Securing partnerships with tourism boards is one of the best ways for travel creators to grow their brand. I’ve worked with nearly a dozen tourism boards in the past year, so I know how to pitch them and how to get paid collaborations with them! These collaborations provide opportunities for press trips, sponsored content, and long-term partnerships that help boost credibility. However, the process of how to pitch tourism boards can be challenging if you’re not familiar with the steps involved.
This guide breaks down the entire process into manageable steps that can help increase the chances of success. By following each step carefully, you can build strong partnerships with tourism boards and take their brand to the next level.
Published: November 6, 2024
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Step 1: Build Your Online Presence
Before reaching out to tourism boards, it’s essential to establish a solid online presence. Tourism boards need to see a consistent track record of content creation and audience engagement. Start by ensuring that all social media accounts, blogs, or YouTube channels showcase high-quality, niche-specific content.
Tourism boards often look for creators whose work aligns with their destination’s goals. Content should reflect professionalism, and there should be clear evidence of audience engagement through likes, comments, and shares. It’s also important to ensure that your blog or website is up to date and highlights previous projects, if any.
Including a media kit is another crucial step. A media kit should provide a detailed overview of your audience, including demographic information, reach, and examples of past content. Many tourism boards look for clear data on follower engagement and conversion potential when evaluating whether a creator is worth partnering with.
Consistency is key, so posting regularly and maintaining interaction with your audience is vital. Demonstrating an active, engaged audience can significantly enhance the chances of securing partnerships.
Step 2: Research the Right Tourism Boards
Tourism boards receive countless pitches from creators every year, and not all of them are a good fit for every destination. The key to success is researching which tourism boards align with your brand, content, and audience. Different tourism boards may focus on family-friendly destinations, luxury experiences, adventure travel, or cultural tourism, so it’s important to find those that match your niche.
To begin, take time to explore tourism board websites, social media platforms, and recent campaigns. Many tourism boards run specific marketing initiatives depending on the season or targeted audience, which can provide clues about whether they might be interested in collaborating with your brand. Keeping an eye on the types of campaigns they run can also help in crafting a pitch that appeals to their current focus.
Additionally, reaching out to smaller or less-known destinations can sometimes yield better results. While larger tourism boards may receive more proposals, smaller boards might be more willing to work with new or niche creators. Building a relationship with these boards can often lead to future collaborations.
It’s also helpful to follow tourism boards on social media and engage with their content. Engaging with them will make your brand more familiar to the board when you send your pitch. Personalizing pitches to demonstrate genuine interest in their destination will increase the likelihood of a positive response.
Step 3: Create a Strong Pitch
A personalized and compelling pitch is the cornerstone of any successful tourism board partnership. A good pitch should demonstrate a clear understanding of the tourism board’s goals and offer value that aligns with those goals. Start by introducing yourself and your brand, but keep it brief and professional.
It’s important to highlight why you’re interested in the destination and how it fits with your brand’s theme. For example, if you focus on sustainable travel, explain how that aligns with the destination’s eco-tourism initiatives. Offering tailored content ideas that fit their campaign goals or visitor demographics shows that you’ve done your research.
Be clear about what you can provide in exchange for the partnership. This could include blog posts, social media coverage, YouTube videos, or a combination of different content forms. Specificity is key, so outline the number of posts, expected reach, and other details. For instance, offering three Instagram posts, a detailed blog post, and a YouTube video can give tourism boards a clear idea of the return on investment.
Including your media kit as an attachment is essential, and it should highlight audience engagement, demographics, and past collaborations. A well-structured pitch can demonstrate professionalism and help tourism boards understand the mutual benefits of partnering with you.
Step 4: Highlight Your Audience and Metrics
When pitching to tourism boards, one of the most important factors is showing that you can offer value to their destination. Providing detailed information about your audience can make a huge difference in how tourism boards view your potential impact. Metrics like audience demographics, geographic locations, and age groups will help tourism boards see if your audience matches their target visitors.
