboration, such as content formats, themes, and potential deliverables. Demonstrate your creativity, professionalism, and enthusiasm for the opportunity.
Follow up on your pitches politely but persistently, especially if you don’t receive a response initially. Keep track of your communications and deadlines to stay organized.

4. CREATE COMPELLING CONTENT

Consistently produce high-quality content that showcases your storytelling skills, photography, and videography. Use your blog, social media channels, and other platforms to share engaging travel stories and inspire your audience.
Demonstrate your ability to generate buzz and engagement around travel-related topics. Showcase your unique perspective, voice, and personality to stand out from the crowd.
Collaborate with other bloggers, influencers, and brands on joint projects and campaigns. Cross-promote each other’s content to reach a wider audience and attract the attention of potential partners.

5. ATTEND INDUSTRY EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

Participate in workshops, webinars, and training sessions that offer insights into influencer marketing, PR strategies, and content creation. Learn from industry experts and apply their advice to your own approach.
Volunteer or speak at industry events to raise your profile and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Networking with attendees and speakers can lead to valuable connections and collaboration opportunities.

How to Reach Out to PR Firms and Get on PR Lists

1. RESEARCH AND TARGET

Identify PR firms that specialize in travel, hospitality, and lifestyle clients. Research their clients, past campaigns, and areas of expertise to ensure they’re a good fit for your niche and audience. A great place to do this is on Instagram itself, or on LinkedIn.
Follow PR firms on social media, subscribe to their newsletters, and monitor their press releases and announcements. Stay informed about their latest projects, events, and opportunities.

2. CRAFT A PERSUASIVE PITCH

Tailor your pitch emails to each PR firm, addressing the recipient by name and personalizing the content based on their clients and interests. Highlight why you’re interested in collaborating and what value you can bring to their campaigns.
Showcase your previous collaborations, success stories, and audience demographics to demonstrate your credibility and reach. Provide links to your blog, social media profiles, and media kit for easy reference.

You can get my free pitch templates, and what I include in my pitch emails here!

3. BE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSISTENT

Follow PR firms’ submission guidelines and deadlines when reaching out. Keep your emails concise, professional, and error-free to make a good impression.
Follow up on your pitches politely but persistently if you don’t receive a response within a reasonable timeframe. PR professionals are often busy, so a gentle reminder can help keep your pitch top of mind.

4. ATTEND PR EVENTS AND MIXERS

Look for networking events, mixers, and meetups organized by PR firms or industry associations. Attend these events to meet PR professionals in person, exchange business cards, and build rapport.
Offer to collaborate on events or projects with PR firms, such as hosting a press trip or attending a media event as a guest speaker or panelist. Demonstrating your expertise and professionalism in person can lead to future opportunities.

5. FOLLOW UP AND NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS

After establishing contact with PR firms, stay in touch regularly by sharing updates, content, and feedback. Keep them informed about your travel plans, upcoming projects, and areas of interest.
Build genuine relationships with PR professionals based on trust, respect, and mutual benefit. Show appreciation for their efforts and contributions, and be responsive to their requests and feedback.

More Resources:

Do Bloggers Get Paid? Debunking Myths About Blogging Income
Working with Tourism Boards: A Travel Blogger’s Guide
7 Ways to Start A Travel Blog And Make Money On a Budget

Google Gemini Promises to Curb Travel Stress With Enhanced Trip-Planning Features

I moved from the US to Ireland. Here are 11 things that surprised me most.

Beis Carry-On Review: A Travel Expert Tests the Internet-Loved Bag

A Flight Attendant Designed This Oddly-shaped Travel Pillow to Help You Sleep, Even in the Middle Seat

18 Popular Travel Destinations That Aren’t Worth Your Time

How airlines trick you into paying more

The Best Small Town to Visit in Every State for a Charming Weekend

How can I get the most out of my Disneyland trip? Pro tips from insiders who know it best

I Took a Solo Trip to This Pacific Northwest Island and It Left Me Feeling Renewed — Here's How to Plan a Relaxing Visit

Why some of California's most outdoorsy people are moving to...Las Vegas?

Planning your next trip? These are the cheapest days to book flights and travel.

I got tired of big cruise ships so splashed out on a small, 140-passenger cruise. Here's why it was worth the money.

Digital Nomad

Free Travel For Travel Bloggers: The Ins & Outs of Press Trips

by Jason Moore

zerototravel_audioseries_travelblog_final

The Travel Blog Pro Series is designed to give you the tools, advice and honest reality of what it takes to make it as a professional travel blogger.

In part one you learned blog strategy plus how to get set up online. If you missed that article you can read it here – How To Start A Travel Blog: An Honest Guide.

Ready to learn how to utilize your travel blog in an honest and ethical way to earn free travel and other travel perks?

Enter expert travel blogger Nikki Vargas.

Today she is going to teach you how to earn free travel as a blogger by getting on Press Trips (don’t worry if you’ve never heard that term, by the end of this article you’ll be a pro).

Nikki is an NYC-based travel journalist with published work in VICE, FOOD & WINE, Roads & Kingdoms, Matador Network and more.

She is also the Founder and Editor of The Pin the Map Project –an online destination as part of Mode Media–where she oversees a team of writers and writes frequently on the topic of travel. She has spoken at the New York Travel Fest 2015 and the Women’s Travel Fest 2016.

As a professional travel blogger she has taken many incredible FREE trips around the world. Now she’s here to help you do the same.

Take it away Nikki…

Two years ago, my life looked very different– I was very different . I was living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and working at a global advertising firm, slowly climbing my way up the corporate ladder. I had all the trappings of a seemingly successful adult life–a 401 K, company benefits, a good job, a promising career, a ring on my finger and a circus-sized wedding on the horizon–then I did the unthinkable and left everything to become a full time travel writer and blogger.

I started my website, The Pin the Map Project, as an answer to my attempts to find the allusive “dream job” after having sped date my way through the industries of advertising, marketing and public relations. My travel blog became my field of dreams; in that world I wasn’t relegated to the constricting titles of “fiance” or “employee,” I was Nikki The Travel Writer –a more adventurous, exciting version of myself.

As The Pin the Map Project started to blossom, so too did the pressures it put on my career and personal life. My day-to-day job began to be overshadowed by my travel writing and desire to globetrot; while my relationship started to falter under the mounting realizations that our futures were headed in entirely opposite directions.

A mere month before my wedding, I accepted an assignment to Argentina on behalf of The Daily Meal, where I finally was able to ask myself the hard-hitting questions I had actively been avoiding back in New York.

Am I happy? Do I like my career? Do I want to get married?

The answers hit me like a tidal wave; unable to be ignored. I didn’t want to get married, I didn’t want the career I had chosen and I wasn’t happy. I was north of 25 and living my life for everyone but myself and I wasn’t getting any younger nor richer.

I flew back to New York armed with the strength I had found while solo traveling in Argentina and called off my wedding a mere two weeks before it was set to take place. Hearts were broken, people were disappointed, friends were lost and lives were forever changed but I had taken back my life. It was a hefty price to pay and so I vowed to earn the pain I had caused in the name of chasing my dream.

Today, The Pin the Map Project has grown into an online destination with a team of talented writers. My writing has taken me around the world–from Morocco to Mexico–as my foray into the world of travel continues to teach me priceless lessons about the business of travel blogging and what it means to be successful.

I am often inundated with questions from readers about blogging and travel writing as this career path can often seem unattainable to many. I remember being in those shoes, remember writing emails to travel bloggers I admired and hoped to emulate; and today I realize one simple truth: anyone with a passion for travel and knack for writing can become a travel blogger . The dream job is not beyond your reach, Dear Reader, in fact it is very much attainable and here’s how.

Unlike the corporate world, travel blogging comes without a roadmap, without a clear projectory to success or even the promise of financial gain–it is the wild west where being smart is paramount and passion reigns supreme. Yet, if savvy to the ways of building relationships, avoiding the dreaded PR Blacklists and knowing how to pitch brands; you can not only grow a successful site but can also snag some free travel to boot!

The Ins & Outs of Press Trips

When I had arrived in Mexico City solo, I was eager to meet my fellow trip mates who would quickly become my makeshift family on the road. Over the course of eight days together, we met with a local Mexican shaman, hiked the trails at Hierve el Agua, sunbathed on the beaches of Zipolite and huddled by the campfire in the mountains of San Jose del Pacifico. I ate barbacoa tacos from the streets of the famed Mercado Tlacolula, I stayed in charming hotels in Oaxaca City and I even saw pods of frolicking dolphins jump in the sun-soaked waters off the coast; and what did this cost me? Nothing but social media and editorial exposure.

When starting out as a travel blogger, the idea of landing a press trip is the dream. Free airfare and complimentary accommodations in exchange for exposure rings out like a siren’s call in the traveler community. Many bloggers–new and established–adore press trips and will line up back-to-back opportunities; while others grow weary of the packed itineraries that often rob travel of its spontaneity.

Of course, press trips are more than just a means to free travel; they are a business transaction—a promise of exposure in exchange for travel. In this section, we’ll cover the basics of a press trip, how to land one and how to ensure you’ll be invited for more!

What is a Press Trip?

Press trips are tours organized by tourism boards, hotel chains or public relations agencies representing brands that are interested in securing earned publicity.

For example, I was invited down by the Jamaica Tourism board for a few days to explore the many activities and sights offered in and around Ochos Rios. As part of the press trip, I stayed at beautiful resorts, experienced world class spa treatments and ate farm-to-table dining so I could then come back to New York and write a story for my readers about that destination.

The reason for press trips then is simple–it allows brands to invite influential writers and bloggers to experience their destination, hotel or tours. first hand so they can then create content. More often than not, press trips are unpaid for that reason although some bloggers allege they are able to earn money on top of the complimentary flights and accommodations.. A press trip can range in focus from epicurean to architecture to yoga to adventure travel in order to appeal to a wide variety of writers and the topics that they cover.

How To Land Your First Press Trip

A press trip is an investment where a tourism board or public relations firm will pay for the airfare, hotels, meals and activities of a visiting journalist or blogger in hopes of securing high impact, media coverage in their outlets. Keeping this in mind, those invited on press trips are expected to offer more than a passion for writing, they need to have the scale and reach to make the investment of paying for their travel worthwhile.

So what do you do if you’re a new blogger with minimal following? First focus on building up your traffic quickly. One way to do this is by writing for other larger publications and blogs that you’re a fan of. Elite Daily, Thought Catalog and Matador Network are examples of popular online publications that frequently accept guest submissions and are a great way to build up your credentials and drive traffic back to your site.

When I landed my first press trip, The Pin the Map Project was still a fledgling blog so the exposure I provided in exchange for my trip was on both The Pin the Map Project and another publication I was freelance writing for. Ideally–after patience and ample effort in building traffic—you will get to the point where you can then secure press trips on the merits of your own blog; but until then, having you name attached to a larger scale print or online publication will allow you to approach public relations contacts and have a better chance at joining future press tours.

Quick Tip: If looking to land a press trip, Media Kitty is a great resource where PR contacts list upcoming press trips for journalists and bloggers to apply for. Another good resource is MatadorU (as part of Matador Network) which offers a marketplace that lists press trip opportunities and other freelance assignments.

Press Trip Etiquette: Beware of the PR Blacklist

Ask any PR professional about their worst experience with a blogger or journalist and chances are they’ll have a slew of stories to choose from. One blogger may have abused their room service stipend, another might have had too many cocktails, while one may have not delivered on exposure at all; what all of them have in common is they’ll undeniably end up on the dreaded PR Blacklist.

The world of public relations is a small one and to piss off one agency can very well mean you’ve blacklisted yourself from all of them. Remaining professional during press trips is paramount. I’ll discuss the importance of ethics shortly, but for now let’s focus on a few ways to ensure you impress during your press trip and are asked back for more.

Following a press trip, reach out to all the contacts made to both thank them for sponsoring your visit and follow up with details of your upcoming story. It is bad form to attend a press trip and not write up a piece, so make sure to keep your PR contact posted about any published work that comes out of your press tour visit. When writing for a publication, your story is ultimately subject to the editorial team’s calendar and approval so just make sure to keep your PR contact abreast of changes.
When attending a press tour, spend within your given budget (i.e. if given a $30 stipend for breakfast, don’t spend $50) and remember that this is a professional outing that reflects both on you and the publication you represent.
During the trip, be polite and be engaged during the planned activities. Too many bloggers and journalists will often bury themselves in their phones or cameras while out on a press trip; which can come off as disconnected and at times, rude. It’s important to strike a balance between capturing the moment and enjoying it as well.
Remember that a press trip is not a leisure vacation. As amazing as it is to be flown to a Caribbean island to review a hotel or experience the culture; you are there to work. Remain professional, make sure to take good photos, ask questions and get what you need in order to create a stellar story afterwards. Think in terms of the coverage you’ll be providing.

Sample Press Trip Itinerary Snapshot

Saturday, September 27 11:45 AM- Please be on time to meet GMCVB rep 12:25 PM- Check-in for Little Havana food tour 3:00 PM- Meet in front of Maximo Gomez (Domino) Park at 801 SW 15th Ave. to depart for… 3:30 PM- Miami Beach Art Deco Walking Tour 5:00 PM- Return to hotel to freshen up for dinner 7:30 PM- Meet GMCVB rep 8:00 PM- Dinner at Larios on the Beach 10:00 PM- Return to hotel with GMCVB rep

Sunday, September 28 10:30 AM- Hotel check-out must be complete; meet driver in front of hotel to depart for Miami International Airport 12:00 PM- Nicole Vargas depart MIAMI – MIA on DELTA, flight #408 2:55 PM- Arrive in NYC-KENNEDY

A Guide to Landing Travel Perks

I must have danced around the room for five minutes when I first checked into the charming Relais Christie Hotel during a past assignment in Paris. That spiral staircase, that swoon-worthy view of the Latin Quarter’s rooftops, the huge hotel bed and spacious room made my New York apartment look like a basement water closet. While living in the concrete jungle has cost me an exorbitant amount, that Parisian paradise was free .

Welcome to the world of travel perks. I am often greeted by eyebrow raises from friends and family when I travel as they can (understandably so) see the disconnect between my diatribes about the cost of New York living clash with Instagram photos of me sipping cocktails at a beachfront hotel or enjoying four course meals in London. These perks are not compliments of a bursting savings account, trust fund or a rich suitor but rather are the result of one thing: my writing. From getting published to approaching brands, below I share tips on how to land travel perks of your very own.

What are Travel Perks?

A ‘travel perk’ can be anything from a complimentary walking tour to a reservation at a nice restaurant, a hotel stay or even a full trip all offered up to you in exchange for editorial coverage and social media exposure. In the past, I have received guide books, hotel stays, trips to Morocco, Mexico, Jamaica and more; and all of them cost me nothing more than a few articles about my experiences. Travel perks are usually offered by brands or PR agencies representing brands in the hopes of securing press coverage for their client.

More often than not, the world of travel blogging divides into two buckets: those who travel blog for the love of writing and travel; and those who do it for the love of freebies. It’s important to note that travel perks should not define your work as passion is paramount in churning out memorable content. That said, travel perks are a lovely benefit to travel writing and here we’ll explore how to get them.

How to Approach PR Contacts & Brands

The first thing to know when approaching brands and PR contacts as a writer is to be okay with rejection! For a past trip to Cartagena, I had sent many e-mails to various hotels to see if they would be interested in having me write up a review on their behalf–some responded, others didn’t and that is simply the way it goes. Always know that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by simply reaching out and asking for an opportunity.

In my example of reaching out to hotels for Cartagena, I did some research and was able to find (usually on the hotel website) the press contact or PR agency to get in touch with for media inquiries. When reaching out for travel perks then, choose the hotel, company, brand you want to work with and then do some research to find who the appropriate person is to contact. When approaching PR contacts and brands you should always be professional and put your best foot forward, which is to say that your initial e-mail should make the best impression of your work and credentials.

Subject: Press Opportunity for XXX

I will be visiting X and will be working on a story to serve as a guide to your destination. I would love the opportunity to review your (INSERT HOTEL BRAND, DESTINATION, ETC. YOU ARE PITCHING) in exchange for editorial and social media coverage as well as inclusion in my story. This will be in exchange for:

List social media coverage you can provide and associated following List blog posts you can provide (share previous examples) List any additional exposure you can provide (i.e. freelance stories, YouTube videos, etc.)

A little more about myself–

(ENTER YOUR CREDENTIALS)

I am the founder and editor-in-chief of The Pin the Map Project voted a top 100 travel site of 2015. I am an NYC-based travel journalist with published work in FOOD & WINE, The Daily Meal, VICE, Matador Network, Roads & Kingdoms and more; as well as an accredited member of the International Travel Writers Association (ITWA) and Professional Travel Bloggers Association (PTBA). I was also a speaker as at the New York Travel Festival 2015 and the Women’s Travel Fest 2016. You may find samples of my published work here: (INCLUDE LINK).

The things to note in the above example are the clear subject line, the prominent calling out of exposure offered and the listing of your credentials. Whether reaching out to a hotel you’re keen on reviewing, a company whose tours you’d like to write about or a brand whose products you want to try; it’s important to tailor your e-mail to each recipient and make it clear why it would benefit their brand to work with you.

Deciding What to Write

I’m often asked one simple question when it comes to travel perks: Do I have to write a flattering review or can I write the truth? It’s a good question and to understand it, it is important to know the difference between public relations and advertising. As someone that has worked in advertising for years and worked in public relations, the main difference between the two is earned vs. paid media.

Public relations is about getting earned media while advertising will buy publicity or sponsored posts. When it comes to writing your review, you are expected to write the truth–whatever that may be–and as a writer it is important to you and your readers that you maintain your integrity by being honest about your hotel visit, tour or restaurant experience.

A Beginning Guide to Brand Partnerships

From landing press trips to gaining travel perks, the final piece of the puzzle here is securing brand partnerships. Brand partnerships are beneficial for bloggers as they allow the opportunity to align with a prominent company, earn money on a consistent basis and grow exposure significantly. Whether you’re creating video content on behalf a brand each month, are writing for their website or are playing brand ambassador for them in the blogosphere, the benefits of brand partnerships are endless and coveted by most.

Part 1: How Brands Choose Influencers

Brands look at your reach.

While in advertising, it was my job to help select influencers on behalf of global brands and their media campaigns. One of the first things we’d look for are people who had strong reach. There are two types of reach we’d consider: traffic and total reach. Traffic, of course, is how many visitors a blogger has to their website (often determined either by requesting Google Analytics or looking at a webpage’s pagerank); total reach is a cumulative reach that takes an influencer’s social following, subscriber base and traffic into account.

Looking at your Engagement

If your blog has a moderate following, this does not necessarily mean you are out of the running in being looked at by brands. Engagement is something that brands look at when selecting a blogger to work with; often times engagement can outrank reach since having a blogger whose readers comment and share posts can be more impacting than a blogger with thousands of readers who don’t care to react to the articles being shared. As you can guess, engagement is the measure of people reacting to your content–be it comments, likes, shares, retweets and pins.

Having Relevant Content

Brands interested in working with The Pin the Map Project tend to be guidebook companies, cruise liners, hotel brands, tour agencies and more–but all of these have one thing in common: they are related to travel . To work with an auto or finance brand, for example, wouldn’t make sense for my website or relate to my content.

When brands are looking for bloggers to work with, they will look for blogs that have relevant content so that there is a synergy between the brand and the content the blogger is creating. It is also up to each blogger to screen brands that approach them and maintain a strong website environment.

Part 2: The Ethics of Working with a Brand

Disclosing a brand partnership.

The key to avoiding sticky ethical areas in brand partnerships and loyalty to your readers is honesty. If you are writing a post on behalf of Skyscanner, reviewing a tour to Vietnam on behalf of Contiki or promoting GoPro’s newest video camera; you should be upfront about that partnership in your posts and social media.

Landing a brand partnership is an exciting endeavor that is both profitable for your site and beneficial to your readers (who may enjoy giveaways and other brand sponsored contests as a result). Most bloggers are avid fans of the brands they are working with and have no problem disclosing their ties to the company; if you feel otherwise than perhaps the brand you are working with is not the perfect fit for your site.

Being Transparent with your Readers

A website is only as strong as its readers. Each of my readers help keep The Pin the Map Project running–with their comments and emails, questions and social shares. For any blogger working with brands, maintaining the integrity of your website and loyalty to your readers is crucial because being branded a “sell-out” whose blog is inundated with sponsored content and advertising sends your site into cyber Siberia.

When it comes to navigating the ethics of working with a brand, the key is to remember being transparent about your affiliations with the company and letting your readers know when they are reading a sponsored post.

Part 3: How to Form a Brand Partnership

How i select a brand to approach.

The Pin the Map Project is a travel website with a focus on destination guides and solo travel, so when selecting a brand to work with or pitch a potential partnership to, it is imperative that the brand makes sense for my website. Make sure the brand you partner with is one that you feel passionate about and are not ashamed to align your website with.

Pitching a Brand Partnership or Proposal

Pitching a brand to partner with is similar to the “travel perk” e-mail pitch shared in the previous section. Your email should be concise, explain why you are hoping to partner with that specific brand, why it makes sense for your site, how you can benefit the company and lastly your qualifications.

I am reaching out as I am an avid fan of (INSERT COMPANY OR BRAND) and would love to explore opportunities to collaborate and partner in 2016. (INSERT WHY THIS BRAND WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOUR WEBSITE AND READERSHIP).

A little about myself– (ENTER YOUR CREDENTIALS). I am the founder and editor-in-chief of The Pin the Map Project voted a top 100 travel site of 2015. I am an NYC-based travel journalist with published work in FOOD & WINE, The Daily Meal, VICE, Matador Network, Roads & Kingdoms and more; as well as an accredited member of the International Travel Writers Association (ITWA) and Professional Travel Bloggers Association (PTBA). I was also a speaker as at the New York Travel Festival 2015 and the Women’s Travel Fest 2016. You may find samples of my published work here: (INCLUDE LINK).

Below I’ve included some ways in which we can partner–I am more than happy to discuss any of them!

ENTER PARTNERSHIP IDEAS IN BULLET POINTS (GIVEAWAYS, CUSTOM PROGRAMS, ETC.)

Thank you for your consideration,

What this e-mail does is ultimately shows the brand I’m interested in partnering with what I can offer them in terms of my blog and travel writing; as well as why I think their brand would resonate well with my blog readers.

Landing the Brand Partnership

Brand partnerships can vary, so when forming a brand partnership it is important to be realistic with what you can and cannot provide. For example, I can guarantee coverage on The Pin the Map Project for brands I partner with, but can only pitch and hope to publish a story on another publication such as The Huffington Post or VICE.

Likewise, some brands may expect social media coverage, interviews and other additional elements–so make sure to deliver on what’s expected and be honest about what you can provide the brand with.

The final takeaway is this–while the world of travel blogging may seem fantastical, the reality of becoming a travel blogger is attainable. As I often tell my readers, when it comes to starting a travel blog the answer is always devastatingly simple: Just do it! There will never be a perfect time in life to pursue your dreams and make them a reality; but rest assured that the path of successful travel blogging has been paved and if you heed the advice of others and are smart about approaching blogging like a business, you too can find yourself living the dream.

Do you need help starting or growing your travel blog or another dream business?

Check out our community Location Indie, it’s packed with amazing people helping each other kick ass in business and travel. Click below to sign up for our free newsletter and learn more.

