And why the smartest travel brands don’t choose one over the other.
Fiona Anderson, Company Director, GEC PR
The travel industry has never had more ways to tell its story. From national newspaper travel sections and glossy magazine features to TikTok creators and Instagram influencers, brands are competing for attention across an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
It’s a question we hear regularly from hotels, destinations, tour operators and travel brands:
Should we invest in PR or influencer marketing?
The answer may surprise you. It’s not about choosing one over the other. It’s about understanding what each channel does best and creating a strategy that combines both to deliver measurable business results.
What Is Travel PR?
Travel PR focuses on securing credible, earned coverage in media outlets that your target audience trusts.
This could include:
- National newspapers
- Travel magazines
- Online travel publications
- Broadcast media
- Trade media
- Expert commentary opportunities
- Awards and industry recognition
The value of PR lies in third-party endorsement. When a respected journalist or publication writes about your brand, that credibility cannot be bought.
A feature in Condé Nast Traveller, The Times, Travel Weekly or National Geographic carries significant influence because readers know the recommendation comes from an independent source.
Travel PR delivers:
- Brand awareness
- Credibility and trust
- Long-term reputation building
- Media visibility
- Search engine authority
- Valuable content for future marketing
What Is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing involves partnering with content creators who have built engaged audiences on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Unlike traditional media, influencers often provide a more personal and relatable perspective.
A creator sharing their experience at a luxury hotel, showcasing a destination’s hidden gems or documenting an adventure holiday can inspire immediate action from followers.
Influencer marketing delivers:
- Fast audience reach
- Highly visual storytelling
- Social proof
- User engagement
- Audience targeting
- Content creation opportunities
For many travel brands, influencer campaigns can generate significant reach within a short timeframe.
The Strengths of Travel PR
Travel PR remains one of the most powerful ways to build lasting brand authority.
Imagine a traveller researching their next holiday. They might overlook a sponsored social post, but a recommendation in a respected travel publication often carries more weight.
PR also has a longer lifespan than many social campaigns.
A media feature can:
- Rank in search results for years
- Be referenced by other journalists
- Be cited in travel round-ups
- Support sales conversations
- Strengthen brand credibility
Importantly, PR increasingly contributes to visibility in AI-powered search platforms. When AI tools look for trusted sources, they often draw on reputable editorial coverage and authoritative mentions across the web.
The Strengths of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing excels at inspiration.
Travel is an emotional purchase. People don’t buy flights, hotel rooms or tours—they buy experiences, memories and stories.
Influencers are often highly effective at bringing those experiences to life.
The right creator can:
- Showcase a property authentically
- Create engaging video content
- Reach niche audiences
- Drive immediate website traffic
- Generate social conversations
For new openings, seasonal campaigns and destination launches, influencer partnerships can create momentum quickly.
Where Brands Go Wrong
Many organisations see PR and influencer marketing as competing disciplines.
As a result, budgets are often allocated to one channel while ignoring the other.
This creates missed opportunities.
A travel brand that relies solely on PR may generate excellent awareness but miss valuable social engagement.
A brand that focuses only on influencers may achieve impressive reach but struggle to build long-term credibility and authority.
The strongest results come when both disciplines work together.
Why Integration Delivers Better Results
Consider the launch of a new boutique hotel.
A standalone influencer campaign might generate:
- Social content
- Engagement
- Website visits
- Bookings
A standalone PR campaign might generate:
- Media coverage
- Industry awareness
- Brand credibility
- Search visibility
But when combined strategically, the impact multiplies.
A coordinated campaign could include:
PR activity
- Journalist stays
- Press releases
- Media interviews
- Feature placements
- Award submissions
Influencer activity
- Creator partnerships
- Video content
- Social storytelling
- User-generated content
- Audience engagement
The result is a consistent story being told across trusted media, social channels and search platforms.
Measuring Success Properly
The old criticism of PR was that it was difficult to measure.
Today that’s no longer true.
Modern travel marketing can track:
- Website traffic
- Referral sources
- Media coverage
- Social engagement
- Share of voice
- Search visibility
- Lead generation
- Booking enquiries
- Conversion rates
Likewise, influencer campaigns can be measured through:
- Reach
- Engagement
- Click-through rates
- Content performance
- Audience growth
- Direct sales attribution
The key is not to measure PR and influencer marketing separately, but to evaluate their combined contribution to business objectives.
So Which Delivers Better Results?
The honest answer is:
Neither.
PR and influencer marketing deliver different types of results.
PR builds trust.
Influencers build engagement.
PR creates authority.
Influencers create excitement.
PR helps people believe.
Influencers help people imagine.
Travel brands need both.
The Role of an Integrated Travel PR Agency
A specialist travel PR agency understands how these channels work together.
Rather than viewing PR and influencer marketing as separate activities, the most effective agencies develop integrated campaigns that align media relations, influencer engagement, content creation and business goals.
At GEC PR, we believe successful travel communications should always be measurable.
That means focusing on outcomes such as:
- Increased brand awareness
- Improved reputation
- Greater media visibility
- Stronger search presence
- Qualified website traffic
- Engagement from target audiences
- Booking enquiries and commercial growth
Every brand is different. A luxury hotel launch requires a different strategy from an adventure tour operator or a tourism board.
The objective remains the same: ensuring your story reaches the right audience through the right voices at the right time.
The debate shouldn’t be Travel PR versus Influencer Marketing.
The real question is:
How can travel brands combine both to achieve the greatest impact?
The answer lies in an integrated approach that blends the credibility of earned media with the reach and engagement of social creators.
When managed strategically, PR and influencer marketing become far more powerful together than they are apart.
And that’s where an experienced travel communications partner can make all the difference.
Looking to increase your travel brand’s visibility, credibility and commercial results? GEC PR helps destinations, hotels, tour operators and travel brands develop integrated PR and influencer campaigns that deliver measurable outcomes. Visit www.gecpr.co.uk to learn more or email fiona@gecpr.co.uk to arrange a PR audit for your brand.
ENDS