Press Trips

In the heyday of travel journalism, writers were paid $1 to $2 a word by top publications for a featured travel story and the writer was paid for expenses. Today, in print journalism that is no longer the case, most newspapers no longer have a travel section and many magazines are no longer in print. Writers are woefully underpaid. There are still a few newspapers which will not allow press trips for their publications, but most print and online travel writing is the result of a press trip.

What exactly is a press trip? A writer, journalist or blogger is invited to explore a destination and some or all of the expenses are covered by a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) or a Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB).A writer can be invited onto a group press trip or work with a DMO or CVB individually to tailor an itinerary based on the writer’s needs. Contrary to many things you will see about travel for free with a blog this is not the case. These trips are not vacations (although if you like to travel they are enjoyable) and I work very hard to capture my experiences to share through social media, blog posts, videos, photos and print articles. Depending on the DMO or CVB’s budget and partnerships these trips can be fully funded or just cover parts of a trip.

Can I be objective? On a press trip, I am not told what to write and the DMO or CVB has no creative control over my work. I am very aware that the red carpet is rolled out and I am seeing people at their best. On my trips, I take time to talk to people who are visiting the area to get their experience. I observe interactions between staff and guests for any red flags. I do not write about anything I am not comfortable recommending. If something is not up to par, I do not write about it and I provide feedback to the DMO or CVB to share with their clients. I have a background in journalism and try to remain objective at all times. I write about things that I personally like enough to share with others and that I think my audience would be interested in. Blog posts are clearly marked at the end of the article if they are the result of a press trip.

Sponsored Posts

Occasionally, I may work with a brand who wants to pay for a sponsored post which is essentially a form of advertising. The content is dictated by the brand to their specifications. These posts will be clearly marked under the title as sponsored post.

Reviews

Companies many provide me with items to review. My opinions are my own. I will clearly mention the item was given to me to review.

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