Part One: How To Start a Travel Blog: An Honest Guide

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Travel Blogging Academy

Become a story hunter, how to get press trips as a travel blogger, introduction, are you a passionate travel blogger who isn’t afraid of culture shock if so, you’ve probably dreamed of the day when you can get invited on press trips. travel expenses are covered, and you can sip a piña colada. well, good news – it’s entirely possible in this post, i will guide you through the process of getting invited on press trips and making the most of these incredible opportunities..

Build your online brand

Before you can start receiving invitations to press trips, you need to establish yourself as a credible travel blogger. focus on creating high-quality, engaging content on your blog and social media channels. consistency is key, so post regularly and showcase your unique voice and style. this will attract both readers and potential brands, and companies that want to collaborate..

Define your niche

Why should a company choose you there are many influencers out there. that’s why you should have a unique personal brand signature. niche down your content as well. if you write about surfing and empower environmentally friendly travel to surf destinations, you will have a higher chance of getting press trips from surf brands, surf schools, surf tours, surf hostels, and even tourism boards. dress, behave, and act like your niche..

Network with PR agencies

I just came back from a networking meetup with a pr agency. it’s important to know that a pr agency usually has access to hotels, travel agencies, tourism boards, and travel brands. that means they look for influencers who want to promote a company or brand on their social media platforms. this could include advertising, being featured in a monthly newsletter, or even having a short promotional video. another great way to collaborate is by pitching your travel blogging services so the pr agency can connect you with companies in your niche..

How to make a media kit?

A well-crafted media kit is a valuable tool for travel bloggers. include your blog’s statistics, social media reach, audience demographics, and examples of your best work. make it visually appealing and easy to understand. this document will help potential partners understand the value you can bring to their destination or brand..

Pitch to companies & brands!

Don’t wait for press trip invitations to land in your inbox. be proactive and pitch your ideas to destinations and brands you’d like to collaborate with. tailor your pitches to align with their goals and your expertise. highlight how your content can benefit them and their audience..

How to pitch to companies and brands for press trips as a travel blogger.

Show reviews and collabs

Once you’ve been on a few press trips, leverage those experiences to attract more opportunities. create captivating content from your previous trips and share it on your blog and social media. this will not only impress potential collaborators but also provide evidence of your ability to deliver on your promises..

Be a professional

Building a positive reputation in the travel industry is crucial. be professional, reliable, and easy to work with. meet deadlines, communicate clearly, and show appreciation for the opportunities you receive. word of mouth travels fast, and a good track record can lead to more press trips..

Learn always more

The travel industry is ever-changing, and so is the world of blogging and social media. stay updated on industry trends, refine your skills, and adapt to new platforms and technologies. you can learn more by reading travel and tourism news, checking out new travel blogs, attending webinars, workshops, masterminds, and enrolling in new courses to improve your travel blogging skills.

Would you like to bring your travel blog to another level? Become a Story Hunter! Join our tribe of creative individuals to grow together in a like-minded community. Are you ready for your call to adventure? Join the Travel Blogging Academy!

Monetize your travel blog with travel writing.

As a beginner travel blogger, it’s not easy to get a press trip. However, if you have a well-defined niche, a unique signature, and a loyal following, you can already start pitching to brands and companies. It’s not about your numbers but about your influence. It’s better to have fewer followers but real people that you connect with and who trust your word. How would you pitch for a press trip?

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A Guide To Press Trips For Travel Bloggers

Introduction

As a travel blogger, one of the best ways to gain exposure and create compelling content is through participating in press trips. Press trips are organized trips for bloggers and journalists, allowing them to experience destinations, accommodations, activities, and attractions first-hand.

Press trips offer an incredible opportunity to not only explore new destinations but also establish valuable connections within the travel industry. By attending these trips, travel bloggers can gather information, capture stunning visuals, and gain insights that can be shared with their audience through engaging blog posts, videos, and social media updates.

In this guide, we will explore the world of press trips for travel bloggers and outline the essential steps to apply for these trips, choose the right opportunities, and create compelling content that resonates with your readers. We will also emphasize the importance of building relationships with brands and PR representatives and provide tips for maximizing the benefits of a press trip for your travel blog.

Whether you’re a seasoned travel blogger or just starting out, this guide will provide valuable insights and practical advice to ensure a successful and rewarding press trip experience.

What is a press trip?

A press trip, also known as a familiarization trip or FAM trip, is an organized excursion offered to travel bloggers, journalists, and other media professionals. The purpose of a press trip is to provide firsthand experiences of a specific destination, accommodations, attractions, or activities. These trips are typically arranged and sponsored by tourism boards, hotels, tour operators, and other travel-related organizations.

During a press trip, participants are given the opportunity to explore various aspects of the destination, such as its culture, history, cuisine, and natural beauty. They may also have the chance to try out specific services or products related to the travel industry, such as spa treatments, adventure activities, or local culinary experiences.

The duration of a press trip can vary, ranging from a few days to several weeks. The itinerary is carefully planned by the organizers to showcase the best that the destination has to offer and to provide participants with a well-rounded experience.

While press trips are often tailored for media professionals, including journalists and photographers, they have become increasingly popular among travel bloggers. By participating in press trips, bloggers can gain exposure, expand their network, and create engaging content to share with their audience.

Press trips can take various forms, including group trips where multiple bloggers or journalists attend together, or individual trips where a single blogger is invited to explore a destination. Some press trips may focus on a specific theme, such as adventure travel, luxury tourism, or responsible travel, while others may provide a more general overview of the destination.

Overall, press trips are an invaluable opportunity for travel bloggers to gain firsthand knowledge, capture stunning visuals, and create engaging content that resonates with their readers. It allows bloggers to showcase destinations or travel-related products and services, while also establishing credibility and building relationships within the travel industry.

Why should travel bloggers go on press trips?

Participating in press trips offers a myriad of benefits for travel bloggers. Here are some compelling reasons why travel bloggers should consider going on press trips:

1. Firsthand experience: Press trips provide travel bloggers with the opportunity to experience destinations, accommodations, and activities firsthand. This firsthand experience enables bloggers to provide detailed and authentic content to their audience.

2. Access to exclusive experiences: Press trips often include exclusive experiences that may not be readily available to the general public. This can range from behind-the-scenes tours, private tastings, or access to restricted areas. These unique experiences enhance the content that bloggers can create, setting them apart from other travel sources.

3. Exposure and reach: Participating in press trips can give travel bloggers exposure to a wider audience. Organizers of press trips often have an established network of media professionals and through collaborations, bloggers can tap into this network, amplifying their reach and visibility.

4. Building credibility and authority: By attending press trips, travel bloggers have the opportunity to establish themselves as credible sources of information within the travel niche. The firsthand knowledge gained from these trips adds to their expertise and authority, making their content more valuable to their audience.

5. Networking and collaborations: Press trips provide travel bloggers with the chance to network with industry professionals, including PR representatives, tourism boards, hoteliers, and other bloggers. Building relationships during these trips can lead to future collaborations, sponsored partnerships, or even invitations to exclusive events.

6. Creating engaging and captivating content: Press trips offer a wealth of content opportunities for travel bloggers. From picturesque landscapes to immersive cultural experiences, these trips provide the perfect backdrop for bloggers to capture stunning visuals, share interesting stories, and create engaging content that resonates with their audience.

7. Staying up-to-date with industry trends: By participating in press trips, travel bloggers have the opportunity to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the travel industry. They can gain insights into emerging destinations, new attractions, and innovative travel experiences, keeping their content fresh and relevant.

Overall, press trips offer a multitude of advantages for travel bloggers, including unique experiences, exposure, credibility, networking opportunities, and the ability to create captivating content. It opens doors to collaboration, boosts visibility, and helps travel bloggers establish themselves as trusted authorities in the travel sphere.

How to apply for press trips

Securing a spot on a press trip requires careful planning and preparation. Follow these steps to increase your chances of successfully applying for press trips:

1. Build a strong online presence: Before applying for press trips, focus on building a strong and engaging online presence. This includes maintaining an updated and professional travel blog, active social media profiles, and a portfolio of your best travel content. Brands and PR representatives are more likely to invite bloggers with a substantial following and high-quality content.

2. Research relevant brands and PR contacts: Identify brands, tourism boards, PR agencies, and travel organizations that align with your niche and target audience. Research their press trip offerings, past collaborations, and the contact information of their PR representatives. This information can usually be found on their official websites or through networking within the travel industry.

3. Prepare a compelling pitch: Craft a personalized pitch to showcase your expertise, audience demographics, and previous collaborations. Highlight what sets you apart as a travel blogger and explain why you are a good fit for the press trip in question. Tailor your pitch to each specific opportunity, demonstrating your genuine interest and understanding of the destination or brand.

4. Network and make connections: Attend industry events, travel conferences, and networking sessions to meet PR representatives and establish connections within the travel industry. Engage in conversations, exchange contact information, and follow up with an email expressing your interest in collaborating on future press trips. Building relationships can increase your chances of being considered for press trip invitations.

5. Utilize online platforms and directories: Join online platforms and directories that connect bloggers with brands and PR agencies, such as PR agencies’ websites, travel blogger databases, or networking groups. These platforms often provide information about press trip opportunities and allow you to submit applications directly.

6. Showcase your past work: When applying for press trips, provide examples of your previously published travel content to demonstrate your writing style, photography skills, and ability to engage readers. This can include links to blog posts, social media posts, or even a media kit that showcases your best work.

7. Follow application instructions: When applying for press trips, carefully read and follow the instructions provided by the organizer. Pay attention to deadlines, specific requirements, and any additional materials they may request, such as a media kit, writing samples, or social media analytics. Completing the application thoroughly and professionally increases your chances of being selected.

8. Be patient and persistent: The selection process for press trips may take time, and it is not uncommon to face rejection or not hear back from certain opportunities. Be patient and persistent in your efforts, continue to improve your content and online presence, and keep applying for press trips that align with your goals and interests.

By following these steps, you can increase your chances of securing a spot on press trips and gain valuable experiences to share with your audience.

Researching and choosing the right press trips

When it comes to selecting press trips to participate in, it’s essential to research and choose the opportunities that align with your niche, interests, and audience. Here are some key steps to follow:

1. Define your niche: Understand your blog’s niche and target audience. This will help you determine the types of press trips that are most relevant to your content. Whether you focus on adventure travel, luxury experiences, budget travel, or family-friendly destinations, selecting press trips that align with your niche will ensure that you can create valuable and authentic content.

2. Review the itinerary: Carefully review the itinerary provided by the organizer. Look for a well-rounded mix of activities, attractions, and experiences that resonate with your target audience. Ensure that the itinerary allows for enough time to explore and capture content, as well as providing a balance between planned activities and free time.

3. Consider the destination: Assess the destination’s appeal to your audience. Research its popularity, uniqueness, and any upcoming events or festivals that may make your content more compelling. Take into account factors such as safety, accessibility, and availability of other attractions or sites to explore outside of the planned itinerary.

4. Evaluate collaboration requirements: Read the collaboration requirements set by the organizer. Consider whether you are comfortable with the expectations, such as the number and type of content you need to produce or promotional efforts required. Ensure that the terms and conditions align with your blog’s values and goals.

5. Research the organizer and participants: Look into the reputation and credibility of the organizer. Check their website, social media presence, and previous press trips to gauge their professionalism and ability to deliver a worthwhile experience. It can also be helpful to find out who else will be participating in the press trip, as it offers opportunities for networking and potential content collaborations.

6. Read reviews and testimonials: Look for reviews and testimonials from other bloggers or journalists who have attended previous press trips organized by the same company. This can provide insights into the overall experience, the quality of the itinerary, and the level of support provided by the organizer. Consider both positive and negative feedback to make an informed decision.

7. Consider your logistics: Assess the logistics involved, such as travel arrangements, accommodation, and any associated costs. Consider whether you are comfortable with the provided arrangements and if they align with your budget and preferences. Ensure that you have the flexibility to make necessary arrangements for your own comfort and convenience.

8. Evaluate the long-term benefits: Consider the potential long-term benefits beyond the press trip itself. Will the collaboration offer opportunities for future partnerships or collaborations? Is the destination or brand well-known and likely to enhance your blog’s credibility? Assess whether the press trip aligns with your long-term blogging goals.

Take the time to thoroughly research and consider these factors before committing to a press trip. By choosing the right opportunities, you can ensure the best experience for yourself and create valuable and authentic content for your audience.

What to expect on a press trip

Press trips offer unique opportunities for travel bloggers to immerse themselves in a destination and gather firsthand experiences. Here are some things you can expect on a press trip:

1. Engaging itinerary: Press trips typically have well-planned itineraries that showcase the best of the destination. Expect a mix of cultural activities, local experiences, sightseeing, and unique attractions. The itinerary may include visits to popular landmarks, local markets, museums, restaurants, and opportunities for outdoor adventures.

2. Networking opportunities: Press trips often bring together a group of bloggers, journalists, and industry professionals. This provides excellent networking opportunities, as you can connect with like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and build relationships. Take advantage of these connections to expand your network within the travel industry.

3. Accommodation and meals: Usually, press trips include complimentary accommodation in hotels, resorts, or other accommodations. Meals are often provided by the organizer, giving you the chance to sample local cuisine or enjoy unique dining experiences. Be prepared to try new dishes and provide feedback on your culinary experiences.

4. Guided tours and activities: Press trips often include guided tours led by local experts who provide insights into the destination’s history, culture, and significance. These tours can range from city walks to outdoor adventures, depending on the destination and itinerary. You may also have the opportunity to participate in activities specific to the location, such as cooking classes, water sports, or hiking.

5. Interviews and press conferences: Depending on the nature of the press trip, you may have the opportunity to attend interviews or press conferences. This allows you to gather further information, quotes, and insights from destination representatives, industry professionals, or local experts. Use these opportunities to enrich your content and gain unique perspectives.

6. Content creation time: Press trips typically provide dedicated time for content creation. This can include scheduled breaks or free evenings to write blog posts, edit photos and videos, and plan your social media updates. Take advantage of this time to capture high-quality visuals, gather information, and create engaging content that resonates with your audience.

7. Collaborative activities: Depending on the destination and the group dynamics, you may participate in collaborative activities with other bloggers or journalists. This can include joint content creation sessions, panel discussions, or group projects. Collaborative activities provide opportunities to learn from others, exchange ideas, and create unique content collaborations.

8. Educational experiences: Press trips often aim to educate participants about the destination, its culture, and its ecosystem. This can involve visiting local communities, conservation centers, or participating in sustainable tourism initiatives. Expect to gain insights into local traditions, environmental practices, and community efforts aimed at preserving the destination.

9. Press trip obligations: Remember that press trips come with certain obligations. You are expected to generate content, promote the experiences, share your honest feedback, and meet any deliverables outlined by the organizer. Be prepared to provide coverage on your blog, social media channels, and other online platforms as agreed upon.

Press trips provide a unique blend of exploration, learning, and collaboration. By knowing what to expect, you can make the most of the experience and create compelling content that resonates with your audience.

Creating content during a press trip

Press trips offer travel bloggers a wealth of opportunities to create engaging and compelling content. Here are some tips for maximizing your content creation during a press trip:

1. Plan ahead: Review the press trip itinerary in advance and identify the key attractions, activities, and experiences you want to focus on. This will help you plan your content and ensure you capture the most important moments of the trip.

2. Use a variety of mediums: Don’t limit yourself to just one form of content. Utilize a mix of blog posts, social media updates, photos, videos, and live streaming to capture and share your experiences. Different mediums engage different audiences and provide a more comprehensive experience for your followers.

3. Tell a story: Instead of simply sharing information, craft your content to tell an engaging story. Take your audience on the journey with you, sharing the details, emotions, and insights that make your experience unique. Use narratives, personal anecdotes, and descriptive language to bring your experiences to life.

4. Highlight the unique aspects: Look for the unique aspects of the destination, accommodation, or activity you are experiencing. Focus on what sets it apart from similar offerings and highlight those distinctive features in your content. This will make your content more valuable and memorable for your audience.

5. Capture high-quality visuals: Invest in a good camera or smartphone with a high-quality camera to capture stunning visuals. Take the time to learn about composition, lighting, and editing techniques to enhance the visual appeal of your photographs. Eye-catching visuals will make your content more visually appealing and shareable.

6. Incorporate SEO optimization: While creating your content, be mindful of incorporating relevant keywords and optimizing it for search engines. Use strategic placement of keywords in your blog posts, image alt tags, and meta descriptions to increase the visibility and reach of your content in search engine results.

7. Engage with your audience: Encourage interaction and engagement with your audience by asking questions, responding to comments, and initiating conversations. Incorporate calls-to-action in your content to encourage your audience to share their own experiences, ask questions, or provide feedback.

8. Be authentic and honest: Maintain your authenticity by providing honest and unbiased feedback about your experiences. Your audience trusts your opinion, so be transparent about your thoughts, both positive and constructive. This will enhance your credibility and build trust with your audience.

9. Collaborate with fellow participants: Take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with other bloggers or journalists on the trip. This can involve joint content creation, cross-promotion, or even sharing insights and tips. Collaboration not only enhances your content but also expands your reach and allows for a greater exchange of ideas.

10. Reflect on your experiences: Take some time to reflect on your experiences during the press trip. Consider the impact it had on you personally, the lessons you learned, and the key takeaways you want to share with your audience. This reflection will help you create more meaningful and thought-provoking content.

Creating content during a press trip requires careful planning, creativity, and an authentic approach. By utilizing a variety of mediums, storytelling techniques, and engaging with your audience, you can create content that not only captures the essence of your experiences but also resonates with your readers.

Building relationships with brands and PR representatives

Building strong relationships with brands and PR representatives is essential for travel bloggers, as it paves the way for future collaborations and opportunities. Here are some valuable tips for establishing and nurturing these relationships:

1. Attend industry events and conferences: Industry events and conferences provide excellent opportunities to connect with brands and PR representatives face-to-face. Attend relevant travel conferences, networking events, and trade shows to establish direct contact and build relationships. Engage in conversations, exchange contact information, and follow up with a personalized email or social media connection request.

2. Engage with brands and PR representatives on social media: Follow brands and PR representatives on social media platforms and engage with their content. Leave thoughtful comments, share their posts, and participate in conversations. This will help you build familiarity and make you more noticeable within the industry.

3. Personalize your communication: When reaching out to brands or PR representatives, tailor your messages to make it clear that you have done your research. Reference their recent campaigns or initiatives, show genuine interest, and explain why you would be a good fit for their brand. Personalized communication demonstrates your professionalism and dedication.

4. Be professional and reliable: In your interactions with brands and PR representatives, maintain a high level of professionalism. Respond promptly to emails, meet deadlines, and deliver on any commitments you make. Building a reputation for being reliable and professional will garner trust and increase the likelihood of future collaboration opportunities.

5. Show appreciation: When a brand or PR representative provides you with an opportunity or support, express your gratitude. A simple thank-you note or a public acknowledgement on social media can go a long way in strengthening the relationship. Building a positive rapport and showing appreciation will leave a lasting impression on the brand or PR representative.

6. Provide value: Deliver high-quality content and provide valuable exposure for the brands or destinations you collaborate with. Strive to exceed their expectations and showcase the value you bring to the partnership. By consistently producing engaging and influential content, you establish yourself as a valuable asset to brands and PR representatives.

7. Offer feedback and suggestions: Be proactive in sharing your feedback and suggestions with brands and PR representatives. This can be about their services, products, or potential collaboration opportunities. Offering constructive feedback shows that you are invested in helping them improve and can deepen the relationship.

8. Maintain relationships even after collaborations: Don’t let the relationship end after the collaboration or press trip is over. Stay in touch with brands and PR representatives by periodically reaching out to share updates on your blog, new projects, or travel plans. This helps you remain top-of-mind for future collaborations and strengthens the relationship over time.

9. Attend brand-sponsored events: Often, brands organize events and press trips specifically for bloggers and influencers. If you receive an invitation, try to attend these events whenever possible. It allows you to meet the brand representatives, establish personal connections, and gain a deeper understanding of their offerings.

10. Be authentic and honest: Maintain your authenticity and integrity throughout your interactions with brands and PR representatives. Always provide honest feedback, stay true to your principles, and ensure that any brand partnerships align with your values. Transparency and authenticity will establish trust and preserve your credibility.

Building relationships with brands and PR representatives requires time, effort, and a genuine approach. By following these tips and consistently nurturing these relationships, you can create a strong network of industry connections that can lead to exciting collaborations and new opportunities for your travel blog.

Maximizing the Benefits of a Press Trip for Your Travel Blog

Participating in press trips offers numerous benefits for your travel blog. Here are some strategies to maximize the advantages of a press trip:

1. Pre-trip planning: Before embarking on a press trip, conduct thorough research on the destination, its culture, history, and attractions. Identify unique angles and storytelling opportunities that align with your blog’s niche and audience. This will enable you to go into the trip with a clear content strategy and focus.

2. Create engaging and diverse content: During the press trip, aim to create diverse and compelling content that showcases the destination and your experiences. Utilize a variety of formats such as blog posts, vlogs, social media updates, and interactive elements to engage your audience. Incorporate visually appealing images and videos to enhance the storytelling aspect of your content.

3. Provide comprehensive destination guides: Utilize the press trip experience to create comprehensive destination guides for your audience. Include recommended attractions, local tips, hidden gems, and accommodation suggestions. This will position you as a reliable source of information about the destination, enhancing your credibility.

4. Capture unique stories and perspectives: Look for unique stories, experiences, and perspectives during the press trip that go beyond the typical tourist attractions. This can involve interacting with locals, immersing yourself in cultural events, or discovering off-the-beaten-path locations. Share these stories to provide a deeper insight into the destination.

5. Leverage social media: Actively engage on social media platforms throughout the press trip, sharing real-time updates, behind-the-scenes footage, and interactive stories. Use relevant hashtags, geotags, and mentions to increase your visibility and reach. Encourage your audience to follow your journey and participate in the conversation.

6. Collaborate with other participants: Connect and collaborate with other bloggers or journalists on the press trip. Joint content creation, guest blog posts, or cross-promotion can extend your reach and provide different perspectives to your audience. Collaborations also foster relationships within the travel industry, opening doors for future collaborations.

7. Engage with the destination’s community: Engage with the local community during your press trip by interacting with locals, attending events, and supporting local businesses. This not only adds a human touch to your content but also strengthens your connection with the destination and its people.

8. Follow up with brand representatives: After the press trip, make a point to follow up with the brand representatives and PR contacts you met during the trip. Express your gratitude for the opportunity, share the links to your published content, and offer any additional insights or feedback. Maintaining open lines of communication demonstrates professionalism and increases your chances of future collaborations.

9. Monitor and analyze performance: Keep track of the performance of your press trip-related content. Monitor metrics such as engagement, website traffic, and social media reach. Analyzing these data points will help you identify successful strategies, audience preferences, and areas for improvement in future content creation and collaboration opportunities.

10. Stay connected with the travel industry: Stay connected with the travel industry by attending industry events, following relevant publications, and keeping up with industry trends. This will help you stay informed about new opportunities and maintain your relevance within the industry.

By implementing these strategies, you can maximize the benefits of a press trip for your travel blog. Utilize the experience to create compelling content, establish connections, and solidify your reputation as a trusted travel influencer.

