Case Study: Expanding a travel brand into New Markets with PR & Marketing

Introduction

Expanding into new destinations is a major milestone for any hotel chain, but it also comes with challenges—especially when entering regions where brand awareness is low. When we partnered with an established travel brand, our mission was to introduce their new properties to the trade and consumer in new markets and new audiences, ensuring both travel professionals and potential guests recognised the brand in these unfamiliar territories.

The Challenge

This company had a strong presence in its established markets but was launching in three new destinations where it had little to no brand recognition. The challenge was twofold: educating the trade industry—OTAs, tour operators, and travel agents—while simultaneously building consumer awareness to drive direct bookings.

The Strategy

To ensure a successful expansion, we implemented a multi-channel PR and marketing approach, combining trade and consumer engagement:

  1. Travel Trade PR & Media Exposure – We secured exclusive features in top-tier travel trade publications, highlighting the hotel chain’s entry into the new markets. These articles reached over 20,000 travel professionals, positioning the brand as a key player in these regions.
  2. Webinars & Training for Travel Agents – We conducted six interactive webinars, training 300+ travel agents on the hotel’s unique selling points, amenities, and booking incentives. This hands-on approach ensured agents felt confident recommending the properties to their clients.
  3. Consumer Press & Influencer Collaborations – We placed branded content in leading consumer travel magazines and partnered with 10 high-profile travel influencers, generating 1M+ social media impressions and driving traffic to the hotel’s booking platforms.
  4. Strategic Partnerships with Tour Operators & OTAs – We negotiated dedicated marketing campaigns with top tour operators and OTAs, featuring the new hotels in their promotional emails, social media, and website banners, directly targeting travel buyers.

The Results

Our strategic campaign delivered immediate and measurable success:

  • Brand awareness increased by 70% in the new markets within six months.
  • 20+ tour operators and OTAs onboarded, adding the hotels to their portfolios.
  • Webinar-trained agents reported a 65% increase in bookings for the new destinations.
  • Social media engagement doubled, with influencer campaigns generating high-converting traffic to the hotel’s website.
  • Press coverage reached over 1M readers, establishing credibility and demand for the new properties.

Key Takeaways

  • A combined PR and trade strategy accelerates market entry – Positioning the brand through both industry media and consumer press creates a strong launch impact.
  • Agent training drives bookings – Travel agents remain a key booking channel, and empowering them with the right knowledge results in higher conversions.
  • Leveraging influencers boosts visibility – A well-executed influencer strategy can quickly build credibility and consumer interest.

Conclusion

Through a strategic blend of PR, trade engagement, and digital marketing, we successfully positioned our client as a must-know brand in its new destinations. The result? Stronger trade partnerships, increased bookings, and widespread brand recognition.

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