How to choose a PR agency for your hotel, restaurant, cottage or tour operator
Not all PR agencies are created equal. Here's what to look for — and what to watch out for when choosing a representative for your travel brand.
Choosing a PR agency is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your travel brand. Get it right and you'll see your name appearing in the publications your ideal guests trust most, your bookings will grow, and your brand will start to carry the kind of weight that takes years to build organically. Get it wrong and you'll find yourself twelve months down the line with a lighter budget and very little to show for it.
The good news? There are clear signals that separate the agencies who will genuinely move the needle for your brand from those who won't. Here's what to look for.
1. Specialist experience in travel and hospitality
PR is not one-size-fits-all. The skills, relationships, and instincts required to secure coverage for a boutique safari lodge are very different from those needed to promote a fintech startup or a fashion brand. Travel and hospitality PR has its own rhythms — seasonal lead times, the nuances of working with travel editors, the art of the press trip, the importance of destination storytelling.
When evaluating agencies, look for a genuine track record in your sector. Ask to see examples of coverage they've secured for similar brands. Look at the publications they've landed features in. A specialist agency will not only have the right media contacts - they'll understand your world, speak your language, and know instinctively what makes a compelling story in the travel space.
2. Real media relationships — not just a contacts list
Any agency can buy a media database. What separates great PR professionals from average ones is the quality of their relationships with journalists, editors, and content creators - relationships built over years of delivering good stories and being a trusted, reliable source.
Ask the agencies you're considering: which travel editors do you have strong relationships with? When did you last work with them? How do you approach a new pitch? The answers will tell you a lot. You're looking for genuine familiarity with the media landscape, not a list of email addresses.
3. A clear, tailored strategy — not a generic proposal
Be wary of any agency that presents you with a generic proposal that could apply to any client. A good PR agency should take the time to understand your brand, your audience, your goals, and your competitive landscape before making any recommendations.
The proposal you receive should feel specific to you. It should reflect an understanding of what makes your brand distinctive, who you're trying to reach, and how PR fits into your broader marketing strategy. If it feels like a template with your name dropped in, walk away.
4. Transparency about results and reporting
PR can sometimes feel intangible — and some agencies lean into that ambiguity. But good PR should be measurable. Look for agencies that are clear about how they report on results, what metrics they track, and how they define success.
Coverage in top-tier publications, estimated reach, and quality of the narrative are all meaningful measures. Ask prospective agencies how they report back to clients and how frequently. Regular, honest communication about what's working and what isn't is a hallmark of a trustworthy partner.
5. A manageable client roster
Bigger isn't always better in PR. Large agencies with dozens of clients often spread their senior talent thin — you sign with an experienced director but find yourself managed day-to-day by a junior executive who doesn't fully understand your brand.
Boutique agencies and independent consultants with a carefully curated client list often deliver far more personalised, attentive service. Ask who specifically will be working on your account, what their experience is, and how many other clients they're managing at the same time. You want to feel like a priority, not a number.
6. Chemistry and cultural fit
This one is harder to quantify but just as important. You'll be working closely with your PR agency — sharing sensitive business information, collaborating on creative ideas, and trusting them to represent your brand in the media. The relationship works best when there's genuine mutual respect, good communication, and a shared sense of what great looks like.
Trust your instincts. If an agency feels transactional, if they're not asking enough questions, or if you simply don't connect with the people you'd be working with, that matters. The best client-agency relationships feel like a true partnership.
Questions to ask before you sign
Before committing to any agency, make sure you're asking the right questions:
What travel and hospitality brands have you worked with, and what coverage did you secure for them?
Who will be managing my account day-to-day?
How do you approach building a PR strategy for a new client?
What does your reporting look like, and how do you measure success?
How many clients are you currently working with?
What would you need from us to do your best work?
The answers — and the confidence with which they're delivered — will tell you everything you need to know.
A note on working with FAR Communications
At FAR Communications, we work with a deliberately small number of travel, lifestyle and hospitality brands at any one time. It's a choice that allows us to offer something the larger agencies simply can't: genuine dedication, deep brand knowledge, and a level of personalisation that makes a real difference to results.
Every client we take on receives bespoke strategy, direct access to Founder, Alana Fogarty, and the benefit of almost a decade of specialist relationships across the travel and lifestyle media landscape.
If you're in the process of choosing a PR agency and you'd like an honest conversation about whether we're the right fit for your brand, we'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch to explore how FAR Communications might support your brand.