Tips for a Successful Press Trip Experience

Participating in a press trip can be an exciting and enriching experience for travel bloggers. To make the most of your press trip, consider the following tips for a successful experience:

1. Be prepared: Familiarize yourself with the destination, the itinerary, and any specific requirements or expectations set by the organizer. Research the culture, customs, and local etiquette to ensure you have a respectful and informed approach.

2. Establish clear goals: Define your goals and objectives for the press trip. Determine what you want to achieve, whether it’s creating engaging content, building relationships, or expanding your knowledge. Having clear goals will guide your actions and ensure a focused approach throughout the trip.

3. Pack smart: Pack essentials such as your camera equipment, chargers, adaptors, and any necessary travel accessories. Additionally, carry business cards, media kits, and comfortable clothing suitable for the destination and activities planned.

4. Be adaptable and flexible: Press trips can be dynamic and unpredictable. Embrace the unexpected, be open to changes in the itinerary, and adapt to new situations. This flexibility will help you maximize the opportunities that arise during the trip.

5. Be professional and punctual: Always maintain a high level of professionalism throughout the press trip. Be punctual for all scheduled activities, meetings, and interviews. Respond promptly to communications and follow any guidelines provided by the organizer.

6. Engage and ask questions: Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from local experts, guides, and other participants. Engage in conversations, ask thoughtful questions, and listen attentively. This will not only help you gather valuable insights but also foster connections with fellow participants.

7. Respect your hosts and fellow participants: Respect the privacy, opinions, and personal space of your hosts and fellow participants. Be considerate and understanding of cultural differences and avoid offensive or insensitive remarks.

8. Capture diverse and compelling content: Use your creativity and skills to capture diverse and compelling content throughout the press trip. Experiment with different angles, perspectives, and storytelling techniques to produce engaging content that resonates with your audience.

9. Stay organized and take notes: Maintain a travel journal or digital notes to document your experiences, thoughts, and key takeaways. It will help you remember details and craft more thorough and authentic content later. Additionally, keep track of any important contacts or follow-up tasks.

10. Follow up and show gratitude: After the press trip, follow up with the organizer, brands, and fellow participants. Share your appreciation for the opportunity, provide feedback, and express your gratitude. This fosters positive relationships and leaves a lasting impression.

Remember, a successful press trip experience goes beyond the trip itself. It requires professionalism, engagement, creativity, and a mindset of gratitude. By implementing these tips, you can make the most of your press trip and create valuable and impactful content for your travel blog.

Participating in press trips offers travel bloggers a unique opportunity to explore new destinations, create compelling content, and build meaningful relationships within the travel industry. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can maximize the benefits of press trips and elevate your travel blog to new heights.

Press trips allow you to gain firsthand experiences, access exclusive opportunities, and immerse yourself in the culture and attractions of a destination. Through engaging content creation, you can share your adventures with your audience, inspire them to explore new places, and establish yourself as a trusted source of travel information.

Building relationships with brands and PR representatives is crucial for long-term success in the industry. By networking, providing value, and maintaining professionalism, you can secure future collaborations and expand your reach within the travel community.

During press trips, remember to plan ahead, capture compelling visuals, embrace storytelling, and maintain authenticity in your content creation. Utilize a variety of mediums and engage with your audience through social media to create an immersive travel experience for your readers.

By researching and selecting the right press trips, you can ensure that the opportunities align with your niche and resonate with your audience. Additionally, focus on nurturing relationships, expressing gratitude, and showing your professionalism throughout the process to foster long-term partnerships.

In conclusion, participating in press trips can greatly enhance your travel blogging journey. From experiencing new destinations to creating exceptional content and building valuable relationships, press trips offer a wealth of opportunities for growth and success. Follow the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, and embark on your press trip adventure with confidence, enthusiasm, and a commitment to delivering exceptional content to your readers.

How I Bagged my First Press Trip in my 5th Month of Blogging..and You can too!

After an year of blogging and tons of achievements and failures, I decided to share some ‘ gyaan ‘ with all of you. I know many of my readers are budding bloggers or want the freedom to travel the world and work remotely. That’s the very reason I wanted to share this whirlwind story of my first press trip with you – to help you manifest your dreams and not allow failures to get in the way.

The Story of My First Press Trip – How it Happened and Why I could NOT Make it

Press trips for travel writers are fairly common but when I first started my blog, I had no idea I could get on one so quickly. I was thinking it takes years of hard work and slogging on my laptop to achieve any substantial goals for my blog. ( This does not mean I wasn’t working hard, I was putting in 10-15 hours a day since day 1. ) Everything changed when I got this email in my inbox –

“Congratulations! We are pleased to confirm that you have been selected to participate in special „Familiarization trip“ to Bosnia and Herzegovina , which will take place from Friday, 3rd to Sunday, 12th of June 2016.”

I had applied over a month ago via a simple google doc form which was shared on “ We Travel We Blog ” Facebook group. Ofcourse I wasn’t even expecting to hear back considering the sheer number of bloggers who had applied. However, if you see an opportunity, never pass it up without giving it a go – Surely thats 2 mins extra off your Fb time but isn’t it worth it? The more jobs/opportunities you apply for, the better the chances of bagging one!

Tip – I would totally recommend you all to join WTWB fb group as the awesome admin Meg Jerrard of MappingMegan shares amazing opportunities there from time to time. She is also a real inspiration to my blogging goals and monetization journey.

When I saw that email in my inbox, I was shocked. I wasn’t even sure if it was for real. After verifying the authenticity of the email through experienced bloggers and Facebook communities, I did a little happy dance in my room and googled Bosnia to learn more about the destination.

Till date, it has been my most exciting blogging moment mainly because I wasn’t expecting any sort of success with the blog so early ( Since then I have been offered 6 press trips in the span of 6 months ). Like they say, you always remember your first love – you will always remember your first invitation to a full paid media trip, I promise ya!

Anyways so next step was to call up Bosnia embassy in Delhi to check visa requirements. There was a lot of paperwork involved but I was determined to do it. I even called up the coordinating agents in Bosnia for a ‘letter of invitation’ to process my visa application quickly. It turned out there was no way I could get a visa within a week (yes it was very short notice – just a week).

That’s when I had to write the most difficult email of my blogging career and politely reject their offer due to visa issues. After that, I was really bummed for a long time – even more so when I saw the pictures of bloggers who were on the trip and it looked like they had a blast. It was a fun filled adventure trip which is exactly the kind of travels I enjoy the most. I kept convincing myself to believe there will be more opportunities but deep down I was just scared. I had self doubts and started thinking I just got lucky somehow with Bosnia and I will never get another chance like this ever. So this rosy moment of pride turned to into depression.

It was very difficult to pull myself out of it and get rid of the nagging fear of failure. I had no idea how a terrific success turned out sour so quickly and my emotions were a roller coaster. At that time, my closest blogging friend – Natasha from LiveLearnVenture , convinced me there will be more opportunities and I need to let go and move on. I am always grateful to her for the constant encouragement, cheerful attitude and support throughout my blogging journey. Now, I have two more pillars of support – Kerri from Beer&Croissants and Sarah of TalesFromaFork to encourage, inspire and keep me focused through the #wins and #fails.

Its a good thing I shook off the depression and did not let this minor drawback pull me down for good because that’s when the “ Trip of Wonders ” happened. I got invited to a media trip to Indonesia which was simply ‘out-of-the-world’ epic! I wrote about my top experiences from this spectacular 12 days press trip to Indonesia here –

10 Kick Ass Things to do in Labuan Bajo How to Make the most of a Short Trip to Jakarta 5 Interesting Things to do in Bali this Summer

Who Else Wants to Land a Fully paid Press Trip?

In the past one year, I have learnt a lot and I have decided it’s time to spill the beans and share the knowledge. I am not an expert travel blogger, far from it in fact, but I am happy to share what has worked for me and this can help you not just in getting on a press trip but also growing and monetizing your blog (or whatever your blogging goals are).

Join Communities and Engage

This would be my number one advice to anyone who is starting out as a travel blogger. Join as many communities like Facebook blogging groups, discussion groups related to your niche and even social media or support groups. I found out that Facebook groups have been my ‘go-to’ source for tips, seeking advice and networking with fellow bloggers. In fact, that’s exactly how I met my wonderful blogging buds from around the world,without whom, I can’t even imagine getting this far.

Tip – Please don’t join groups just to promote your blog. Few groups will allow you to promote your best posts once a week but on other days, try to engage with other group members. Help them out if you can, congratulate them on their blogging wins, listen to their rants and pull them up if they are feeling dejection – b e a “part” of the community and not just keep it as a source for your own personal gains. It is never going to help otherwise in fact you can be blacklisted as a spammer if you only have self serving goals rather than growing together.

Be Professional from Day One

Being professional does not mean you have to spend an arm and a leg on web design or dedicated hosting (By all means, if you have the money, go for it).

Till date, I am using a free WordPress theme but I will be darned if someone calls it amateur. With a little personalization and branding you can come off as a authority in your niche right off the bat.

I started my blog with just $10 and if you are not willing to invest that much even in a hobby (let alone a business), you know you aren’t serious about it!

My first and most important advice to any new blogger is – get rid of the free wordpress/weebly domains and “always” self host. I work as a blogger outreach expert and this is the #1 thing which brands detest. They will reject your blog for any campaigns if you are not self hosted. Period.

So in order to save a few dollars per month, you lose out on thousands of dollars worth of opportunities down the line – Think about it, isn’t it worth investing in hosting? I use shared web hosting (not dedicated) and it is more than sufficient for the amount of traffic I get. I would highly recommend taking the leap from WordPress and move to self hosted blog for just $3.95/ month . My top choice is BlueHost for beginners as they have reliable hosting with easy to use cpanel, great support and tutorials to hand hold you through the process.

Next, its important to personalize. You can either use Canva (Free graphic design software) to design a simple header and logo or if you are lazy, like me, buy them for $5 off Fiverr. If you add 2 bucks for a domain that’s it – you have a semi-professional looking blog at just around $10 to start with.

Have a support group

It is so important to have a blogging support group as these are the people who understand this shit. You can talk all you want to your real life friends and well wishers but they can only help to an extent. I knew I was obsessed with my travel blog since the very first week and wanted to connect with like minded motivated people to share ideas and grow together. That’s how our tiny support group cropped up and it has been my single most important factor for the blog’s success so far.

Write Consistently

You might not have time to write everyday but fix a schedule and stick to it. It has been very hard for me to keep up my twice a week posting (Especially because I won’t post crap just for the heck of it!). But, I kept at it! Even when I am traveling, I make it a post to schedule posts. Few top bloggers post 4-6 times a week or even few times a day. I knew I would never be able to keep up to that pace so I fixed my calendar based on my capacities, which is perfectly okay.

Later on, through my outreach process I learnt many brands will seek out bloggers who post regularly and consistently. This is also very important for your followers and factors in to your overall blog growth. My organic traffic has been going up since I started and posting regularly on my blog gives me that many more chances to rank , even when I am not trying to.

Grow your blog

Work on constantly enhancing your knowledge and growing your blog. I read a lot of books, forums and Facebook group posts to increase my knowledge and stay up to date about the ever changing digital marketing world. I invest in my blog by buying courses, ebooks and social media scheduling tools – all to save time, grow and monetize eventually.

Tip – I would highly recommend buying this epic guide on growing your blog traffic from 17k to 400k page views in 10 months or check out this FREE traffic guide first and get your feet wet 🙂

Traffic has been one of the main blogging challenges for me, so I decided to invest small $$ in order to grow and earn big $$$$ down the line. I would say it was a great investment and I already have two pages of notes and strategies to work on. After implementing just few things and making minor changes, I am seeing my traffic grow 3x in just a week. I am waiting to see if this holds but if I can put in the hours, it is definitely going to work. The ebook is geared towards newbies and if you are just starting out, this guide can help you set a solid foundation for massive traffic potential down the line.

Another site which has helped me grow my blog traffic lately is Flipboard so I would recommend you to get started with flipping and read my detailed guide to driving hoards of Flipboard traffic back to your blog.

When you are ready – Pitch

Being ready means different things for different people. Some feel they need xxx,xxx followers or pageviews before they pitch, few might start in their first few months. There is no sure shot formula and no minimum requirements. You will just know when you are ready, trust me on that.

Once you are confident and geared up, prepare a professional media kit ( I got mine done from Sarah here ). She will send you a file which you can edit as your stats change and tweak as needed but the simple, stylish design helps you attract brands. I still use this media kit and my clients seem to love it – I would think so as I have worked with over 40 brands already and I always send in my simple kit across before we discuss further.

Click here to view my media kit

Next, send out those pitches. It is always hard to click send on your first pitch but do it – How will brands and advertisers find you in millions of blogs in the never-ending blogosphere? Easy – you tell them. Now this does not mean you will send out hundreds of pitches a day. Be selective. Approach brands which gel with your blog image and send a soft pitch asking them if they would be keen on a collaboration. This simple one line has been extremely effective for me. I never send out a detailed pitch before gauging interest levels.

If you are wondering how to find brands to pitch to for press trips ? Well its easy. Some common search terms to put in Google to help you get stared – FAM trip for bloggers 2017, Press trips 2017, Press trips for bloggers, Familirization trips, FAM tours 2017 and so on, I think you get the drift. Apart from boards/brands actively looking for bloggers, you can cold pitch to brands “you” love and think you might enjoy working with.

Know Your Worth and your Audience

The first rule of pitching to a tourism board, travel agency, DMO or even a hotel is to know your worth. DO NOT think of it as a “Free” stay/tour . Blogging is a lot of work. You have worked hard to grow your blog so when you try to reap the benefits, don’t undervalue (or overvalue) yourself.

Pitch according to what you gauge your influence is worth. I knew I was influential when my post about top bars in Bandung started driving “real” visitors to the bars and everyone followed the “wander with jo pub hopping circuit”, I could hardly believe it. Knowing that, I wouldn’t want to undersell myself as I believe in my audience and know my worth. So for example, if I feel a promotional article and social exposure on my blog is worth $500, I will pitch accordingly – if its a hotel priced at $100 a night, I would hope to get a couple of nights plus all meals and/or a spa session (This is just a hypothetical example to gauge your worth and pitch based on that).

It is extremely important to know your audience well so if you have a budget backpacker blog, you should pitch to homestays, guest houses and hostels rather than 5 star properties or luxury villas – Not only will they not respond at all, this might hamper your brand in the long run.

When you Get an Opportunity – Put Your Best Foot Forward

I have been big on over delivering since the first collaboration. You need to “woo” the brands you work with and show them you have put in genuine efforts. This will not only get other brands interested in working with you, but even those who have worked with you in the past will be happy to recommend others or if its a hotel chain, you can practically work with them in any associated countries.

Sadly, I have seen many crappy property reviews online by other bloggers and it just looks like they clicked few pictures and slapped across a short review – just to get it “over” with. Remember, whatever goes on your blog is a representation of your brand, why would you want anything sub par there? Show brands your best side and that it was worth investing in you. For hotels also, there are costs involved in hosting you – Like there’s nothing as a “Free” stay for you, its the same for hotels/agencies – everyone seeks ROI. Put your best foot forward and make the blogging community proud.

Take loads of quality pictures of the property/food/tour (whatever your are reviewing) as well as yourself enjoying those activities (this adds personalization and your readers can resonate). Ask questions from the property manager/PR and make sure to include everything in a jam packed in-depth guide.

To give you an example, last year I worked with Ascott group to review the classy Metropole Hotel in Bangkok , after a few months the marketing manager wrote to me saying that was the best review they had every received for their property till date – and they have had several bloggers review them. That speaks volumes and it makes all the hard work worth it – just a compliment from a fellow blogger or PR can really make your day. Now, I don’t hesitate to reach out to Ascott whenever I am in a country/city where they have properties, as I feel they would be more than happy to accommodate me.

That being said, you don’t have to be all goody two shoes if you had a bad experience. It is very important to clear this upfront that you will be posting an honest review of your experience on your blog. After all, you must be loyal to your readers if they look up to you for recommendations. I have had few minor drawbacks and I mentioned them in person to the PR/marketing manager and later wrote them under “cons” in my review as well. None of the brands felt offended or asked me to remove them as it is true and being fair is just part of writing a review, isn’t it?

These were just few of the many things that helped me reach my first year goals with the blog.

So are you a new blogger or yet to get your first press trip? Ask me any questions through the contact page or in comments below and I will be happy to help you out. Don’t forget to sign up for more tips on successful travel blogging or just for some travel inspiration and destination guides.

With the amazing bloggers and tourism reps during a press trip to North Thailand

Disclaimer – This post contains affiliate links and if you use them, there’s no extra charge to you but it might add to my travel kitty. This would in turn help me bring more success stories, tips and destination guides your way!

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39 thoughts on “how i bagged my first press trip in my 5th month of blogging..and you can too”.

Great article as always Jo!

Glad you liked it Jackson but hey you don’t need any advice in this dept 😉

It is great knowing about your blogging journey.Good to know how you managed to sail through the testing times. I like your candour here. Wish you more success.

Thanks buddy – Those who give up, can never be successful. You need to keep fighting no matter how bad things seem at first.

This is a really informative post. We are relatively new to blogging and have found this very useful. Thanks for sharing.

Happy to hear that guys – thanks for taking the time out to read.

Best post I have read this week so far. Thanks so much Jo. I have read this at just the right time as i’m about to start approaching people for my upcoming trip to Belize. So thank you for the information and the advice 🙂

Oh wow. thanks so much and good luck for Belize – tell me how it goes k?

This blogpost is really amazing and helpful. Thanks for sharing it! I really need to get into Flipboard. I suddenly read all about in the last two weeks. Must be interesting! And also interesting to read about your blogging journey. Very inspiring!

Thanks Danique. I am happy you found it helpful (Well both Flipboard and this one). Its def worth getting on Flipboard

Wow you have had some great results in a short amount of time. Thanks for the great times

Absolutely fantastic tips. Your results are impressive and I now have some takeaways for me as well. Thank you for taking the time to share these tips.

Happy to help Joella

Great tips for new bloggers and people looking to take that next step that’s for sure. It’s always hard to ask for things, but what’s the worse response? No.. and then move on. Bloggers have worth and we need to remember that.

Yeah fear of denial can be overbearing. Just take a deep breath and hit send 🙂 I have never had a rude response and you won’t if you know what you are doing. And remember – pitch only when you are ready.

I’m so sorry your first press trip did not work out! I feel that pain, I’ve been invited to two local ones but they are so last minute that I couldn’t get out of work. But there are always other opportunities and good for you for sticking with it!

Yeah local, national or intl, missing “any” opportunity pretty much sucks…but we need to keep going eh? Now, i will be traveling for around 3 months and I am already missing reviewing some neat places , road trips and treks – I am sure I will be missing more but I need my “personal” trips too eh 🙂

Bosnia is a beautiful country and a very easy place to travel — you should make sure to go at some point.

Thanks for putting this together! I helped organized a press trip way back in the day and these are all solid tips. I hate going on tours and I run an organization and need to be available for that, so I can’t really imagine going on a press trip myself.

Oh def, I will make it to Bosnia – hopefully this year itself 🙂 haha I do come back from EVERY press trip cribbing about how I didn’t enjoy it and how fast/stressful it was etc etc.. or how I had to visit places that weren’t of my interest – but then I come back and after a week, I am ready to go again ;p The idea is to get atleast 2-4 personal trips inbetween press trips – balance it out well.

Great post Jo, lots of info really. Just a small feedback on your social share squares on the left side. When reading the post on tablets they go over the first few colums not allowing me to read the first letters. I had only 3-4cm on the top of the monitor clear. I am using a Samsung tab 4 (i think…not sure lol). I can send you a screen shot if needed. Again great work!!

Oh is it? Shoot! Lemme try to find a fix – thanks for letting me know Stefano – thats good intel 😉

Hi Stefano – Moved em on the top – looks better now? Thanks again for the feedback! 🙂

Wow these are really great tips for anyone looking to go on a press trip. I haven’t been on one yet so will bookmark this for later. Thanks for mentioning my media kit and I’m glad it helped you!

It so did, I love it so much, thanks Sarah!

This is very good advice, and I’m sorry you couldn’t go on the press trip due to visa issues. I have a hard time going on press trips because I am a teacher so my vacation days are set. But you are obviously very hardworking and have a positive attitude to have learned so much about blogging in a short time and to have set clear goals for yourself.

Awww… thank you for your kind words. And really kudos to doing a full time job + blogging – I am struggling with just one, so you are totally kicking ass!

I can relate to a lot of what you are saying here. I am not too old with this blogging journey and can say have had pretty much the same lessons. The support groups really help you understand and learn and grow together and I too, have been a huge advocate of the same. Here is to more laurels that you may win with your blog. Keep up the good work.

Very inspiring! I’m so lucky to come across your post and it has given me a better perspective into blogging and where to take it from here. I hope I can come to you anytime for some blogging help. Wishing you all the best Jo!

Thanks Johann, good luck to you too 🙂

What a wonderful post. I just got my firstFam trip and I know the feeling when you see that first email. Totally relatable. Loved all the tips u shared and thanks a lot. Wish u all the more success in 2017.

Congrats on your first fam. Where did you travel to and how was your experience?

Hi Jo, What an inspirational & helpful post! I have been traveling full-time and blogging about it for years. But I did the writing as a hobby, not caring about networking, SEO, monetization. Only a few weeks ago was I convinced to try and actually get paid for the work I put into my blog. Your post here is a great guide the next steps. Thank you & happy continued travels! C

I found this post through a FB group thread and instead of scanning I read every word. Great information and inspiration for someone who has never felt “big” enough to make a serious effort at getting a press trip. Now i’m reading some of the links you put in the post and then it’s time to try my luck. Thank you

Thanks for your kind words, Dean. I am glad this inspires you to give it a go. If you are just starting out, try and build credibility by working with local restaurants/ hotels – even if you get media rates, it adds to your portfolio…and confidence 🙂 You will never feel “big” enough until you work hard and tell yourself you are (and then brands will also think so but first you need to work on it and believe it!!)

Awesome article Jo, and I love the tip about starting with local brands. I always forget that my local isn’t my readers’ local and therefore has value as a post!

Haha, you are absolutely right Anita, I feel the same about my hometown Delhi and I am often not motivated to blog about offbeat spots or things to do here though I am the BEST person to tell expats/travelers what to do, as a local! They are great filler posts for times when you cannot travel too – though, I am on the road so much lately I have no time to explore my own city. Local brands are an easier catch and something to build your resume on – go for it and do share results 🙂 good luck hun!

Great information! Bookmarking to check back often. Thanks!

Awesome! Thanks for the tips.

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Documentation
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How to Start a WordPress Travel Blog in 2022: All The Know-How You Need

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who only dream of turning traveling into a full-time job and those who actually make it happen. And these people can do so without being pilots, flight attendants, or business people. These individuals are known as travel bloggers, and in several cases, they are getting paid to visit and write about their primary hobby: travel.

Before you start thinking “Oh, that’s never going to happen to me!” allow yourself to be inspired by the inspirational travel bloggers out there who make it all look like a piece of cake.

After that, we’ll jump into some blogging tech stuff.

Top Leading WordPress Travel Blogs in 2022

Dan flying solo.

Dan was clearly born to travel for a living. His blog, Dan Flying Solo, is undoubtedly one of the best travel blogs in the world. He was born and raised in the United Kingdom and is a fantastic writer and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous major publications, including Travel + Leisure and National Geographic. If you are looking for and software to edit photos you can choose Adobe Photoshop.

The Planet D

The Planet D is one of the best travel blogs for adventure. Dave and Deb are an award-winning travel couple from Canada who has visited over 110 countries.

In addition to providing helpful and informative travel tips, Dave and Deb are amazing photographers who share breathtaking images and videos on their blogs and social media channels. The Planet D’s informative and inspiring travel content has enriched the lives of millions of people worldwide. So it’s no surprise that they’re regarded as one of the best travel blogs.

The Blonde Abroad

It doesn’t get any better for solo female travelers than The Blonde Abroad. But, even if you don’t fit that description, you’ll gain a lot from reading this well-known travel blog.

Kiki, the founder of The Blonde Abroad, offers incredible travel tips, how-to guides, and photo/video content from her travels worldwide. Her travel website is not only rich in scope, but it is also visually appealing. You can’t help but feel happy and inspired as you scroll through her travel blog because everything is so creatively laid out.

Atlas and Boots

Atlas & Boots has you covered if you’re looking to add to your travel bucket list. Atlas and Boots is a website dedicated to outdoor travel, including nomad lifestyle tips, hiking, diving, and other fun nature-related activities worldwide.

Kia and Peter, the blog’s creators, have climbed Mount Everest, the Arctic Circle, and Mt. Elbrus (Europe’s highest mountain). Many notable publications, including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, The Guardian, and others, have featured them. These award-winning travel bloggers have visited some truly unique locations, so it’s no surprise that their website is ranked among the best world travel blogs.

Nomadic Matt

Last but not least, there’s Nomadic Matt! Matt has been a top player in the industry for over a decade, and he hasn’t slowed down, with his site receiving over 1 million page views per month.

What I like best about Nomadic Matt is his clear and concise writing style, as well as his advice on how to save money on travel. In addition, Matt’s website is an excellent resource for practical advice that will help you become a more knowledgeable traveler.

Matt is a New York Times best-selling author of the book “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day,” in addition to running a popular travel blog. In addition, he sells travel blogging courses and hosts his annual travel conference, Travel Con.

Let’s get to the important stuff now. Like food and fashion blogs, travel blogs are abundant, so it’s best to start by selecting a niche, especially if you eventually want to earn money from travel blogging, that will help differentiate you from the pack because general travel blogs typically do not fare well when it comes to SEO efforts.

How to Create a WordPress Travel Blog Six Easy Steps

Here’s what your first steps in creating a WordPress travel blog should look like:

Determine your niche;
Determine the design needs for your blog. Concepts: wireframing, mood boards.
Select a hosting provider and install WordPress;
Choose a WordPress theme to match the needs described in chapter 2.;
Establish a consistent publishing schedule with eye-catching images;
Use social media to promote your blog;

Let’s take them one by one:

How to determine your niche

There are numerous travel blog niches that you can create and fill a need for. Some people are born into their niche. Others may need more time to make a decision. Here are some questions to consider when deciding on a niche for your travel blog:

Why do I want to start a blog?
What stories or lessons do I enjoy telling or teaching others?
What are my abilities, strengths, interests, and areas of expertise?
Can I write on this subject for a long time?

However, it’s important to mention that your niche should not be overly broad or narrow.

If you’re looking for ideas, consider the following popular travel niches:

City blogging: Writing about your hometown (you don’t have to travel far, and you may know the subject better than most).
Area/Region blogging: Maybe you want to focus on South America or Southeast Asia;
Demographic-focused: Maybe you want to address Americans/holders of American passports.
Budget travel blogging;
Luxury travel blogging;
Solo travel blogging;
Female travel blogging;
Business travel blogging;
Adventure travel blogging;
Family travel blogging;
Seniors travel blogging;
Travel with disabilities blogging.

To ensure that someone will want to read your blog, look for your competition to see a pre-existing audience for your concept.

Here are some resources you can use to gain a better understanding of your niche and target audience:

Google Trends

Google Trends is a free Google service that provides information on search trends. It tracks search volume across many locations and languages worldwide and indicates how frequently people search for a specific term.

For example, this is what we got when looking at ‘India travel advice’:

Because Google collects data from people’s searches and can help to inform their purpose, you know you’re getting an authentic depiction of what they’re engaged in.

Ubersuggest

Type your domain name or keyword into Ubersuggest and click “search” to get: keywords, content suggestions, a keyword ranking tracker, an SEO audit, and more. This is what we found when we searched for the term “solo travel”:

Apart from the characteristics mentioned, Ubersuggest has a slew of other benefits, including:

A clean interface that makes it simple to grasp search results;
Access to competitor analysis;
Cost-effectiveness.

Although it has some excellent free features, you must subscribe to access the entire database. A monthly subscription costs $29.99 and includes a free seven-day trial.

Bloggers who wish to increase their blog’s performance, the number of domains referring to it, and their Google page rank should use Ahrefs, which provides an in-depth analysis of backlinks, rivals, and keywords.

Ahrefs offers a wealth of information that can help you better understand essential aspects of your site, such as keywords, while also addressing concerns that may be harming your blog’s position.

This is how the ‘solo travel’ keyword data looks like in Ahrefs:

Some other features of Ahrefs include:

A comprehensive summary that allows you to see your results at a glance;
A variety of data, such as duplicate content and performance;
Overall health score.

Alternatively, you could try to be the first in your field. Find a market gap if possible. If you’re wondering, “Why hasn’t anyone done this?” do it yourself!

Another critical factor to consider is getting to know your readers. Is it a group of teenagers looking for a quick getaway? Or are they on their way to becoming full-time nomads? What other blogs do they read? What about their media consumption?

Begin by looking at the following to get your answers:

Social media insights: Your social media platforms provide demographic information for your current followers. You can find this on Facebook, for example, by going to “Insights” and then “People.” Then, navigate to Twitter’s “Analytics” page and click on “Audiences.”
Google Analytics: You can access demographic information about your website visitors through your Google Analytics account. See CoSchedule’s in-depth guide for more information on where to look.

Once you know your people, it’s time to start considering the appearance of your travel. This is what I mean:

How to Determine the Design of Your Travel Blog

You may need to learn basic wireframing for this.

What is wireframing, more precisely?

Wireframing is a method of designing a structurally sound website service. A wireframe is commonly used to layout content and functionality on a page while considering user needs and user journeys. Wireframes are used early in the development process to establish the basic structure before adding visual design and content.

Feel free to do this with a pen and paper or a design tool. It should look something like this:

When wireframing, you must consider the structure of your pages, as well as where you will place images, videos, and text. Following that, you must decide on the blog’s mood, color palette, typography, and so on.

Introducing mood boards

Graphic designers and even some bloggers frequently use mood boards to plan their projects. Mood boards assist you in defining the style of your website. You can use motivating images, complementary color palettes, typography, phrases, and so on.

Example of a mood board:

Mood boards are helpful for more than just interior design and home planning. They can be used to set up a workspace or plan a vacation. The whole psychology of mood boards increases aspirational goals and creative inspiration, so why not create one for your travel blog?

You’ll also need some photo editing apps to make your travel photos come alive.

Assume you prefer to edit your images using a mobile app. In that case, many photo editing apps include a grid option that allows you to combine multiple photos into a single image and use it as inspiration for whatever project you need it for.

This method also makes it simple to share your creative process with the public by uploading your mood board to any social media platform you use, such as Instagram or Pinterest.

Since your phone is one of your best travel companions for capturing, editing and playing with your memories, here’s a list of mobile editing apps that you can use to edit your photos.

Snapseed – Available on IOS/Android

There’s a reason this app ranks first on our list of the best photo editing apps. This handy editing app has quickly become the go-to for photographers looking to tweak the fundamentals of a photograph, such as cropping, coloring, sharpness, and distortions.

The app may appear confusing initially, but it is a simple, effective, and potent editing tool. It gives you complete control over photo editing. Aside from the essential tools, Snapseed supports a wide range of more advanced options such as double exposure, curve control, and filter adjustments.

VSCO – Available on IOS/Android

This app is best known for its preset filters, similar to Instagram filters but much more varied and easier to manipulate. The extensive range of free and not-so-free VSCO filters has been designed to assist photographers in determining their style. In addition, VSCO is frequently used with Snapseed to achieve the best possible result on an image.

VSCO is not only one of the best photo editing apps; it is also a photo-sharing app. Like Instagram, users can edit photos and share them on their VSCO profiles. This enables you to create personalized albums based on specific themes.

Magic Hour – Available on IOS

Magic Hour isn’t quite a photo editor app, but if you like taking photos outside, it can save the day (literally)! This photography app assists photographers in determining when golden hour (the best light of the day) occurs, as well as how long this time range will last in your specific location.

If you’re into travel photography, you’ll understand what we mean when we talk about the ultimate goal of mastering the perfect golden hour look. Although this “look” is primarily associated with outdoor photography, it has become a famous scene for portraits since the rise of social media.

How to Select a Hosting Provider and Install WordPress

The most convenient way to install WordPress is to use a hosting service that handles the installation for you. Many WordPress-specific hosts now provide the option of pre-installing WordPress. That means you can begin working on your WordPress site immediately after signing up for hosting. The question of “how to install WordPress” is irrelevant in this case!

When you’ve decided to use WordPress to build your website, the next step is to find the best hosting platform. With so many options available online, any new user may be perplexed when deciding on their website’s best WordPress hosting plan.

To assist you in making that decision, read this Cloudways article , which contains in-depth information and guidance on choosing your hosting provider and what factors to consider.

15 Inspiring WordPress Travel Blog Themes

Colibri WP is more than just another WordPress theme. It’s a collection of tools and resources. It’s a WordPress theme first and foremost, with the Customizer allowing you to control practically anything. In addition, it also comes with a companion plugin that has a powerful drag-and-drop page builder.

Features of Colibri:

Real-time editing in the Customizer;
Website templates that have already been designed;
Over 60 different front page header designs to choose from;
Backgrounds with images and gradients;
Backgrounds for video and slideshows;
Section dividers with graphics;
Global color schemes.

Divi is a well-known WordPress theme and ultimate page builder. It includes beautiful visual effects that entice new visitors to your travel blog.

The theme includes a variety of ready-made layouts for travel websites and blogs. In addition, Divi provides you with an infinite number of customization options without requiring you to write any code. You can easily add images, video, effects, CTA buttons, contact forms, and more to your site.

Features of Divi:

Increased usability;
Global Modules & Settings;
Full-Width Functionality;
New Footer Layouts & Widget Styling;
Advanced Module Design Settings;
Increased Layout Possibilities;
Background & Border Options;
Typography options.

Astra is a compact WordPress multipurpose theme that you can use for various websites. In addition, the theme comes with an ideal built-in template for your travel blog.

It includes a fullscreen header background image, a call to action button, featured tours sections, reviews sections, and other features. Astra is also an excellent theme for adventurers and travel agencies.

Features of Astra:

Superfast performance;
Page builder integration;
User-friendly interface;
WooCommerce theme compatibility;
Accessibility ready;
SEO-friendly markup;
Translation and RTL ready;
100% open source.

OceanWP is an excellent free WordPress blog theme that includes companion plugins to add premium features to your website.

It comes with a delightful homepage template, WooCommerce support, WPML translation support, page builder integration, and more. In addition, in the WordPress customizer, the theme offers a variety of customizable features.

Features of OceanWP:

OceanWP Performance Benchmarks;
Ready To Import Demos;
Page Builder Friendly;
Fully Customizable;
Individual Post Controls;
Fast & Mobile Responsive;
WooCommerce Ready;
Custom Hooks.

Ultra is a multi-purpose WordPress theme that includes several pre-built websites. For example, you can quickly start your travel blog by importing a template with the 1-click demo content importer.

The theme is compatible with popular drag-and-drop page builders, allowing you to edit any page layout or create a custom landing page. It also includes a theme options panel to configure your website without editing any code.

Features of Ultra:

Retina ready;
Responsive layout;
3 Header Styles;
Custom logo option;
Boxed & Full-Width Layout Options;
Pre-Built Homepage Template;
Unlimited Background Colors, Predefined Patterns.

Essence Pro

Essence Pro is a WordPress theme created specifically for travel blogs and tourism businesses. It is designed to keep your website running smoothly and quickly.

The theme includes a full-width header image, featured stories, and other features. In addition, it supports eCommerce, allowing you to create an online store and monetize your trav el blog.

Features of Essence Pro:

Advanced Gutenberg support;
The one-click theme ready;
Mobile responsive;
Theme customizer;
Translation ready;
eCommerce ready and pre-styled for WooCommerce;
Atomic Blocks, Genesis eNews Extended, Simple Social Icons, and WPForms Lite included.

This theme’s name should speak for itself. Tropicana is a stylish WordPress theme designed for travelers, digital nomads, adventurers, and beachgoers. It has the ideal vibe for starting a travel blog and growing a readership.

The theme works seamlessly with both free and premium WordPress plugins. In addition, it includes multiple page templates for a separate blog page, image gallery, and other features.

Features of Tropicana:

Responsive Design;
WooCommerce Compatible;
Page Builder Support;
Custom Logo Upload Feature;
Live WordPress Customizer.

The Traveler

Similar to Tropicana, we get why this one is called The Traveler. The Traveler was created specifically for travel blogs, tourism websites, and travel agency websites. Its homepage is designed in a traditional magazine, with posts displayed in a masonry grid.

It has a fullscreen background image, an Instagram feed, a full-width page template, custom widgets, social media integration, and other features.

Features of The Traveler:

Fully functional booking system;
Powerful admin panel;
Dashboard reports and statistics;
Fully responsive layout;

Hive is a magazine-style WordPress theme ideal for travelers and travel agencies. The theme’s main features include a minimalist design, beautiful typography, and a stunning display of featured images.

It includes a grid layout for your content, support for post formats, page templates, full-width layouts, multiple widget-ready areas, and more. In addition, Hive is ready for translation and works with WPML to create a multilingual website.

Features of Hive:

Versatile Layouts: Highlight each post with adaptive layouts;
Meaningful Design: Adjust the home page to any content;
Apply color palettes with a few clicks;
Publish easily with the new editor.

Blossom Travel

Blossom Travel is a free WordPress theme designed for tourists, travel bloggers, travel magazines, and tour operators. It includes a newsletter subscription form to help you build an email list and increase the number of visitors to your blog.

It allows you to include Instagram photos to attract users and increase your followers. In addition, the WordPress live customizer provides simple customization options for the theme.

Features of Blossom Travel:

Pretty mobile-friendly design;
Unlimited typography colors;
200+ Google fonts;
2 header layouts; WooCommerce compatibility;
HTML5 maps compatibility;
Schema.org and SEO optimized;
Optimized for speed.

Explorer is a stylish and adaptable WordPress travel blog theme. It has a top-level sticky navigation menu, custom logo support, and a professional homepage design.

It is effortless and straightforward to use, with only the options you will require for your travel blog. In addition, the Explorer theme comes with a variety of layouts, page builder integration, WooCommerce support, and other features.

Features of Explorer:

Premium Soliloquy Slider to present your latest articles dynamically and freshly;
WordPress theme customizer to easily configure your options;
User-friendliness and good readability;
Option to preview any changes before saving them.

Indigo is a stylish WordPress multipurpose theme ideal for travel magazines and blogs. On top, there’s a sticky navigation menu, then a website logo, primary navigation, and an image slider.

It provides a magazine homepage layout and a traditional blog homepage layout. In addition, the theme includes one-of-a-kind custom widgets for social icons and popular posts.

Features of Indigo:

Compatible with the latest WordPress version;
Multi-level drop-down menu;
Background panel;
Featured Services section;
Four widget-ready sections;
Featured images;
Translation ready, pot file provided;
Styling for Contact Form 7 plugin.

Noozbeat is a high-quality WordPress news and magazine theme perfect for travel and adventure blogs. It displays your post blocks as featured pictures, with article titles overlaid on top.

The site uses a dynamic grid structure to present recent content. In addition, it has a widgetized template that allows you to build your homepage by dragging and dropping widgets quickly.

Features of Noozbeat:

Constant Updates;
Premium Support;
One-Click Demo Import;
Documentation;
Easy Customization;
Speed Optimization;
Translation Ready.

Peak is a beautiful way to show off your travel photos. This elegant WordPress theme is ideal for travel photography, tourism, and personal websites.

It includes a page title banner, different gallery layouts, page templates, slideout widgets, and more. It’s solid but straightforward to use, with thorough theme options that guide you through the setup process.

Features of Peak:

Donation-based campaign;
Various payment options.
Events integrations for campaigns;
Issue tickets for events;
WooCommerce integration;
Reporting functions;
Premium shortcode builder.

Insight is a multipurpose WordPress theme that works well for travel publications, journals, and photography blogs. It comes with various unique widgets and an utterly widgetized homepage layout that you can customize by dragging and dropping objects.

There are three color schemes available and the option to apply custom colors. In addition, the WordPress customizer and a custom theme options panel make all of the theme options easily accessible.

Features of Insight:

Fluid and responsive layout;
SEO optimized;
Theme Options Panel: you can easily change every detail of your theme to best suit your needs;
Responsive & Retina Ready;
Dynamic Homepage Builder;
Features from Jetpack;
Visual Customizer.

Neve is a sleek WordPress theme featuring dozens of pre-built demo sites, including a travel blog, travel agency, and tourist website template. In addition, it has parallax effects on the homepage to catch the attention of your visitors right away.

You can exhibit your trip activities, images, travelogs, and more on the homepage, divided into several parts. Neve is straightforward to set up and SEO-friendly.

Features of Neve:

Lightweight, Performance-Optimized Design;
Header and Footer Builder;
Importable Demo Sites;
Compatible With Page Builder Plugins Like Elementor;
Lots of Layout Options;
Detailed WooCommerce Compatibility;
Booster Features (Pro);
White Label (Pro).

Now that you have all this information, you can play with the many WordPress travel blog themes to see which one best suits your website’s requirements.

After you’ve decided which one to go with, you must go to the next step:

How to Post Regularly

You’ll need to keep updating your WordPress travel blog now that it’s up and running. In addition, you’ll need to create a content calendar covering various topics and back it up with high-quality photographs of your one-of-a-kind style.

You’ll need a lot of practice time to perfect your photographic talents, but you can create a consistent publishing schedule by developing an editorial calendar.

The following factors determine the ideal publishing schedule for you:

What is the frequency with which your competitors post;
What is the frequency with which you can post content that stands out;

Many travel websites publish new content every day, but this should never come at the expense of the quality of the content. It’s okay if you only post once a week first; the important thing is to plan your content.

A content calendar can help you out a great deal.

A content calendar (sometimes known as an “editorial calendar”) is a written schedule that details when and where new material will be published in the future. Material calendars typically include upcoming articles, status updates, planned promotional activity, collaborations, and revisions to existing content.

Depending on how much content you publish, you may wish to invest in content calendar software. Consider the following alternatives:

Loomly has interactive guidance for writing blog posts, social media automation, and other features.

Editorial Calendar for WordPress

This plugin is a free calendar that is simple to use and drag-and-drop. If WordPress powers your blog, this might be the best solution for you.

How to Use Social Media to Promote your WordPress Travel Blog

As a travel blogger, you’ll want to get as many visitors as possible to your site. However, given that millions of blogs are produced every day , you’ll need to think outside the box when it comes to promoting your blog.

Fortunately, in 2022, there will be many unique and creative ways to market your WordPress blog. If you become inventive, you should have no trouble persuading readers to choose your material above the competitors.

One of the most well-known advantages of having an excellent social media strategy is that you can get low-cost visitors that you wouldn’t get otherwise. However, especially if you’re a younger company, attracting traffic through avenues other than social media might be tricky.

For example, if you utilize SEO in conjunction with content marketing, it could take anywhere from six months to a year to see any actual returns. Furthermore, even if outcomes are visible, you have less control over them.

Every blog may profit from social media marketing, and travel blogs are great candidates with their image-heavy content. But, at the very least, your website should feature social share buttons, and each content should be shared across all of your social media networks.

Here’s what you can do if you want to turn your travel blog into a profitable business:

Connect your website to Instagram;
Develop a social media plan;
Use social media tools to organize your marketing activities.

Instagram and TikTok are both excellent platforms for promoting your WordPress travel blog. Few corporations in the fashion, beauty, travel, food and beverage industries run marketing campaigns that do not include, at least in part, collaborations with popular Instagram and TikTok users.

When it comes to TikTok, the sky’s the limit. You can post almost everything from product demonstrations to day-in-the-life films to dancing challenges, travel destination inspiration, and more. Furthermore, it is a low-cost and pleasant method of promoting your project.

Final Advice

Prepare to put in a lot of effort in your WordPress travel blog and don’t expect to see immediate rewards, both financially and in terms of visitors. Still, if you put in 2 hours per day, on average, you will see good results and acquire that ideal job you’ve always wanted after a while.

A travel blog is not only a great way to capture and share your passion for travel, but it also has the potential to earn money. So first, decide whether you’ll be blogging for fun or a living, then use these tips to help you get started with your travel blog.

Now, if you liked this article, and you want to learn more about how to design a WordPress website , make sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and follow us on Twitter and Facebook !

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Gabriella Antal

Gabriella is a Content Marketer with a zeal for all-things WordPress. When she's not writing and editing upcoming articles, you can find her hiking with her four-legged buddy.

Gabriella Antal https://colibriwp.com/blog/author/gabriella-antal/ Here’s Everything You Need to Know About WordPress Cookies
Gabriella Antal https://colibriwp.com/blog/author/gabriella-antal/ From Top to Bottom: How to Handle WordPress Comments in 2022
Gabriella Antal https://colibriwp.com/blog/author/gabriella-antal/ WordPress Parallax: Your Complete Go-To Guide
Gabriella Antal https://colibriwp.com/blog/author/gabriella-antal/ How to Start a WordPress Fashion Blog in 2022: All The Know-How You Need

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10 Best WordPress Travel Plugins for Travel Bloggers

Do you want to run a superduper travel website on WordPress? Then you’ll need this curated list of the best WordPress travel plugins.

These plugins 🔌 cover all essential aspects of travel blogging. You will find it all in this compact guide, whether it’s interactive maps, travel booking, building pages, creating photo galleries, optimizing images, sharing your travel blog content on social media, and more.

Without further ado, let’s dig into the top ten WordPress plugins for travel bloggers 🧭.

📚 Table of contents:

Interactive Geo Maps
Otter Gutenberg Blocks
WP Travel Engine
Photo Gallery by 10Web
Image Optimization & Lazy Load by Optimole
Social Media Share Buttons
Revive Old Posts

1. Interactive Geo Maps

Author(s): MapGeo

Current Version: 1.6.16

Last Updated: April 4, 2024

interactive-geo-maps.1.6.16.zip

One of the best WordPress travel plugins is Interactive Geo Maps.

As a travel blogger, traveling comes with the territory.

With Interactive Geo Maps, you can take your audience along with you in your global gallivants. You can show country maps, continent maps, and the world map and mark places you’ve been to or plan to visit.

Key Features ⚙️

Display 250+ vector maps, including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Latin America, and more
Show all the US States divided by counties
Pick your favorite map projections from Mercator, Miller, NaturalEarth1, and others
Color specific countries and add colored markers to locations

Pricing 💸

The core Interactive Geo Maps plugin is free. You can buy the pro version of Interactive Geo Maps for $3.99 per month on the monthly plan or get a 37% discount when you purchase the annual plan at once for $29.99. The Lifetime plan costs $79.99 as a one-time payment.

2. WP Travel

WP Travel – Best Travel Booking WordPress Plugin, Tour Management Engine

Author(s): WP Travel

Current Version: 8.8.0

Last Updated: May 28, 2024

wp-travel.8.8.0.zip

WordPress Travel is a free plugin for building travel websites in minutes.

WordPress Travel is a godsend if you’ve always wanted to build a personalized tour operator or travel agency website. Using WordPress Travel advanced modules, you can create stunning, SEO-friendly , and scalable travel agency or tour operator websites.

It’s compatible with top travel agency WordPress themes.

Create unlimited tour packages that cover the trip description, duration, gallery, price, itinerary, and more
Compatible with 12 payment gateways, including Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.Net
Add multiple pricing options and multiple dates for one trip
Get more tour bookings with an effortless booking system that users can fill up fast

The core WP Travel plugin is free. The premium version of WP Travel starts at $99.99 per year.

3. Otter Gutenberg Blocks

Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE

Author(s): ThemeIsle

Current Version: 2.6.12

Last Updated: May 2, 2024

otter-blocks.zip

No matter your travel blogging niche, you need a page builder to create site pages.

The Otter Gutenberg Blocks Page is one of the finest WordPress travel plugins for building pages. It enhances your WordPress page building experience.

It adds extra custom blocks to the Gutenberg Block Editor , such as Visibility Conditions, Animations, and Custom CSS . These additional features allow you to build beautiful pages without using conventional page builders like Divi and Elementor .

Get an additional 30+ marvelous and handy blocks for sweatless page building
Jazz up your travel blog content with 50+ animations you can add to any block or page
Design mobile-friendly pages for your audience using Otter’s baked-in responsive settings
Create a travel blog that matches your branding with full control of color accents, fonts, and backgrounds

The core Otter Blocks plugin is free. Otter Pro starts at $34.50 per year.

4. Geo Mashup

Author(s): Dylan Kuhn

Current Version: 1.13.12

Last Updated: July 14, 2023

geo-mashup.1.13.12.zip

As a travel blogger, you want to creatively share detailed info about your destinations.

Geo Mashup helps you to do just that.

You provide readers with annotated map data about recent places you’ve visited. Geo Mashup lets you mark locations in your posts and pages. Users get a summary of the place when they click on a marked destination.

Generate map data from three providers: Google Maps V3, Leaflet, or OpenLayers
Add maps to your WordPress travel site pages or posts using both shortcodes and template tags
A Geo Search Widget allows users to search for personalized content based on distance from a search location
Automatically fill in address information for locations using reverse geocoding of location coordinates

Geo Mashup is one of the completely free WordPress travel plugins on this list. You get it all. No upgrade necessary.

5. Travel Map

Author(s): TravelMap

Current Version: 1.0.2

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

travelmap-blog.zip

Travel Map is one of the leading WordPress travel plugins.

It enables you to create, track, and manage your travel adventures right inside your WordPress dashboard. Travel Map is ideal for on-the-move travel bloggers like backpackers and life-on-the-road bloggers.

You can chronicle your travels and movements live and engage with your audience better.

Create unlimited interactive maps to chronicle your journeys in your WordPress admin
Show readers the places you’ve been to, where you are currently, and where you are going next
Easily embed an interactive map anywhere on your travel website
Color coding allows you to use different colors for different modes of transport

The core Travel Map plugin is free. The Premium Travel Map version costs €30 or $31.62 per year.

6. WP Travel Engine

WP Travel Engine – Best Travel Booking WordPress Plugin, Tour Booking System

Author(s): WP Travel Engine

Current Version: 5.9.1

Last Updated: May 15, 2024

wp-travel-engine.5.9.1.zip

Next, we will explore WP Travel Engine.

WP Travel Engine is the perfect option for travel booking websites.

You can use this powerful, user-friendly WordPress travel booking plugin to create SEO-friendly travel booking websites quickly. As a travel website owner, you will enjoy the feature-rich plugin capabilities to boost inquiries and bookings.

Allow readers to leave trip reviews to build trust and increase tour bookings
Supports WooCommerce so you can collect payments from the major payment gateways
Unlimited travel packages so you can create and market boundless packages to maximize profits
Add tour details, itinerary, gallery, regular price, sale price, trip duration, trip facts, and FAQs

The core plugin is free. Plans for the premium version of WP Travel Engine start at $99.50 per year.

7. Photo Gallery by 10Web

Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery

Author(s): Photo Gallery Team

Current Version: 1.8.23

Last Updated: April 16, 2024

photo-gallery.1.8.23.zip

Are you hunting for an easy-to-use plugin to add and manage stunning, responsive travel photo galleries and albums to your WordPress travel website?

Then look no further than Photo Gallery by 10Web.

Photo Gallery comes loaded with many handy features for creating simple or sophisticated travel photo galleries to engage your audience.

Create eye-catching image layouts including Mosaic, Slideshow, Thumbnails, Compact Album, Masonry, Image Browser, Blog Style, and Extended
Create as many photos, galleries, and albums as you like to suit your needs
Impressive lightbox that includes 15 slideshows, filmstrip, social sharing, and full-width view
Audio and video support for YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Flickr, or Dailymotion content

The core Photo Gallery plugin is free. You can buy the premium version for $30.

8. Image Optimization & Lazy Load by Optimole

Image Optimization by Optimole – Lazy Load, CDN, Convert WebP & AVIF

Author(s): Optimole

Current Version: 3.13.3

Last Updated: May 24, 2024

optimole-wp.3.13.3.zip

Our WordPress travel plugins list would be incomplete without Image Optimization & Lazy Load by Optimole.

As you know, travel blogging includes sharing tons of pictures of fascinating destinations and experiences. But bloated and unoptimized images slow down your site. Optimole is an all-in-one solution for image optimization, which boosts your site speed significantly.

Use smart Machine Learning-driven lossy or lossless compression to create lovely images at the smallest size
Put watermarks automatically on all your travel adventure images to thwart content thieves and promote your brand
Retina support for delivering the best-looking images with the perfect Digital Pixel Ratio (DPR)
Serve images in lightweight and faster next-gen formats like WebP, JPEG 2000, and JPEG XR

The base plan is free. Premium Optimole plans start at $19.08 per month.

9. Social Media Share Buttons

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons

Author(s): Inisev

Current Version: 2.9.1

Last Updated: May 8, 2024

ultimate-social-media-icons.2.9.1.zip

Next up on the best WordPress travel plugins for savvy travel bloggers is Social Media Share Buttons.

It’s a quick and easy tool that empowers all travel bloggers to share their travel blog content on social media via stunning icons. The plugin lets you add custom share icons for email and all major social media platforms like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more.

Share your travel blog content to 200+ social media platforms
Choose social sharing icons that suit your taste from 16 available designs
Drive more shares by animating your share icons through automatic shuffling and mouse-over effects
Boost your social media shares using floating and sticky share buttons

The base plugin is free. You can buy the premium version for a one-time payment of $29.98.

10. Revive Old Posts

Revive Old Posts – Social Media Auto Post and Scheduling Automation Plugin

Author(s): revive.social

Current Version: 9.0.30

Last Updated: May 22, 2024

tweet-old-post.zip

Finally, we will look at Revive Old Posts.

It’s a powerful WordPress scheduling plugin for sharing your blog posts on social media. Regardless of your specific niche within the broader travel realm, it’s really one of the most useful WordPress travel plugins you can have in your arsenal.

For example, it’s perfect for travel agencies, as it allows you to share your tour pages or packages, including the prices. Alternatively, if you are a travel gear blogger, you can use the plugin to share your affiliate blog posts.

Share old and new posts to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Google Business
Automatically generate trendy hashtags for post shares from categories, custom fields, and tags
Works with common URL Shorteners for shorter and prettier links
Compatible with Google Analytics to monitor your social media traffic numbers

The core plugin is free. The premium version of Revive Old Posts is available for $75 per year for one website.

Grow your site with the best WordPress travel plugins

In summary, here’s a quick run-through of the top WordPress travel ✈️ plugins:

Interactive Geo Maps for displaying interactive maps of all countries.
WP Travel for creating tour operators or travel agency websites.
Otter Gutenberg Blocks for building innovative pages using the Gutenberg Editor.
Geo MashUp for sharing annotated location info on your posts and pages
Travel Map for creating and tracking your entire travel itinerary.
WP Travel Engine for making SEO-optimized travel booking websites.
Photo Gallery By 10Web for creating and managing travel photo galleries and albums.
Image Optimization & Lazy Load by Optimole for image optimization.
Social Media Share Buttons for designing beautiful social media sharing icons.
Revive Old Posts for automating promotion of old and new content.

🏗️ Build a top-notch travel blog with these robust plugins.

Are you a travel blogger? Which WordPress travel plugins do you love? Let us know in the comments!

By Qhubekani Nyathi

Themeisle contributor, updated on:, you can check also:.

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Microsoft Fabric May 2024 Update

Monthly Update

Welcome to the May 2024 update.

Here are a few, select highlights of the many we have for Fabric. You can now ask Copilot questions about data in your model, Model Explorer and authoring calculation groups in Power BI desktop is now generally available, and Real-Time Intelligence provides a complete end-to-end solution for ingesting, processing, analyzing, visualizing, monitoring, and acting on events.

There is much more to explore, please continue to read on.

Microsoft Build Announcements

At Microsoft Build 2024, we are thrilled to announce a huge array of innovations coming to the Microsoft Fabric platform that will make Microsoft Fabric’s capabilities even more robust and even customizable to meet the unique needs of each organization. To learn more about these changes, read the “ Unlock real-time insights with AI-powered analytics in Microsoft Fabric ” announcement blog by Arun Ulag.

Fabric Roadmap Update

Last October at the Microsoft Power Platform Community Conference we announced the release of the Microsoft Fabric Roadmap . Today we have updated that roadmap to include the next semester of Fabric innovations. As promised, we have merged Power BI into this roadmap to give you a single, unified road map for all of Microsoft Fabric. You can find the Fabric Roadmap at https://aka.ms/FabricRoadmap .

We will be innovating our Roadmap over the coming year and would love to hear your recommendation ways that we can make this experience better for you. Please submit suggestions at https://aka.ms/FabricIdeas .

Earn a discount on your Microsoft Fabric certification exam!

We’d like to thank the thousands of you who completed the Fabric AI Skills Challenge and earned a free voucher for Exam DP-600 which leads to the Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate certification.

If you earned a free voucher, you can find redemption instructions in your email. We recommend that you schedule your exam now, before your discount voucher expires on June 24 th . All exams must be scheduled and completed by this date.

If you need a little more help with exam prep, visit the Fabric Career Hub which has expert-led training, exam crams, practice tests and more.

Missed the Fabric AI Skills Challenge? We have you covered. For a limited time , you could earn a 50% exam discount by taking the Fabric 30 Days to Learn It Challenge .

Modern Tooltip now on by Default

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Introducing Blob Storage Event Triggers for Data Pipelines
Parent/child pipeline pattern monitoring improvements

Fabric Spark job definition activity now available

Hd insight activity now available, modern get data experience in data pipeline.

Power BI tooltips are embarking on an evolution to enhance their functionality. To lay the groundwork, we are introducing the modern tooltip as the new default , a feature that many users may already recognize from its previous preview status. This change is more than just an upgrade; it’s the first step in a series of remarkable improvements. These future developments promise to revolutionize tooltip management and customization, offering possibilities that were previously only imaginable. As we prepare for the general availability of the modern tooltip, this is an excellent opportunity for users to become familiar with its features and capabilities.

Discover the full potential of the new tooltip feature by visiting our dedicated blog . Dive into the details and explore the comprehensive vision we’ve crafted for tooltips, designed to enhance your Power BI experience.

We’ve listened to our community’s feedback on improving our tabular visuals (Table and Matrix), and we’re excited to initiate their transformation. Drawing inspiration from the familiar PivotTable in Excel , we aim to build new features and capabilities upon a stronger foundation. In our May update, we’re introducing ‘ Layouts for Matrix .’ Now, you can select from compact , outline , or tabular layouts to alter the arrangement of components in a manner akin to Excel.

As an extension of the new layout options, report creators can now craft custom layout patterns by repeating row headers. This powerful control, inspired by Excel’s PivotTable layout, enables the creation of a matrix that closely resembles the look and feel of a table. This enhancement not only provides greater flexibility but also brings a touch of Excel’s intuitive design to Power BI’s matrix visuals. Only available for Outline and Tabular layouts.

To further align with Excel’s functionality, report creators now have the option to insert blank rows within the matrix. This feature allows for the separation of higher-level row header categories, significantly enhancing the readability of the report. It’s a thoughtful addition that brings a new level of clarity and organization to Power BI’s matrix visuals and opens a path for future enhancements for totals/subtotals and rows/column headers.

We understand your eagerness to delve deeper into the matrix layouts and grasp how these enhancements fulfill the highly requested features by our community. Find out more and join the conversation in our dedicated blog , where we unravel the details and share the community-driven vision behind these improvements.

Following last month’s introduction of the initial line enhancements, May brings a groundbreaking set of line capabilities that are set to transform your Power BI experience:

Hide/Show lines : Gain control over the visibility of your lines for a cleaner, more focused report.
Customized line pattern : Tailor the pattern of your lines to match the style and context of your data.
Auto-scaled line pattern : Ensure your line patterns scale perfectly with your data, maintaining consistency and clarity.
Line dash cap : Customize the end caps of your customized dashed lines for a polished, professional look.
Line upgrades across other line types : Experience improvements in reference lines, forecast lines, leader lines, small multiple gridlines, and the new card’s divider line.

These enhancements are not to be missed. We recommend visiting our dedicated blog for an in-depth exploration of all the new capabilities added to lines, keeping you informed and up to date.

This May release, we’re excited to introduce on-object formatting support for Small multiples , Waterfall , and Matrix visuals. This new feature allows users to interact directly with these visuals for a more intuitive and efficient formatting experience. By double-clicking on any of these visuals, users can now right-click on the specific visual component they wish to format, bringing up a convenient mini-toolbar. This streamlined approach not only saves time but also enhances the user’s ability to customize and refine their reports with ease.

We’re also thrilled to announce a significant enhancement to the mobile reporting experience with the introduction of the pane manager for the mobile layout view. This innovative feature empowers users to effortlessly open and close panels via a dedicated menu, streamlining the design process of mobile reports.

We recently announced a public preview for folders in workspaces, allowing you to create a hierarchical structure for organizing and managing your items. In the latest Desktop release, you can now publish your reports to specific folders in your workspace.

When you publish a report, you can choose the specific workspace and folder for your report. The interface is simplistic and easy to understand, making organizing your Power BI content from Desktop better than ever.

To publish reports to specific folders in the service, make sure the “Publish dialogs support folder selection” setting is enabled in the Preview features tab in the Options menu.

Learn more about folders in workspaces.

We’re excited to preview a new capability for Power BI Copilot allowing you to ask questions about the data in your model! You could already ask questions about the data present in the visuals on your report pages – and now you can go deeper by getting answers directly from the underlying model. Just ask questions about your data, and if the answer isn’t already on your report, Copilot will then query your model for the data instead and return the answer to your question in the form of a visual!

We’re starting this capability off in both Edit and View modes in Power BI Service. Because this is a preview feature, you’ll need to enable it via the preview toggle in the Copilot pane. You can learn more about all the details of the feature in our announcement post here! (will link to announcement post)

We are excited to announce the general availability of DAX query view. DAX query view is the fourth view in Power BI Desktop to run DAX queries on your semantic model.

DAX query view comes with several ways to help you be as productive as possible with DAX queries.

Quick queries. Have the DAX query written for you from the context menu of tables, columns, or measures in the Data pane of DAX query view. Get the top 100 rows of a table, statistics of a column, or DAX formula of a measure to edit and validate in just a couple clicks!
DirectQuery model authors can also use DAX query view. View the data in your tables whenever you want!
Create and edit measures. Edit one or multiple measures at once. Make changes and see the change in action in a DA query. Then update the model when you are ready. All in DAX query view!
See the DAX query of visuals. Investigate the visuals DAX query in DAX query view. Go to the Performance Analyzer pane and choose “Run in DAX query view”.
Write DAX queries. You can create DAX queries with Intellisense, formatting, commenting/uncommenting, and syntax highlighting. And additional professional code editing experiences such as “Change all occurrences” and block folding to expand and collapse sections. Even expanded find and replace options with regex.

Learn more about DAX query view with these resources:

Deep dive blog: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/blog/deep-dive-into-dax-query-view-and-writing-dax-queries/
Learn more: https://learn.microsoft.com/power-bi/transform-model/dax-query-view
Video: https://youtu.be/oPGGYLKhTOA?si=YKUp1j8GoHHsqdZo

DAX query view includes an inline Fabric Copilot to write and explain DAX queries, which remains in public preview. This month we have made the following updates.

Run the DAX query before you keep it . Previously the Run button was disabled until the generated DAX query was accepted or Copilot was closed. Now you can Run the DAX query then decide to Keep or Discard the DAX query.

2. Conversationally build the DAX query. Previously the DAX query generated was not considered if you typed additional prompts and you had to keep the DAX query, select it again, then use Copilot again to adjust. Now you can simply adjust by typing in additional user prompts.

3. Syntax checks on the generated DAX query. Previously there was no syntax check before the generated DAX query was returned. Now the syntax is checked, and the prompt automatically retried once. If the retry is also invalid, the generated DAX query is returned with a note that there is an issue, giving you the option to rephrase your request or fix the generated DAX query.

4. Inspire buttons to get you started with Copilot. Previously nothing happened until a prompt was entered. Now click any of these buttons to quickly see what you can do with Copilot!

Learn more about DAX queries with Copilot with these resources:

Deep dive blog: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/deep-dive-into-dax-query-view-with-copilot/
Learn more: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dax/dax-copilot
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kE3TE34oLM

We are excited to introduce you to the redesigned ‘Manage relationships’ dialog in Power BI Desktop! To open this dialog simply select the ‘Manage relationships’ button in the modeling ribbon.

Once opened, you’ll find a comprehensive view of all your relationships, along with their key properties, all in one convenient location. From here you can create new relationships or edit an existing one.

Additionally, you have the option to filter and focus on specific relationships in your model based on cardinality and cross filter direction.

Learn more about creating and managing relationships in Power BI Desktop in our documentation .

Ever since we released composite models on Power BI semantic models and Analysis Services , you have been asking us to support the refresh of calculated columns and tables in the Service. This month, we have enabled the refresh of calculated columns and tables in Service for any DirectQuery source that uses single sign-on authentication. This includes the sources you use when working with composite models on Power BI semantic models and Analysis Services.

Previously, the refresh of a semantic model that uses a DirectQuery source with single-sign-on authentication failed with one of the following error messages: “Refresh is not supported for datasets with a calculated table or calculated column that depends on a table which references Analysis Services using DirectQuery.” or “Refresh over a dataset with a calculated table or a calculated column which references a Direct Query data source is not supported.”

Starting today, you can successfully refresh the calculated table and calculated columns in a semantic model in the Service using specific credentials as long as:

You used a shareable cloud connection and assigned it and/or.
Enabled granular access control for all data connection types.

Here’s how to do this:

Create and publish your semantic model that uses a single sign-on DirectQuery source. This can be a composite model but doesn’t have to be.
In the semantic model settings, under Gateway and cloud connections , map each single sign-on DirectQuery connection to a specific connection. If you don’t have a specific connection yet, select ‘Create a connection’ to create it:

If you are creating a new connection, fill out the connection details and click Create , making sure to select ‘Use SSO via Azure AD for DirectQuery queries:

Finally, select the connection for each single sign-on DirectQuery source and select Apply :

2. Either refresh the semantic model manually or plan a scheduled refresh to confirm the refresh now works successfully. Congratulations, you have successfully set up refresh for semantic models with a single sign-on DirectQuery connection that uses calculated columns or calculated tables!

We are excited to announce the general availability of Model Explorer in the Model view of Power BI, including the authoring of calculation groups. Semantic modeling is even easier with an at-a-glance tree view with item counts, search, and in context paths to edit the semantic model items with Model Explorer. Top level semantic model properties are also available as well as the option to quickly create relationships in the properties pane. Additionally, the styling for the Data pane is updated to Fluent UI also used in Office and Teams.

A popular community request from the Ideas forum, authoring calculation groups is also included in Model Explorer. Calculation groups significantly reduce the number of redundant measures by allowing you to define DAX formulas as calculation items that can be applied to existing measures. For example, define a year over year, prior month, conversion, or whatever your report needs in DAX formula once as a calculation item and reuse it with existing measures. This can reduce the number of measures you need to create and make the maintenance of the business logic simpler.

Available in both Power BI Desktop and when editing a semantic model in the workspace, take your semantic model authoring to the next level today!

Learn more about Model Explorer and authoring calculation groups with these resources:

Use Model explorer in Power BI (preview) – Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Create calculation groups in Power BI (preview) – Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Data connectivity

We’re happy to announce that the Oracle database connector has been enhanced this month with the addition of Single Sign-On support in the Power BI service with Microsoft Entra ID authentication.

Microsoft Entra ID SSO enables single sign-on to access data sources that rely on Microsoft Entra ID based authentication. When you configure Microsoft Entra SSO for an applicable data source, queries run under the Microsoft Entra identity of the user that interacts with the Power BI report.

We’re pleased to announce the new and updated connectors in this release:

[New] OneStream : The OneStream Power BI Connector enables you to seamlessly connect Power BI to your OneStream applications by simply logging in with your OneStream credentials. The connector uses your OneStream security, allowing you to access only the data you have based on your permissions within the OneStream application. Use the connector to pull cube and relational data along with metadata members, including all their properties. Visit OneStream Power BI Connector to learn more. Find this connector in the other category.
[New] Zendesk Data : A new connector developed by the Zendesk team that aims to go beyond the functionality of the existing Zendesk legacy connector created by Microsoft. Learn more about what this new connector brings.
[New] CCH Tagetik
[Update] Azure Databricks

Are you interested in creating your own connector and publishing it for your customers? Learn more about the Power Query SDK and the Connector Certification program .

Last May, we announced the integration between Power BI and OneDrive and SharePoint. Previously, this capability was limited to only reports with data in import mode. We’re excited to announce that you can now seamlessly view Power BI reports with live connected data directly in OneDrive and SharePoint!

When working on Power BI Desktop with a report live connected to a semantic model in the service, you can easily share a link to collaborate with others on your team and allow them to quickly view the report in their browser. We’ve made it easier than ever to access the latest data updates without ever leaving your familiar OneDrive and SharePoint environments. This integration streamlines your workflows and allows you to access reports within the platforms you already use. With collaboration at the heart of this improvement, teams can work together more effectively to make informed decisions by leveraging live connected semantic models without being limited to data only in import mode.

Utilizing OneDrive and SharePoint allows you to take advantage of built-in version control, always have your files available in the cloud, and utilize familiar and simplistic sharing.

While you told us that you appreciate the ability to limit the image view to only those who have permission to view the report, you asked for changes for the “Public snapshot” mode.

To address some of the feedback we got from you, we have made a few more changes in this area.

Add-ins that were saved as “Public snapshot” can be printed and will not require that you go over all the slides and load the add-ins for permission check before the public image is made visible.
You can use the “Show as saved image” on add-ins that were saved as “Public snapshot”. This will replace the entire add-in with an image representation of it, so the load time might be faster when you are presenting your presentation.

Many of us keep presentations open for a long time, which might cause the data in the presentation to become outdated.

To make sure you have in your slides the data you need, we added a new notification that tells you if more up to date data exists in Power BI and offers you the option to refresh and get the latest data from Power BI.

Developers

Direct Lake semantic models are now supported in Fabric Git Integration , enabling streamlined version control, enhanced collaboration among developers, and the establishment of CI/CD pipelines for your semantic models using Direct Lake.

Learn more about version control, testing, and deployment of Power BI content in our Power BI implementation planning documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/power-bi/guidance/powerbi-implementation-planning-content-lifecycle-management-overview

Visualizations

Editor’s pick of the quarter .

– Animator for Power BI Innofalls Charts SuperTables Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo Dynamic KPI Card by Sereviso Shielded HTML Viewer Text search slicer

New visuals in AppSource

Mapa Polski – Województwa, Powiaty, Gminy Workstream Income Statement Table

Gas Detection Chart

Seasonality Chart PlanIn BI – Data Refresh Service

Chart Flare

PictoBar ProgBar

Counter Calendar Donut Chart image

Financial Reporting Matrix by Profitbase

Making financial statements with a proper layout has just become easier with the latest version of the Financial Reporting Matrix.

Users are now able to specify which rows should be classified as cost-rows, which will make it easier to get the conditional formatting of variances correctly:

Selecting a row, and ticking “is cost” will tag the row as cost. This can be used in conditional formatting to make sure that positive variances on expenses are a bad for the result, while a positive variance on an income row is good for the result.

The new version also includes more flexibility in measuring placement and column subtotals.

Measures can be placed either:

Default (below column headers)
Above column headers

Conditionally hide columns
+ much more

Highlighted new features:

Measure placement – In rows
Select Column Subtotals
New Format Pane design
Row Options

Get the visual from AppSource and find more videos here !

Horizon Chart by Powerviz

A Horizon Chart is an advanced visual, for time-series data, revealing trends and anomalies. It displays stacked data layers, allowing users to compare multiple categories while maintaining data clarity. Horizon Charts are particularly useful to monitor and analyze complex data over time, making this a valuable visual for data analysis and decision-making.

Key Features:

Horizon Styles: Choose Natural, Linear, or Step with adjustable scaling.
Layer: Layer data by range or custom criteria. Display positive and negative values together or separately on top.
Reference Line : Highlight patterns with X-axis lines and labels.
Colors: Apply 30+ color palettes and use FX rules for dynamic coloring.
Ranking: Filter Top/Bottom N values, with “Others”.
Gridline: Add gridlines to the X and Y axis.
Custom Tooltip: Add highest, lowest, mean, and median points without additional DAX.
Themes: Save designs and share seamlessly with JSON files.

Other features included are ranking, annotation, grid view, show condition, and accessibility support.

Business Use Cases: Time-Series Data Comparison, Environmental Monitoring, Anomaly Detection

🔗 Try Horizon Chart for FREE from AppSource

📊 Check out all features of the visual: Demo file

📃 Step-by-step instructions: Documentation

💡 YouTube Video: Video Link

📍 Learn more about visuals: https://powerviz.ai/

✅ Follow Powerviz : https://lnkd.in/gN_9Sa6U

Exciting news! Thanks to your valuable feedback, we’ve enhanced our Milestone Trend Analysis Chart even further. We’re thrilled to announce that you can now switch between horizontal and vertical orientations, catering to your preferred visualization style.

The Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) Chart remains your go-to tool for swiftly identifying deadline trends, empowering you to take timely corrective actions. With this update, we aim to enhance deadline awareness among project participants and stakeholders alike.

In our latest version, we seamlessly navigate between horizontal and vertical views within the familiar Power BI interface. No need to adapt to a new user interface – enjoy the same ease of use with added flexibility. Plus, it benefits from supported features like themes, interactive selection, and tooltips.

What’s more, ours is the only Microsoft Certified Milestone Trend Analysis Chart for Power BI, ensuring reliability and compatibility with the platform.

Ready to experience the enhanced Milestone Trend Analysis Chart? Download it from AppSource today and explore its capabilities with your own data – try for free!

We welcome any questions or feedback at our website: https://visuals.novasilva.com/ . Try it out and elevate your project management insights now!

Sunburst Chart by Powerviz

Powerviz’s Sunburst Chart is an interactive tool for hierarchical data visualization. With this chart, you can easily visualize multiple columns in a hierarchy and uncover valuable insights. The concentric circle design helps in displaying part-to-whole relationships.

Arc Customization: Customize shapes and patterns.
Color Scheme: Accessible palettes with 30+ options.
Centre Circle: Design an inner circle with layers. Add text, measure, icons, and images.
Conditional Formatting: Easily identify outliers based on measure or category rules.
Labels: Smart data labels for readability.
Image Labels: Add an image as an outer label.
Interactivity: Zoom, drill down, cross-filtering, and tooltip features.

Other features included are annotation, grid view, show condition, and accessibility support.

Business Use Cases:

Sales and Marketing: Market share analysis and customer segmentation.
Finance : Department budgets and expenditures distribution.
Operations : Supply chain management.
Education : Course structure, curriculum creation.
Human Resources : Organization structure, employee demographics.

🔗 Try Sunburst Chart for FREE from AppSource

Stacked Bar Chart with Line by JTA

Clustered bar chart with the possibility to stack one of the bars

Stacked Bar Chart with Line by JTA seamlessly merges the simplicity of a traditional bar chart with the versatility of a stacked bar, revolutionizing the way you showcase multiple datasets in a single, cohesive display.

Unlocking a new dimension of insight, our visual features a dynamic line that provides a snapshot of data trends at a glance. Navigate through your data effortlessly with multiple configurations, gaining a swift and comprehensive understanding of your information.

Tailor your visual experience with an array of functionalities and customization options, enabling you to effortlessly compare a primary metric with the performance of an entire set. The flexibility to customize the visual according to your unique preferences empowers you to harness the full potential of your data.

Features of Stacked Bar Chart with Line:

Stack the second bar
Format the Axis and Gridlines
Add a legend
Format the colors and text
Add a line chart
Format the line
Add marks to the line
Format the labels for bars and line

If you liked what you saw, you can try it for yourself and find more information here . Also, if you want to download it, you can find the visual package on the AppSource .

We have added an exciting new feature to our Combo PRO, Combo Bar PRO, and Timeline PRO visuals – Legend field support . The Legend field makes it easy to visually split series values into smaller segments, without the need to use measures or create separate series. Simply add a column with category names that are adjacent to the series values, and the visual will do the following:

Display separate segments as a stack or cluster, showing how each segment contributed to the total Series value.
Create legend items for each segment to quickly show/hide them without filtering.
Apply custom fill colors to each segment.
Show each segment value in the tooltip

Read more about the Legend field on our blog article

Drill Down Combo PRO is made for creators who want to build visually stunning and user-friendly reports. Cross-chart filtering and intuitive drill down interactions make data exploration easy and fun for any user. Furthermore, you can choose between three chart types – columns, lines, or areas; and feature up to 25 different series in the same visual and configure each series independently.

📊 Get Drill Down Combo PRO on AppSource

🌐 Visit Drill Down Combo PRO product page

Documentation | ZoomCharts Website | Follow ZoomCharts on LinkedIn

We are thrilled to announce that Fabric Core REST APIs are now generally available! This marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Microsoft Fabric, a platform that has been meticulously designed to empower developers and businesses alike with a comprehensive suite of tools and services.

The Core REST APIs are the backbone of Microsoft Fabric, providing the essential building blocks for a myriad of functionalities within the platform. They are designed to improve efficiency, reduce manual effort, increase accuracy, and lead to faster processing times. These APIs help with scale operations more easily and efficiently as the volume of work grows, automate repeatable processes with consistency, and enable integration with other systems and applications, providing a streamlined and efficient data pipeline.

The Microsoft Fabric Core APIs encompasses a range of functionalities, including:

Workspace management: APIs to manage workspaces, including permissions.
Item management: APIs for creating, reading, updating, and deleting items, with partial support for data source discovery and granular permissions management planned for the near future.
Job and tenant management: APIs to manage jobs, tenants, and users within the platform.

These APIs adhere to industry standards and best practices, ensuring a unified developer experience that is both coherent and easy to use.

For developers looking to dive into the details of the Microsoft Fabric Core APIs, comprehensive documentation is available. This includes guidelines on API usage, examples, and articles managed in a centralized repository for ease of access and discoverability. The documentation is continuously updated to reflect the latest features and improvements, ensuring that developers have the most current information at their fingertips. See Microsoft Fabric REST API documentation

We’re excited to share an important update we made to the Fabric Admin APIs. This enhancement is designed to simplify your automation experience. Now, you can manage both Power BI and the new Fabric items (previously referred to as artifacts) using the same set of APIs. Before this enhancement, you had to navigate using two different APIs—one for Power BI items and another for new Fabric items. That’s no longer the case.

The APIs we’ve updated include GetItem , ListItems , GetItemAccessDetails , and GetAccessEntities . These enhancements mean you can now query and manage all your items through a single API call, regardless of whether they’re Fabric types or Power BI types. We hope this update makes your work more straightforward and helps you accomplish your tasks more efficiently.

We’re thrilled to announce the public preview of the Microsoft Fabric workload development kit. This feature now extends to additional workloads and offers a robust developer toolkit for designing, developing, and interoperating with Microsoft Fabric using frontend SDKs and backend REST APIs. Introducing the Microsoft Fabric Workload Development Kit .

The Microsoft Fabric platform now provides a mechanism for ISVs and developers to integrate their new and existing applications natively into Fabric’s workload hub. This integration provides the ability to add net new capabilities to Fabric in a consistent experience without leaving their Fabric workspace, thereby accelerating data driven outcomes from Microsoft Fabric.

By downloading and leveraging the development kit , ISVs and software developers can build and scale existing and new applications on Microsoft Fabric and offer them via the Azure Marketplace without the need to ever leave the Fabric environment.

The development kit provides a comprehensive guide and sample code for creating custom item types that can be added to the Fabric workspace. These item types can leverage the Fabric frontend SDKs and backend REST APIs to interact with other Fabric capabilities, such as data ingestion, transformation, orchestration, visualization, and collaboration. You can also embed your own data application into the Fabric item editor using the Fabric native experience components, such as the header, toolbar, navigation pane, and status bar. This way, you can offer consistent and seamless user experience across different Fabric workloads.

This is a call to action for ISVs, software developers, and system integrators. Let’s leverage this opportunity to create more integrated and seamless experiences for our users.

We’re excited about this journey and look forward to seeing the innovative workloads from our developer community.

We are proud to announce the public preview of external data sharing. Sharing data across organizations has become a standard part of day-to-day business for many of our customers. External data sharing, built on top of OneLake shortcuts, enables seamless, in-place sharing of data, allowing you to maintain a single copy of data even when sharing data across tenant boundaries. Whether you’re sharing data with customers, manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, or partners; the applications are endless.

How external data sharing works

Sharing data across tenants is as simple as any other share operation in Fabric. To share data, navigate to the item to be shared, click on the context menu, and then click on External data share . Select the folder or table you want to share and click Save and continue . Enter the email address and an optional message and then click Send .

The data consumer will receive an email containing a share link. They can click on the link to accept the share and access the data within their own tenant.

Click here for more details about external data sharing .

Following the release of OneLake data access roles in public preview, the OneLake team is excited to announce the availability of APIs for managing data access roles. These APIs can be used to programmatically manage granular data access for your lakehouses. Manage all aspects of role management such as creating new roles, editing existing ones, or changing memberships in a programmatic way.

Do you have data stored on-premises or behind a firewall that you want to access and analyze with Microsoft Fabric? With OneLake shortcuts, you can bring on-premises or network-restricted data into OneLake, without any data movement or duplication. Simply install the Fabric on-premises data gateway and create a shortcut to your S3 compatible, Amazon S3, or Google Cloud Storage data source. Then use any of Fabric’s powerful analytics engines and OneLake open APIs to explore, transform, and visualize your data in the cloud.

Try it out today and unlock the full potential of your data with OneLake shortcuts!

Data Warehouse

We are excited to announce Copilot for Data Warehouse in public preview! Copilot for Data Warehouse is an AI assistant that helps developers generate insights through T-SQL exploratory analysis. Copilot is contextualized your warehouse’s schema. With this feature, data engineers and data analysts can use Copilot to:

Generate T-SQL queries for data analysis.
Explain and add in-line code comments for existing T-SQL queries.
Fix broken T-SQL code.
Receive answers regarding general data warehousing tasks and operations.

There are 3 areas where Copilot is surfaced in the Data Warehouse SQL Query Editor:

Code completions when writing a T-SQL query.
Chat panel to interact with the Copilot in natural language.
Quick action buttons to fix and explain T-SQL queries.

Learn more about Copilot for Data Warehouse: aka.ms/data-warehouse-copilot-docs. Copilot for Data Warehouse is currently only available in the Warehouse. Copilot in the SQL analytics endpoint is coming soon.

Unlocking Insights through Time: Time travel in Data warehouse (public preview)

As data volumes continue to grow in today’s rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence, it is crucial to reflect on historical data. It empowers businesses to derive valuable insights that aid in making well-informed decisions for the future. Preserving multiple historical data versions not only incurred significant costs but also presented challenges in upholding data integrity, resulting in a notable impact on query performance. So, we are thrilled to announce the ability to query the historical data through time travel at the T-SQL statement level which helps unlock the evolution of data over time.

The Fabric warehouse retains historical versions of tables for seven calendar days. This retention allows for querying the tables as if they existed at any point within the retention timeframe. Time travel clause can be included in any top level SELECT statement. For complex queries that involve multiple tables, joins, stored procedures, or views, the timestamp is applied just once for the entire query instead of specifying the same timestamp for each table within the same query. This ensures the entire query is executed with reference to the specified timestamp, maintaining the data’s uniformity and integrity throughout the query execution.

From historical trend analysis and forecasting to compliance management, stable reporting and real-time decision support, the benefits of time travel extend across multiple business operations. Embrace the capability of time travel to navigate the data-driven landscape and gain a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced world of Artificial Intelligence.

We are excited to announce not one but two new enhancements to the Copy Into feature for Fabric Warehouse: Copy Into with Entra ID Authentication and Copy Into for Firewall-Enabled Storage!

Entra ID Authentication

When authenticating storage accounts in your environment, the executing user’s Entra ID will now be used by default. This ensures that you can leverage A ccess C ontrol L ists and R ole – B ased a ccess c ontrol to authenticate to your storage accounts when using Copy Into. Currently, only organizational accounts are supported.

How to Use Entra ID Authentication

Ensure your Entra ID organizational account has access to the underlying storage and can execute the Copy Into statement on your Fabric Warehouse.
Run your Copy Into statement without specifying any credentials; the Entra ID organizational account will be used as the default authentication mechanism.

Copy into firewall-enabled storage

The Copy Into for firewall-enabled storage leverages the trusted workspace access functionality ( Trusted workspace access in Microsoft Fabric (preview) – Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn ) to establish a secure and seamless connection between Fabric and your storage accounts. Secure access can be enabled for both blob and ADLS Gen2 storage accounts. Secure access with Copy Into is available for warehouses in workspaces with Fabric Capacities (F64 or higher).

To learn more about Copy into , please refer to COPY INTO (Transact-SQL) – Azure Synapse Analytics and Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

We are excited to announce the launch of our new feature, Just in Time Database Attachment, which will significantly enhance your first experience, such as when connecting to the Datawarehouse or SQL endpoint or simply opening an item. These actions trigger the workspace resource assignment process, where, among other actions, we attach all necessary metadata of your items, Data warehouses and SQL endpoints, which can be a long process, particularly for workspaces that have a high number of items.

This feature is designed to attach your desired database during the activation process of your workspace, allowing you to execute queries immediately and avoid unnecessary delays. However, all other databases will be attached asynchronously in the background while you are able to execute queries, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience.

Data Engineering

We are advancing Fabric Runtime 1.3 from an Experimental Public Preview to a full Public Preview. Our Apache Spark-based big data execution engine, optimized for both data engineering and science workflows, has been updated and fully integrated into the Fabric platform.

The enhancements in Fabric Runtime 1.3 include the incorporation of Delta Lake 3.1, compatibility with Python 3.11, support for Starter Pools, integration with Environment and library management capabilities. Additionally, Fabric Runtime now enriches the data science experience by supporting the R language and integrating Copilot.

We are pleased to share that the Native Execution Engine for Fabric Runtime 1.2 is currently available in public preview. The Native Execution Engine can greatly enhance the performance for your Spark jobs and queries. The engine has been rewritten in C++ and operates in columnar mode and uses vectorized processing. The Native Execution Engine offers superior query performance – encompassing data processing, ETL, data science, and interactive queries – all directly on your data lake. Overall, Fabric Spark delivers a 4x speed-up on the sum of execution time of all 99 queries in the TPC-DS 1TB benchmark when compared against Apache Spark. This engine is fully compatible with Apache Spark™ APIs (including Spark SQL API).

It is seamless to use with no code changes – activate it and go. Enable it in your environment for your notebooks and your SJDs.

This feature is in the public preview, at this stage of the preview, there is no additional cost associated with using it.

We are excited to announce the Spark Monitoring Run Series Analysis features, which allow you to analyze the run duration trend and performance comparison for Pipeline Spark activity recurring run instances and repetitive Spark run activities from the same Notebook or Spark Job Definition.

Run Series Comparison: Users can compare the duration of a Notebook run with that of previous runs and evaluate the input and output data to understand the reasons behind prolonged run durations.
Outlier Detection and Analysis: The system can detect outliers in the run series and analyze them to pinpoint potential contributing factors.
Detailed Run Instance Analysis: Clicking on a specific run instance provides detailed information on time distribution, which can be used to identify performance enhancement opportunities.
Configuration Insights : Users can view the Spark configuration used for each run, including auto-tuned configurations for Spark SQL queries in auto-tune enabled Notebook runs.

You can access the new feature from the item’s recent runs panel and Spark application monitoring page.

We are excited to announce that Notebook now supports the ability to tag others in comments, just like the familiar functionality of using Office products!

When you select a section of code in a cell, you can add a comment with your insights and tag one or more teammates to collaborate or brainstorm on the specifics. This intuitive enhancement is designed to amplify collaboration in your daily development work.

Moreover, you can easily configure the permissions when tagging someone who doesn’t have the permission, to make sure your code asset is well managed.

We are thrilled to unveil a significant enhancement to the Fabric notebook ribbon, designed to elevate your data science and engineering workflows.

In the new version, you will find the new Session connect control on the Home tab, and now you can start a standard session without needing to run a code cell.

You can also easily spin up a High concurrency session and share the session across multiple notebooks to improve the compute resource utilization. And you can easily attach/leave a high concurrency session with a single click.

The “ View session information ” can navigate you to the session information dialog, where you can find a lot of useful detailed information, as well as configure the session timeout. The diagnostics info is essentially helpful when you need support for notebook issues.

Now you can easily access the powerful “ Data Wrangler ” on Home tab with the new ribbon! You can explore your data with the fancy low-code experience of data wrangler, and the pandas DataFrames and Spark DataFrames are all supported.

We recently made some changes to the Fabric notebook metadata to ensure compliance and consistency:

Notebook file content:

The keyword “trident” has been replaced with “dependencies” in the notebook content. This adjustment ensures consistency and compliance.
Notebook Git format:
The preface of the notebook has been modified from “# Synapse Analytics notebook source” to “# Fabric notebook source”.
Additionally, the keyword “synapse” has been updated to “dependencies” in the Git repo.

The above changes will be marked as ‘uncommitted’ for one time if your workspace is connected to Git. No action is needed in terms of these changes , and there won’t be any breaking scenario within the Fabric platform . If you have any further updates or questions, feel free to share with us.

We are thrilled to announce that the environment is now a generally available item in Microsoft Fabric. During this GA timeframe, we have shipped a few new features of Environment.

Git support

The environment is now Git supported. You can check-in the environment into your Git repo and manipulate the environment locally with its YAML representations and custom library files. After updating the changes from local to Fabric portal, you can publish them by manual action or through REST API.

Deployment pipeline

Deploying environments from one workspace to another is supported. Now, you can deploy the code items and their dependent environments together from development to test and even production.

With the REST APIs, you can have the code-first experience with the same abilities through Fabric portal. We provide a set of powerful APIs to ensure you the efficiency in managing your environment. You can create new environments, update libraries and Spark compute, publish the changes, delete an environment, attach the environment to a notebook, etc., all actions can be done locally in the tools of your choice. The article – Best practice of managing environments with REST API could help you get started with several real-world scenarios.

Resources folder

Resources folder enables managing small resources in the development cycle. The files uploaded in the environment can be accessed from notebooks once they’re attached to the same environment. The manipulation of the files and folders of resources happens in real-time. It could be super powerful, especially when you are collaborating with others.

Sharing your environment with others is also available. We provide several sharing options. By default, the view permission is shared. If you want the recipient to have access to view and use the contents of the environment, sharing without permission customization is the best option. Furthermore, you can grant editing permission to allow recipients to update this environment or grant share permission to allow recipients to reshare this environment with their existing permissions.

We are excited to announce the REST api support for Fabric Data Engineering/Science workspace settings. Data Engineering/Science settings allows users to create/manage their Spark compute, select the default runtime/default environment, enable or disable high concurrency mode or ML autologging.

Now with the REST api support for the Data Engineering/Science settings, you would be able to

Choose the default pool for a Fabric Workspace
Configure the max nodes for Starter pools
Create/Update/Delete the existing Custom Pools, Autoscale and Dynamic allocation properties
Choose Workspace Default Runtime and Environment
Select a default runtime
Select the default environment for the Fabric workspace
Enable or Disable High Concurrency Mode
Enable or Disable ML Auto logging.

Learn more about the Workspace Spark Settings API in our API documentation Workspace Settings – REST API (Spark) | Microsoft Learn

We are excited to give you a sneak peek at the preview of User Data Functions in Microsoft Fabric. User Data Functions gives developers and data engineers the ability to easily write and run applications that integrate with resources in the Fabric Platform. Data engineering often presents challenges with data quality or complex data analytics processing in data pipelines, and using ETL tools may present limited flexibility and ability to customize to your needs. This is where User data functions can be used to run data transformation tasks and perform complex business logic by connecting to your data sources and other workloads in Fabric.

During preview, you will be able to use the following features:

Use the Fabric portal to create new User Data Functions, view and test them.
Write your functions using C#.
Use the Visual Studio Code extension to create and edit your functions.
Connect to the following Fabric-native data sources: Data Warehouse, Lakehouse and Mirrored Databases.

You can now create a fully managed GraphQL API in Fabric to interact with your data in a simple, flexible, and powerful way. We’re excited to announce the public preview of API for GraphQL, a data access layer that allows us to query multiple data sources quickly and efficiently in Fabric by leveraging a widely adopted and familiar API technology that returns more data with less client requests. With the new API for GraphQL in Fabric, data engineers and scientists can create data APIs to connect to different data sources, use the APIs in their workflows, or share the API endpoints with app development teams to speed up and streamline data analytics application development in your business.

You can get started with the API for GraphQL in Fabric by creating an API, attaching a supported data source, then selecting specific data sets you want to expose through the API. Fabric builds the GraphQL schema automatically based on your data, you can test and prototype queries directly in our graphical in-browser GraphQL development environment (API editor), and applications are ready to connect in minutes.

Currently, the following supported data sources can be exposed through the Fabric API for GraphQL:

Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouse
Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse via SQL Analytics Endpoint
Microsoft Fabric Mirrored Databases via SQL Analytics Endpoint

Click here to learn more about how to get started.

Data Science

As you may know, Copilot in Microsoft Fabric requires your tenant administrator to enable the feature from the admin portal. Starting May 20th, 2024, Copilot in Microsoft Fabric will be enabled by default for all tenants. This update is part of our continuous efforts to enhance user experience and productivity within Microsoft Fabric. This new default activation means that AI features like Copilot will be automatically enabled for tenants who have not yet enabled the setting.

We are introducing a new capability to enable Copilot on Capacity level in Fabric. A new option is being introduced in the tenant admin portal, to delegate the enablement of AI and Copilot features to Capacity administrators. This AI and Copilot setting will be automatically delegated to capacity administrators and tenant administrators won’t be able to turn off the delegation.

We also have a cross-geo setting for customers who want to use Copilot and AI features while their capacity is in a different geographic region than the EU data boundary or the US. By default, the cross-geo setting will stay off and will not be delegated to capacity administrators automatically. Tenant administrators can choose whether to delegate this to capacity administrators or not.

Figure 1. Copilot in Microsoft Fabric will be auto enabled and auto delegated to capacity administrators.

Capacity administrators will see the “Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service (preview)” settings under Capacity settings/ Fabric Capacity / <Capacity name> / Delegated tenant settings. By default, the capacity setting will inherit tenant level settings. Capacity administrators can decide whether to override the tenant administrator’s selection. This means that even if Copilot is not enabled on a tenant level, a capacity administrator can choose to enable Copilot for their capacity. With this level of control, we make it easier to control which Fabric workspaces can utilize AI features like Copilot in Microsoft Fabric.

To enhance privacy and trust, we’ve updated our approach to abuse monitoring: previously, we retained data from Copilot in Fabric, including prompt inputs and outputs, for up to 30 days to check for misuse. Following customer feedback, we’ve eliminated this 30-day retention. Now, we no longer store prompt related data, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to your privacy and security. We value your input and take your concerns seriously.

Real-Time Intelligence

This month includes the announcement of Real-Time Intelligence, the next evolution of Real-Time Analytics and Data Activator. With Real-Time Intelligence, Fabric extends to the world of streaming and high granularity data, enabling all users in your organization to collect, analyze and act on this data in a timeline manner making faster and more informed business decisions. Read the full announcement from Build 2024.

Real-Time Intelligence includes a wide range of capabilities across ingestion, processing, analysis, transformation, visualization and taking action. All of this is supported by the Real-Time hub, the central place to discover and manage streaming data and start all related tasks.

Read on for more information on each capability and stay tuned for a series of blogs describing the features in more detail. All features are in Public Preview unless otherwise specified. Feedback on any of the features can be submitted at https://aka.ms/rtiidea

Ingest & Process

Introducing the Real-Time hub
Get Events with new sources of streaming and event data
Source from Real-Time Hub in Enhanced Eventstream
Use Real-Time hub to Get Data in KQL Database in Eventhouse
Get data from Real-Time Hub within Reflexes
Eventstream Edit and Live modes
Default and derived streams
Route data streams based on content

Analyze & Transform

Eventhouse GA
Eventhouse OneLake availability GA
Create a database shortcut to another KQL Database
Support for AI Anomaly Detector
Copilot for Real-Time Intelligence
Tenant-level private endpoints for Eventhouse

Visualize & Act

Visualize data with Real-Time Dashboards
New experience for data exploration
Create triggers from Real-Time Hub
Set alert on Real-time Dashboards
Taking action through Fabric Items

Ingest & Process

Real-Time hub is the single place for all data-in-motion across your entire organization. Several key features are offered in Real-Time hub:

1. Single place for data-in-motion for the entire organization

Real-Time hub enables users to easily discover, ingest, manage, and consume data-in-motion from a wide variety of sources. It lists all the streams and KQL tables that customers can directly act on.

2. Real-Time hub is never empty

All data streams in Fabric automatically show up in the hub. Also, users can subscribe to events in Fabric gaining insights into the health and performance of their data ecosystem.

3. Numerous connectors to simplify data ingestion from anywhere to Real-Time hub

Real-Time hub makes it easy for you to ingest data into Fabric from a wide variety of sources like AWS Kinesis, Kafka clusters, Microsoft streaming sources, sample data and Fabric events using the Get Events experience.

There are 3 tabs in the hub:

Data streams : This tab contains all streams that are actively running in Fabric that user has access to. This includes all streams from Eventstreams and all tables from KQL Databases.
Microsoft sources : This tab contains Microsoft sources (that user has access to) and can be connected to Fabric.
Fabric events : Fabric now has event-driven capabilities to support real-time notifications and data processing. Users can monitor and react to events including Fabric Workspace Item events and Azure Blob Storage events. These events can be used to trigger other actions or workflows, such as invoking a data pipeline or sending a notification via email. Users can also send these events to other destinations via Event Streams.

Learn More

You can now connect to data from both inside and outside of Fabric in a mere few steps. Whether data is coming from new or existing sources, streams, or available events, the Get Events experience allows users to connect to a wide range of sources directly from Real-Time hub, Eventstreams, Eventhouse and Data Activator.

This enhanced capability allows you to easily connect external data streams into Fabric with out-of-box experience, giving you more options and helping you to get real-time insights from various sources. This includes Camel Kafka connectors powered by Kafka connect to access popular data platforms, as well as the Debezium connectors for fetching the Change Data Capture (CDC) streams.

Using Get Events, bring streaming data from Microsoft sources directly into Fabric with a first-class experience. Connectivity to notification sources and discrete events is also included, this enables access to notification events from Azure and other clouds solutions including AWS and GCP. The full set of sources which are currently supported are:

Microsoft sources : Azure Event Hubs, Azure IoT hub
External sources : Google Cloud Pub/Sub, Amazon Kinesis Data Streams, Confluent Cloud Kafka
Change data capture databases : Azure SQL DB (CDC), PostgreSQL DB (CDC), Azure Cosmos DB (CDC), MySQL DB (CDC)
Fabric events : Fabric Workspace Item events, Azure Blob Storage events

Learn More

With enhanced Eventstream, you can now stream data not only from Microsoft sources but also from other platforms like Google Cloud, Amazon Kinesis, Database change data capture streams, etc. using our new messaging connectors. The new Eventstream also lets you acquire and route real-time data not only from stream sources but also from discrete event sources, such as: Azure Blob Storage events, Fabric Workspace Item events.

To use these new sources in Eventstream, simply create an eventstream with choosing “Enhanced Capabilities (preview)”.

You will see the new Eventstream homepage that gives you some choices to begin with. By clicking on the “Add external source”, you will find these sources in the Get events wizard that helps you to set up the source in a few steps. After you add the source to your eventstream, you can publish it to stream the data into your eventstream.

Using Eventstream with discrete sources to turn events into streams for more analysis. You can send the streams to different Fabric data destinations, like Lakehouse and KQL Database. After the events are converted, a default stream will appear in Real-Time Hub. To turn them, click Edit on ribbon, select “Stream events” on the source node, and publish your eventstream.

To transform the stream data or route it to different Fabric destinations based on its content, you can click Edit in ribbon and enter the Edit mode. There you can add event processing operators and destinations.

With Real-Time hub embedded in KQL Database experience, each user in the tenant can view and add streams which they have access to and directly ingest it to a KQL Database table in Eventhouse.

This integration provides each user in the tenant with the ability to access and view data streams they are permitted to. They can now directly ingest these streams into a KQL Database table in Eventhouse. This simplifies the data discovery and ingestion process by allowing users to directly interact with the streams. Users can filter data based on the Owner, Parent and Location and provides additional information such as Endorsement and Sensitivity.

You can access this by clicking on the Get Data button from the Database ribbon in Eventhouse.

This will open the Get Data wizard with Real-Time hub embedded.

You can use events from Real-Time hub directly in reflex items as well. From within the main reflex UI, click ‘Get data’ in the toolbar:

This will open a wizard that allows you to connect to new event sources or browse Real-Time Hub to use existing streams or system events.

Search new stream sources to connect to or select existing streams and tables to be ingested directly by Reflex.

You then have access to the full reflex modeling experience to build properties and triggers over any events from Real-Time hub.

Eventstream offers two distinct modes, Edit and Live, to provide flexibility and control over the development process of your eventstream. If you create a new Eventstream with Enhanced Capabilities enabled, you can modify it in an Edit mode. Here, you can design stream processing operations for your data streams using a no-code editor. Once you complete the editing, you can publish your Eventstream and visualize how it starts streaming and processing data in Live mode .

In Edit mode, you can:

Make changes to an Eventstream without implementing them until you publish the Eventstream. This gives you full control over the development process.
Avoid test data being streamed to your Eventstream. This mode is designed to provide a secure environment for testing without affecting your actual data streams.

For Live mode, you can :

Visualize how your Eventstream streams, transforms, and routes your data streams to various destinations after publishing the changes.
Pause the flow of data on selected sources and destinations, providing you with more control over your data streams being streamed into your Eventstream.

When you create a new Eventstream with Enhanced Capabilities enabled, you can now create and manage multiple data streams within Eventstream, which can then be displayed in the Real-Time hub for others to consume and perform further analysis.

There are two types of streams:

Default stream : Automatically generated when a streaming source is added to Eventstream. Default stream captures raw event data directly from the source, ready for transformation or analysis.
Derived stream : A specialized stream that users can create as a destination within Eventstream. Derived stream can be created after a series of operations such as filtering and aggregating, and then it’s ready for further consumption or analysis by other users in the organization through the Real-Time Hub.

The following example shows that when creating a new Eventstream a default stream alex-es1-stream is automatically generated. Subsequently, a derived stream dstream1 is added after an Aggregate operation within the Eventstream. Both default and derived streams can be found in the Real-Time hub.

Customers can now perform stream operations directly within Eventstream’s Edit mode, instead of embedding in a destination. This enhancement allows you to design stream processing logics and route data streams in the top-level canvas. Custom processing and routing can be applied to individual destinations using built-in operations, allowing for routing to distinct destinations within the Eventstream based on different stream content.

These operations include:

Aggregate : Perform calculations such as SUM, AVG, MIN, and MAX on a column of values and return a single result.
Expand : Expand array values and create new rows for each element within the array.
Filter : Select or filter specific rows from the data stream based on a condition.
Group by : Aggregate event data within a certain time window, with the option to group one or more columns.
Manage Fields : Customize your data streams by adding, removing, or changing data type of a column.
Union : Merge two or more data streams with shared fields (same name and data type) into a unified data stream.

Analyze & Transform

Eventhouse, a cutting-edge database workspace meticulously crafted to manage and store event-based data, is now officially available for general use. Optimized for high granularity, velocity, and low latency streaming data, it incorporates indexing and partitioning for structured, semi-structured, and free text data. With Eventhouse, users can perform high-performance analysis of big data and real-time data querying, processing billions of events within seconds. The platform allows users to organize data into compartments (databases) within one logical item, facilitating efficient data management.

Additionally, Eventhouse enables the sharing of compute and cache resources across databases, maximizing resource utilization. It also supports high-performance queries across databases and allows users to apply common policies seamlessly. Eventhouse offers content-based routing to multiple databases, full view lineage, and high granularity permission control, ensuring data security and compliance. Moreover, it provides a simple migration path from Azure Synapse Data Explorer and Azure Data Explorer, making adoption seamless for existing users.

Engineered to handle data in motion, Eventhouse seamlessly integrates indexing and partitioning into its storing process, accommodating various data formats. This sophisticated design empowers high-performance analysis with minimal latency, facilitating lightning-fast ingestion and querying within seconds. Eventhouse is purpose-built to deliver exceptional performance and efficiency for managing event-based data across diverse applications and industries. Its intuitive features and seamless integration with existing Azure services make it an ideal choice for organizations looking to leverage real-time analytics for actionable insights. Whether it’s analyzing telemetry and log data, time series and IoT data, or financial records, Eventhouse provides the tools and capabilities needed to unlock the full potential of event-based data.

We’re excited to announce that OneLake availability of Eventhouse in Delta Lake format is Generally Available.

Delta Lake is the unified data lake table format chosen to achieve seamless data access across all compute engines in Microsoft Fabric.

The data streamed into Eventhouse is stored in an optimized columnar storage format with full text indexing and supports complex analytical queries at low latency on structured, semi-structured, and free text data.

Enabling data availability of Eventhouse in OneLake means that customers can enjoy the best of both worlds: they can query the data with high performance and low latency in their Eventhouse and query the same data in Delta Lake format via any other Fabric engines such as Power BI Direct Lake mode, Warehouse, Lakehouse, Notebooks, and more.

To learn more, please visit https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/fabric/real-time-analytics/one-logical-copy

A database shortcut in Eventhouse is an embedded reference to a source database. The source database can be one of the following:

(Now Available) A KQL Database in Real-Time Intelligence
An Azure Data Explorer database

The behavior exhibited by the database shortcut is similar to that of a follower database

The owner of the source database, the data provider, shares the database with the creator of the shortcut in Real-Time Intelligence, the data consumer. The owner and the creator can be the same person. The database shortcut is attached in read-only mode, making it possible to view and run queries on the data that was ingested into the source KQL Database without ingesting it.

This helps with data sharing scenarios where you can share data in-place either within teams, or even with external customers.

AI Anomaly Detector is an Azure service for high quality detection of multivariate and univariate anomalies in time series. While the standalone version is being retired October 2026, Microsoft open sourced the anomaly detection core algorithms and they are now supported in Microsoft Fabric. Users can leverage these capabilities in Data Science and Real-Time Intelligence workload. AI Anomaly Detector models can be trained in Spark Python notebooks in Data Science workload, while real time scoring can be done by KQL with inline Python in Real-Time Intelligence.

We are excited to announce the Public Preview of Copilot for Real-Time Intelligence. This initial version includes a new capability that translates your natural language questions about your data to KQL queries that you can run and get insights.

Your starting point is a KQL Queryset, that is connected to a KQL Database, or to a standalone Kusto database:

Simply type the natural language question about what you want to accomplish, and Copilot will automatically translate it to a KQL query you can execute. This is extremely powerful for users who may be less familiar with writing KQL queries but still want to get the most from their time-series data stored in Eventhouse.

Stay tuned for more capabilities from Copilot for Real-Time Intelligence!

Customers can increase their network security by limiting access to Eventhouse at a tenant-level, from one or more virtual networks (VNets) via private links. This will prevent unauthorized access from public networks and only permit data plane operations from specific VNets.

Visualize & Act

Real-Time Dashboards have a user-friendly interface, allowing users to quickly explore and analyze their data without the need for extensive technical knowledge. They offer a high refresh frequency, support a range of customization options, and are designed to handle big data.

The following visual types are supported, and can be customized with the dashboard’s user-friendly interface:

You can also define conditional formatting rules to format the visual data points by their values using colors, tags, and icons. Conditional formatting can be applied to a specific set of cells in a predetermined column or to entire rows, and lets you easily identify interesting data points.

Beyond the support visual, Real-Time Dashboards provide several capabilities to allow you to interact with your data by performing slice and dice operations for deeper analysis and gaining different viewpoints.

Parameters are used as building blocks for dashboard filters and can be added to queries to filter the data presented by visuals. Parameters can be used to slice and dice dashboard visuals either directly by selecting parameter values in the filter bar or by using cross-filters.
Cross filters allow you to select a value in one visual and filter all other visuals on that dashboard based on the selected data point.
Drillthrough capability allows you to select a value in a visual and use it to filter the visuals in a target page in the same dashboard. When the target page opens, the value is pushed to the relevant filters.

Real-Time Dashboards can be shared broadly and allow multiple stakeholders to view dynamic, real time, fresh data while easily interacting with it to gain desired insights.

Directly from a real-time dashboard, users can refine their exploration using a user-friendly, form-like interface. This intuitive and dynamic experience is tailored for insights explorers craving insights based on real-time data. Add filters, create aggregations, and switch visualization types without writing queries to easily uncover insights.

With this new feature, insights explorers are no longer bound by the limitations of pre-defined dashboards. As independent explorers, they have the freedom for ad-hoc exploration, leveraging existing tiles to kickstart their journey. Moreover, they can selectively remove query segments, and expand their view of the data landscape.

Dive deep, extract meaningful insights, and chart actionable paths forward, all with ease and efficiency, and without having to write complex KQL queries.

Data Activator allows you to monitor streams of data for various conditions and set up actions to be taken in response. These triggers are available directly within the Real-Time hub and in other workloads in Fabric. When the condition is detected, an action will automatically be kicked off such as sending alerts via email or Teams or starting jobs in Fabric items.

When you browse the Real-Time Hub, you’ll see options to set triggers in the detail pages for streams.

Selecting this will open a side panel where you can configure the events you want to monitor, the conditions you want to look for in the events, and the action you want to take while in the Real-Time hub experience.

Completing this pane creates a new reflex item with a trigger that monitors the selected events and condition for you. Reflexes need to be created in a workspace supported by a Fabric or Power BI Premium capacity – this can be a trial capacity so you can get started with it today!

Data Activator has been able to monitor Power BI report data since it was launched, and we now support monitoring of Real-Time Dashboard visuals in the same way.

From real-time dashboard tiles you can click the ellipsis (…) button and select “Set alert”

This opens the embedded trigger pane, where you can specify what conditions, you are looking for. You can choose whether to send email or Teams messages as the alert when these conditions are met.

When creating a new reflex trigger, from Real-time Hub or within the reflex item itself, you’ll notice a new ‘Run a Fabric item’ option in the Action section. This will create a trigger that starts a new Fabric job whenever its condition is met, kicking off a pipeline or notebook computation in response to Fabric events. A common scenario would be monitoring Azure Blob storage events via Real-Time Hub, and running data pipeline jobs when Blog Created events are detected.

This capability is extremely powerful and moves Fabric from a scheduled driven platform to an event driven platform.

Pipelines, spark jobs, and notebooks are just the first Fabric items we’ll support here, and we’re keen to hear your feedback to help prioritize what else we support. Please leave ideas and votes on https://aka.ms/rtiidea and let us know!

Real-Time Intelligence, along with the Real-Time hub, revolutionizes what’s possible with real-time streaming and event data within Microsoft Fabric.

Learn more and try it today https://aka.ms/realtimeintelligence

Data Factory

Dataflow gen2 .

We are thrilled to announce that the Power Query SDK is now generally available in Visual Studio Code! This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing developers with powerful tools to enhance data connectivity and transformation.

The Power Query SDK is a set of tools that allow you as the developer to create new connectors for Power Query experiences available in products such as Power BI Desktop, Semantic Models, Power BI Datamarts, Power BI Dataflows, Fabric Dataflow Gen2 and more.

This new SDK has been in public preview since November of 2022, and we’ve been hard at work improving this experience which goes beyond what the previous Power Query SDK in Visual Studio had to offer.

The latest of these biggest improvements was the introduction of the Test Framework in March of 2024 that solidifies the developer experience that you can have within Visual Studio Code and the Power Query SDK for creating a Power Query connector.

The Power Query SDK extension for Visual Studio will be deprecated by June 30, 2024, so we encourage you to give this new Power Query SDK in Visual Studio Code today if you haven’t.

To get started with the Power Query SDK in Visual Studio Code, simply install it from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace . Our comprehensive documentation and tutorials are available to help you harness the full potential of your data.

Join our vibrant community of developers to share insights, ask questions, and collaborate on exciting projects. Our dedicated support team is always ready to assist you with any queries.

We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions you’ll create with the Power Query SDK in Visual Studio Code. Happy coding!

Introducing a convenient enhancement to the Dataflows Gen2 Refresh History experience! Now, alongside the familiar “X” button in the Refresh History screen, you’ll find a shiny new Refresh Button . This small but mighty addition empowers users to refresh the status of their dataflow refresh history status without the hassle of exiting the refresh history and reopening it. Simply click the Refresh Button , and voilà! Your dataflow’s refresh history status screen is updated, keeping you in the loop with minimal effort. Say goodbye to unnecessary clicks and hello to streamlined monitoring!

[New] OneStream : The OneStream Power Query Connector enables you to seamlessly connect Data Factory to your OneStream applications by simply logging in with your OneStream credentials. The connector uses your OneStream security, allowing you to access only the data you have based on your permissions within the OneStream application. Use the connector to pull cube and relational data along with metadata members, including all their properties. Visit OneStream Power BI Connector to learn more. Find this connector in the other category.

Data workflows

We are excited to announce the preview of ‘Data workflows’, a new feature within the Data Factory that revolutionizes the way you build and manage your code-based data pipelines. Powered by Apache Airflow, Data workflows offer seamless authoring, scheduling, and monitoring experience for Python-based data processes defined as Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs). This feature brings a SaaS-like experience to running DAGs in a fully managed Apache Airflow environment, with support for autoscaling , auto-pause , and rapid cluster resumption to enhance cost-efficiency and performance.

It also includes native cloud-based authoring capabilities and comprehensive support for Apache Airflow plugins and libraries.

To begin using this feature:

Access the Microsoft Fabric Admin Portal.
Navigate to Tenant Settings.

Under Microsoft Fabric options, locate and expand the ‘Users can create and use Data workflows (preview)’ section. Note: This action is necessary only during the preview phase of Data workflows.

2. Create a new Data workflow within an existing or new workspace.

3. Add a new Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) file via the user interface.

4. Save your DAG(s).

5. Use Apache Airflow monitoring tools to observe your DAG executions. In the ribbon, click on Monitor in Apache Airflow.

For additional information, please consult the product documentation . If you’re not already using Fabric capacity, consider signing up for the Microsoft Fabric free trial to evaluate this feature.

Data Pipelines

We are excited to announce a new feature in Fabric that enables you to create data pipelines to access your firewall-enabled Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2) accounts. This feature leverages the workspace identity to establish a secure and seamless connection between Fabric and your storage accounts.

With trusted workspace access, you can create data pipelines to your storage accounts with just a few clicks. Then you can copy data into Fabric Lakehouse and start analyzing your data with Spark, SQL, and Power BI. Trusted workspace access is available for workspaces in Fabric capacities (F64 or higher). It supports organizational accounts or service principal authentication for storage accounts.

How to use trusted workspace access in data pipelines

Create a workspace identity for your Fabric workspace. You can follow the guidelines provided in Workspace identity in Fabric .

Configure resource instance rules for the Storage account that you want to access from your Fabric workspace. Resource instance rules for Fabric workspaces can only be created through ARM templates. Follow the guidelines for configuring resource instance rules for Fabric workspaces here .

Create a data pipeline to copy data from the firewall enabled ADLS gen2 account to a Fabric Lakehouse.

To learn more about how to use trusted workspace access in data pipelines, please refer to Trusted workspace access in Fabric .

We hope you enjoy this new feature for your data integration and analytics scenarios. Please share your feedback and suggestions with us by leaving a comment here.

Introducing Blob Storage Event Triggers for Data Pipelines

A very common use case among data pipeline users in a cloud analytics solution is to trigger your pipeline when a file arrives or is deleted. We have introduced Azure Blob storage event triggers as a public preview feature in Fabric Data Factory Data Pipelines. This utilizes the Fabric Reflex alerts capability that also leverages Event Streams in Fabric to create event subscriptions to your Azure storage accounts.

Parent/Child pipeline pattern monitoring improvements

Today, in Fabric Data Factory Data Pipelines, when you call another pipeline using the Invoke Pipeline activity, the child pipeline is not visible in the monitoring view. We have made updates to the Invoke Pipeline activity so that you can view your child pipeline runs. This requires an upgrade to any pipelines that you have in Fabric that already use the current Invoke Pipeline activity. You will be prompted to upgrade when you edit your pipeline and then provide a connection to your workspace to authenticate. Another additional new feature that will light up with this invoke pipeline activity update is the ability to invoke pipeline across workspaces in Fabric.

We are excited to announce the availability of the Fabric Spark job definition activity for data pipelines. With this new activity, you will be able to run a Fabric Spark Job definition directly in your pipeline. Detailed monitoring capabilities of your Spark Job definition will be coming soon!

To learn more about this activity, read https://aka.ms/SparkJobDefinitionActivity

We are excited to announce the availability of the Azure HDInsight activity for data pipelines. The Azure HDInsight activity allows you to execute Hive queries, invoke a MapReduce program, execute Pig queries, execute a Spark program, or a Hadoop Stream program. Invoking either of the 5 activities can be done in a singular Azure HDInsight activity, and you can invoke this activity using your own or on-demand HDInsight cluster.

To learn more about this activity, read https://aka.ms/HDInsightsActivity

We are thrilled to share the new Modern Get Data experience in Data Pipeline to empower users intuitively and efficiently discover the right data, right connection info and credentials.

In the data destination, users can easily set destination by creating a new Fabric item or creating another destination or selecting existing Fabric item from OneLake data hub.

In the source tab of Copy activity, users can conveniently choose recent used connections from drop down or create a new connection using “More” option to interact with Modern Get Data experience.

Microsoft Fabric March 2024 Update

Welcome to the March 2024 update. We have a lot of great features this month including OneLake File Explorer, Autotune Query Tuning, Test Framework for Power Query SDK in VS Code, and many more! Earn a free Microsoft Fabric certification exam! We are thrilled to announce the general availability of Exam DP-600, which leads to … Continue reading “Microsoft Fabric March 2024 Update”

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Hike Blog is a clean and minimal blog theme.. This modern and bold WP theme is all you need for your food delivery business..The perfect destination for every professional Food Delivery Service, Fast Food, travel blogger and traveler is here! Hike Blog was designed for all modern adventure traveller, all types of delivery, who need to create personal blog site , travel blogger with simple and creative features and effects to make readers feel the pleasure of reading blog posts and articles. If you are a blogger and traveller, then it’s a perfect choice for you if you don’t need to have any experiment to setup your Wordpress personal blog, it’s super simple and easy to setup, you will get high quality, responsive, well crafted blog out of the box to make writers only focuses on writing content, and it has great typography to make your fans and followers focus on every word you write.

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President Ruto breaks silence on the cost of his US travel

Kenyans were concerned about why he could not use the presidential jet or a kq plane..

The President said he has received the concerns from Kenyans who questioned why he did not use presidential jet or the Kenya Airways plane in his State Visit to the US.

President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on May 20, 2024

President William Ruto has clarified that the cost incurred for his travel to the US was way less than what would have been spent if he had used a Kenya Airways plane.

The President travelled to the US aboard an A6-RJU royal jet.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, the President said he has received concerns from Kenyans who questioned why he did not use the presidential jet or the Kenya Airways plane in his State Visit to the US.

But in a rejoinder, Ruto said the choice of his plane to the US was influenced by his decision to ensure the prudent use of State resources.

"Fellow Kenyans, I have noted concerns about my mode of transport to the USA. As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than travelling on KQ," Ruto said.

Ruto, however, did not state the amount he used for the hired jet and the amount he would have spent if he had to use a Kenya Airways plane.

A State House official had earlier told the Star the President could not use his presidential jet as it has never been to the US since it was bought in the 90s.

The official said the design of the jet makes it effective to operate in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam was quoted by local media saying the plane could not be used as "it will have to stop five times to refuel".

Multiple reports estimate that the cost of hiring a Boeing business jet like the one Ruto used in his visit to the US oscillates around $18,000 per hour, roughly Sh2,358,0000.

A journey to Atlanta, US, where Ruto first made a stop, is approximately 19 hours from Kenya, meaning it would cost Sh71,404,500 with that rate.

Earlier, the US embassy denied footing President Ruto's travelling cost to the US.

"Just to be clear: The United States of America DID NOT pay for President Ruto’s jet to the U.S," U.S. Embassy-Nairobi spokespersoN Andrew Veveiros told a local media house.

Details of President Biden, Ruto's light moment with the press

Ruto arrives in kenya after us state visit, most popular, man appeals for help to raise sh4m for kidney transplant, ruto to preside over cadets commissioning parade in nakuru, we've cleared kisumu international airport runway - kaa, do you hold the hand of your spouse in public, in courts: investigator to be cross-examined in obado trial, latest videos, us to partner with kenya in building defence facility, management row at nyali school paralyses learning, sign up for the free star email newsletter and receive the latest kenya news daily..

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Observe Memorial Day with these events in southern Maine

Tons of towns have parades and ceremonies happening Monday.

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Kids and adults gather at a Memorial Day parade to honor and celebrate veterans in South Portland. Sofia Aldinio/ Staff Photographer

BATH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at 200 Congress Ave. and concludes at Library Park and will be followed by a wreath-laying service at 11 a.m.

BERWICK 11 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at Berwick Town Hall/Sullivan Square and proceeds to Lord’s Cemetery by way of Wilson and Allen streets. After a ceremony there, the parade will continue down Saw Mill Hill Street with a pause at the Somersworth-Berwick Bridge for a brief memorial service for those lost at sea. The parade ends at Sullivan Square with a memorial service honoring area veterans.

BIDDEFORD-SACO Opening ceremony at 9:55 a.m. Monday at Saco City Hall. Parade starts at 10 a.m. from Saco City Hall and proceeds along Main Street and down York Hill into Biddeford, continues along Main Street, onto Alfred Street and finishes at Veteran’s Memorial Park with a closing ceremony at 10:45 a.m.

BRUNSWICK-TOPSHAM 9 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from Topsham Town Hall, pauses for observances while crossing the Brunswick-Topsham bridge, and concludes at the Brunswick Mall.

CAPE ELIZABETH 9 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at the middle school parking lot, turns right on Scott Dyer Road, right onto Route 77 and ends at the village green adjacent to the town hall. A brief ceremony and laying of the wreath will be held at the Village Green after the parade.

CUMBERLAND 8 a.m. Monday. Kids run at Greely High School followed by 5K Run and Remember race at 8:30 a.m. Parade starts at 10 a.m. at Mabel I. Wilson School and ends at the veterans’ monument in Moss Side Cemetery in Cumberland Center, where a ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. Advertisement

FALMOUTH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from 65 Depot Road (Falmouth American Legion) to Pine Grove Park, where a ceremony will be held.

FREEPORT 9:30 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from Holbrook Street, heads north on Main and makes a right onto School Street, then right onto Park Street, ending in Memorial Park. There will be a small ceremony in Memorial Park starting at 10 a.m.

GORHAM 11 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Village School (12 Robie St.) and ends at Eastern Cemetery on Johnson Road.

GRAY 11:30 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves the Russell School (8 Gray Park), proceeds to Shaker Road and continues to the Soldiers Monument at the intersection of Routes 26 and 3 for a wreath-laying ceremony. Parade continues north to the American Legion Post (15 Lewiston Road) for a closing ceremony.

LYMAN 1 p.m. Monday. Parade starts at Waterhouse Road/Mill Pond in Goodwins Mills and ends at the Lyman Town Hall on South Waterboro Road.

NEW GLOUCESTER 9 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves from Memorial Elementary School (86 Intervale Road) and heads down Intervale Road to Route 100/202 to Veterans Park for a memorial service. The parade will reconvene and go down Peacock Hill Road, then take a left on Gilmore Road. Advertisement

OLD ORCHARD BEACH 1 p.m. Monday. Parade starts at the corner of Ballpark Way and E. Emerson Cumming Boulevard and proceeds down Saco Avenue, Old Orchard Beach Street to First Street and ends at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

PORTLAND 2 p.m. Monday. The procession starts at Longfellow School (432 Stevens Ave.) and ends at Evergreen Cemetery for a commemoration ceremony.

SANFORD 10 a.m. Monday. The parade starts at the Sanford Armory (88 William Oscar Emery Drive), proceeds up Gowen Park Drive and ends at Central Park.

SCARBOROUGH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Scarborough High School, turns onto Route 114 and then Route 1, past town offices to the Maine Veterans Home and concludes with a ceremony there.

SOUTH PORTLAND 10:30 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Southern Maine Community College parking lot, proceeds down Broadway to the Veterans Monument for a short Memorial Day recognition service.

WELLS 9 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Wells High School (200 Sanford Road) and proceeds to Ocean View Cemetery for a ceremony and musical performances. Advertisement

WESTBROOK 10 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds down Main Street and will be followed by a ceremony in Riverbank Park.

WINDHAM 9 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Windham Town Hall and proceeds onto Route 202 toward Windham High School. At 10 a.m., there will be a ceremony in front of Windham’s Veterans Memorial Flagpole at Windham High School.

YARMOUTH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves from Yarmouth High School (286 West Elm St.) and proceeds to the Memorial Green at Town Hall for a ceremony.

YORK 10 a.m. Monday. Parade starts near St. Christopher’s Church (4 Barrell Lane) and proceeds down York Street to York Town Hall.

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Sen. Susan Collins decries Trump’s conviction

Trump becomes first former u.s. president convicted of felony crimes, don mclean’s appearance at white house dinner sends ‘dangerous’ message about domestic violence, ex-wife says, thrd act maine protests l.l. bean at memorial day parade, durham man on a mission to build affordable housing for people with physical disabilities, daily headlines.

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One Dead and Dozens Injured After ‘Extreme Turbulence’ on Flight

A Singapore Airlines flight from London was diverted to Bangkok, where more than 70 people were being treated for injuries.

By Claire Moses and Muktita Suhartono

Claire Moses reported from London, and Muktita Suhartono from Bangkok.

Update: Passengers describe the scene on board the flight.

A 73-year-old man from Britain died and dozens of people were injured after a plane encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” about 10 hours into a flight from London to Singapore, officials said on Tuesday.

The plane, a Boeing 777-300ER operated by Singapore Airlines, was diverted to Bangkok, the airline said in a statement , and landed at 3:45 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The interior of an airplane. Oxygen masks have been deployed.

In all, 71 people, including passengers and crew members, were injured, a hospital in Bangkok said. The hospital, Samitivej Srinakarin, said that of the 71 people from the flight who were being treated in its medical network, six were injured seriously. It listed four of the injured as being from Britain, with three from Malaysia, two each from New Zealand and the United States, and one each from Ireland and Spain. Other victims’ nationalities were not known.

The remaining passengers and crew were examined and treated at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, the airline said. Singapore’s Ministry of Transport said it was examining the episode and would send investigators to Bangkok, and the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States said it would send a representative and four technical advisers to help. The Thai prime minister said his government would “assist with everything necessary for the injured.”

The man died aboard the flight, said Kittipong Kittikachorn, the director of Bangkok’s airport, without identifying him by name or giving a cause of death. The man’s wife was injured and taken to a hospital, Mr. Kittipong said.

The average flight time of that route is just under 13 hours. Mr. Kittipong said at a news conference that he went onto the airplane after it landed and described the scene as “a mess.”

The flight, SQ321, took off from Heathrow at 10:38 p.m. local time on Monday with 211 passengers and 18 crew members. The airline said it encountered turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin over Myanmar, at 37,000 feet. Data on Flight Radar 24, a website that compiles public information about flights, appears to show that about 10 hours later, it went from 37,000 feet to an altitude of roughly 31,000 feet in only a few minutes.

The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the flight to Bangkok.

About 100 passengers who were not injured were to be flown to Singapore on Tuesday, Mr. Kittipong said. He described them as being in a state of shock.

It’s unclear what caused the episode. As the plane traveled across Myanmar, satellite data showed a strong storm beginning to form and bubble into the higher elevations, which suggests that the atmosphere in the region was becoming unstable. The plane was also moving toward other storms that were developing along the coast of Myanmar.

Deaths caused by turbulence are rare.

The last time a passenger on a commercial flight operated by an American airline died from a turbulence-related injury was in 1997, when a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Honolulu experienced severe turbulence over the Pacific Ocean, according to an N.T.S.B. investigation . The passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and flew up from her seat, possibly striking her head on the luggage bin, according to the investigation.

In 1990, an 84-year-old died from injuries sustained weeks earlier when an Eastern Air Lines flight encountered turbulence on the way to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, according to the N.T.S.B.

Between 2009 and 2022, 163 passengers and crew members were seriously injured in turbulence on aircraft registered in the United States, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration . In December 2022, 11 people were seriously hurt in turbulence on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu .

Recent research indicates that turbulence is rising and that climate change is a cause, specifically elevated carbon dioxide emissions that affect air currents.

José Alvarado, a pilot with the Icelandic airline Play, said that in his experience, clear-air turbulence, which happens most frequently at high altitudes, can occur without warning. For that reason, he tells passengers, “Even if there’s no turbulence, keep your seatbelts on.”

Once, more than two decades ago, when he was working as a flight attendant, he experienced turbulence on a flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires that was so severe that he was thrown upward when the plane suddenly dropped about 4,000 feet. His back and shoulder blades hit the ceiling of the cabin before he was thrown back down.

“I was just bouncing up and down,” he said, adding that some passengers also were injured. He said he had not experienced anything like that since.

Chee Hong Tat, Singapore’s minister for transport, said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened to learn about the incident.”

Singapore Airlines offered its condolences to the family of the person who died on the flight, adding that “we deeply apologize for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight.”

Reporting was contributed by Judson Jones , Jenny Gross , Christine Chung and Mark Walker .

An earlier version of this article misstated the number of people from the United States who were injured on the Singapore Airlines flight. There were two from the United States, not one.

An earlier version of a picture caption with this article misstated the flight number assigned to a Singapore Airlines jet that encountered extreme turbulence on Tuesday. It was SQ321, not SG321.

How we handle corrections

Claire Moses is a Times reporter in London, focused on coverage of breaking and trending news. More about Claire Moses

Muktita Suhartono reports on Thailand and Indonesia. She is based in Bangkok. More about Muktita Suhartono

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Press Trips For Travel Bloggers: How To Get Paid To Travel
Press Trips For Travel Bloggers: My First Invitation . I took my first press trip in 2011. It was to an island nation in the Caribbean and was an unforgettable four days spent snorkeling, hiking and savoring delicious locally-cooked meals.
The Ultimate Guide To Press Trips For Bloggers & How to Land Them
Press trips, also known as media trips or familiarization (FAM) tours, are essential opportunities for bloggers and influencers to explore destinations, experiences, and products firsthand while ...
Press Trips for Travel Writers and Bloggers: How to Find Them
Here's how to get on the press list in the countries you want to visit: Select the countries where you have viable and matching outlets. Visit their websites and find the media and press contacts in the U.S. Contact them and request your name be placed on their press list for consideration for future organized trips.
How to Get Invited on Press Trips in 17 Steps
8. Know your worth. At the same time, you need to understand your value and worth to them. Go on a travel blogger press trip and you'll be working, taking time out of your schedule and making sacrifices to go on the trip. Make sure it's worth it to you, however it is you want to calculate that worth.
How to Find the Best Press Trips in 2022
Here are some of the best sources of press trips for travel writers, bloggers and other media professionals who want to network with travel industry pros and discover the best press trip opportunities in 2021 and beyond. Note: Dates, costs, fees and other details of conferences can change without notice so readers should double-check for ...
How to Press Trip
All Press Trips are Different. Tips for Press Trips for Bloggers. Before a Press Trip | A: Receive an invitation. Before a Press Trip | B: Send a request. Before a Press Trip | Planning and Preparation. During the Press Trip | On Site. After the Press Trip | Writing + Report. After the press trip is before the press trip. More than 3.5 years ...
What Are FAM Trips & Press Trips? How To Get Paid For All-Inclusive Travel
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How To Land Your First Press Trip
A press trip is when a group of traditional media, bloggers, or influencers are invited by a tourism board or travel brand to go on a trip for media coverage. Sometimes, a press trip is also called a FAM trip (short for familiarization) since you're getting "familiar" with the product or destination.
What Is A Blog Press Trip Really Like? 2024 Guide
Blogger Press Trip: An Average Day. 07.00: Wake up, quick check of phone for important emails. Shower, get ready for the day. 07.30: Social media and emails. It's always important to publish content at times your audience are awake and online, so when I'm on trips I often schedule social media posts ahead of time.
Press Trips for Bloggers: What are they Like?
For many bloggers and travel writers, scoring a press trip is kind of a big deal. The idea of free (or paid) travel, can be highly attractive to a blogger who's just starting out. But it's also worth remembering that a press trip is not a holiday - lots of work is involved and it should be taken seriously. You're not there to sunbathe ...
How Travel Bloggers Get on Press Trips
Seasoned travel bloggers get on press trips through press trip announcements on industry sites, by invitation (through referral and reputation), or by pitching to areas they want to visit for the next year. You don't want to race the car without the engine. Slow down.
A Guide to Press Trips for Travel Bloggers
Dave and Deb, Press Trips or blog trips, not free trips. Free trips are got as a result of winning a competition. The most they require on behalf of the person winning a competetion is a photo for publicity purposes and to prove they did actually award the prize. The trips you are writing about exist to publicise whatever the organisation ...
How To Land Paid Press Trips As A Travel Blogger
Make your blog searchable to trip hosts and set yourself up to receive press trip invitations. Turn unpaid press trips into paid invites, even if the host has no budget. Find and pitch tourism boards/brands that actually work with bloggers. Create a rate card that helps you earn more than your base package.
Press Trip and FAM Etiquette for Bloggers
Learning the difference between a press trip and a FAM, and whether you can bring a guest or not. I define a press trip as an experience where I'm the only media outlet invited to an experience, and a FAM is when multiple bloggers and travel writers are hosted on one trip. If it's a press trip, most of the time they'll understand that you ...
The Ultimate Guide to Press Trips for Bloggers & How to Land Them
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Johnny Jet of JohnnyJet.com - OG travel blogger and friend. He traveled with me on some of my first press trips such as the Bahamas and the Singapore Airlines A380 Launch. Follow him on Instagram @JohnnyJet. He shares his tips below: Give plenty of free time so writers can explore on their own and or work on their stories/social media
Free Travel For Travel Bloggers: The Ins & Outs of Press Trips
Quick Tip: If looking to land a press trip, Media Kitty is a great resource where PR contacts list upcoming press trips for journalists and bloggers to apply for. Another good resource is MatadorU (as part of Matador Network) which offers a marketplace that lists press trip opportunities and other freelance assignments.
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As a beginner travel blogger, it's not easy to get a press trip. However, if you have a well-defined niche, a unique signature, and a loyal following, you can already start pitching to brands and companies. It's not about your numbers but about your influence. It's better to have fewer followers but real people that you connect with and ...
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Some common search terms to put in Google to help you get stared - FAM trip for bloggers 2017, Press trips 2017, Press trips for bloggers, Familirization trips, FAM tours 2017 and so on, I think you get the drift. Apart from boards/brands actively looking for bloggers, you can cold pitch to brands "you" love and think you might enjoy ...
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A monthly subscription costs $29.99 and includes a free seven-day trial. Ahrefs. Bloggers who wish to increase their blog's performance, the number of domains referring to it, and their Google page rank should use Ahrefs, which provides an in-depth analysis of backlinks, rivals, and keywords.
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Hike Blog is a clean and minimal blog theme.. This modern and bold WP theme is all you need for your food delivery business..The perfect destination for every professional Food Delivery Service, Fast Food, travel blogger and traveler is here! Hike Blog was designed for all modern adventure traveller, all types of delivery, who need to create personal blog site , travel blogger with simple and ...
President Ruto breaks silence on the cost of his US travel
State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam was quoted by local media saying the plane could not be used as "it will have to stop five times to refuel". Multiple reports estimate that the cost of ...
Observe Memorial Day with these events in southern Maine
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'Extreme Turbulence' on Singapore Airlines Flight Kills 1 and Injures
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ESA invites press and institutional public information officers to attend for free. To register, please contact ESA Public Affairs Manager Mayda Nathan directly at gro.ase null @adyam . The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world's largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge ...

The Ultimate Guide To Press Trips For Bloggers & How to Land Them

How press trips for travel writers or bloggers work

Understanding Press Trips for Travel Bloggers

Tips for Finding and Securing Press Trip Opportunities

Making the Most of Your Press Trip Experiences

How to Get Invited to Press Trips and FAM Trips

1. BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

2. NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

3. PITCH PERSONALIZED PROPOSALS

4. CREATE COMPELLING CONTENT

5. ATTEND INDUSTRY EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

How to Reach Out to PR Firms and Get on PR Lists

1. RESEARCH AND TARGET

2. CRAFT A PERSUASIVE PITCH

3. BE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSISTENT

4. ATTEND PR EVENTS AND MIXERS

5. FOLLOW UP AND NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS

More Resources:

Press Trip Tips

Press trips for travel writers: To qualify, you need travel assignments...

Contact Tourism Agencies

Join Targeted Social Media Sites to Find Press Trips for Travel Writers

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How to Get Invited on Press Trips in 17 Steps

My first travel blogger press trips

When will you get a press trip?

1. You need a substantial blog

2. You need some stats

3. You need to be what they’re looking for

4. You need to be available

Press trips I’ve been on

5. You need to be on the PRs radar

6. You need to have reach

During press trip negotiations

7. Have the right attitude

8. Know your worth

Press trips aren’t just a holiday

9. Know what you’re signing up for

10. Say now if you don’t like the itinerary

Once you have the press trip sorted

11. Underpromise and over deliver

12. Be up, ready, alert and all charged up

13. Don’t take the piss

14. Just be awesome

How to get a press trip

15. Go to events

What can you do for them?

16. Helps to be multitalented

17. Produce a media kit

My Top 12 Unbelievable Press Trip Experiences

1. Driving a Mustang up the Pacific Coast Highway

2. Flying first class with Virgin Atlantic

3. Walking in the parade at Hogmanay in Edinburgh

4. Using helicopters to get from A to B

5. Driving the Emerald Coast in Florida

6. Relaxing at the Kurhotel Spa in Denmark

7. Cruising on a Catamaran in Barbados

8. Seeing the sloths in Costa Rica

9. Driving an ATV in Israel

10. The incredible places I’ve stayed

Jungle Lodge in Gambia

Henderson Park Inn, Emerald Coast

Hahnenkamm Lodge, Kitzbuhel

Yab Yum Huts, Goa

Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur, CA

11. Going on a private jet in Thailand

12. Experiencing Oktoberfes t

And more…

Final note on getting invited on press trips

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