For example, if a destination caters to younger travelers, showing that your audience consists of primarily 25-35-year-olds can strengthen your pitch. If your content focuses on families, and a tourism board is promoting family-friendly travel, this is an excellent match that should be emphasized in the pitch.
In addition to demographic data, it’s important to include engagement rates and growth statistics. Tourism boards want to know not just how many followers you have, but how engaged they are with your content. Highlight your average likes, comments, shares, or video watch times. Metrics like average blog traffic, unique visitors, and social media impressions can help illustrate the potential reach your content will have.
Even if your audience is smaller, focus on the engagement and loyalty of your followers. Many tourism boards are willing to work with smaller creators if they have a highly engaged community. Providing detailed, transparent metrics will allow tourism boards to assess the potential impact of the partnership.
Step 5: Follow Up Professionally
After sending your pitch, it’s normal not to hear back immediately. Tourism boards receive a high volume of emails and inquiries, so patience is necessary. However, sending a polite follow-up email can improve your chances of getting a response. If you haven’t heard back within 7-10 days, follow up with a brief email, reminding them of your initial pitch and expressing your continued interest in collaborating.
A well-crafted follow-up can demonstrate persistence and professionalism without being pushy. Keep the email short, reiterating why you believe the partnership would be mutually beneficial. Offer to provide any additional information or details they might need to make a decision. It’s important to respect their time, so avoid bombarding them with too many follow-up emails.
If you still don’t get a response after a follow-up, it’s best to move on and focus on other potential opportunities. Sometimes tourism boards have fully booked schedules or their current campaigns don’t align with your pitch. Keeping professional relationships open by not pushing too hard will allow for future collaboration opportunities.
Pro Tip: When To Pitch Tourism Boards
Timing plays a crucial role in the success of a pitch to tourism boards and travel companies. Understanding when to reach out can increase the chances of getting a positive response. Tourism boards often plan their campaigns and collaborations well in advance, so it’s essential to keep this in mind when planning pitches.
- Off-Season or Shoulder Season: Tourism boards are often more open to collaborations during their off-season or shoulder season. During these times, they may be looking for more creative ways to promote their destination to boost tourism. If your content aligns with travel during these periods, it’s a great time to pitch.
- Pre-Season Planning: Many tourism boards and travel companies plan their campaigns for peak season months in advance. Pitching for summer collaborations should ideally be done by late winter or early spring, while winter travel campaigns might be planned in the summer. Contacting them at least 3-6 months ahead of your planned travel gives you a better chance of securing a partnership.
- Holiday or Special Event Campaigns: Another key timing opportunity is around holidays or special events. Many tourism boards promote events like Christmas markets, festivals, or other cultural activities. If your content can align with a destination’s major event, reaching out in advance of these times is highly beneficial.
By understanding these key periods, you can target your pitches more strategically and improve your chances of landing partnerships with tourism boards and travel companies.
Sample Tourism Board Pitch Template
Crafting a personalized and professional pitch is essential when reaching out to tourism boards. Below is a sample email that can be used as a template:
Subject: Collaboration Opportunity for [Destination] Promotion
Hi [Tourism Board Contact Name],
I hope this email finds you well! My name is [Your Name], and I’m a travel content creator with a focus on [niche, e.g., adventure travel, family vacations, sustainable tourism]. I’m reaching out because I’m planning a trip to [Destination] in [Month/Year] and would love to explore a potential collaboration to help promote [Destination] to my engaged audience of [Number] followers/readers across [Blog/Social Media Platforms].
I’ve been following your recent campaigns, particularly your focus on [specific aspect of their promotion or marketing goal], and I believe my content can add value by showcasing [how your content will align with their campaign]. My audience is primarily [key demographic details], and I would love to feature [Destination] through a series of blog posts, social media content, and potentially video coverage.
Here’s what I can offer:
- [Example: 3 Instagram posts reaching 20,000+ followers]
- [Example: A detailed blog post highlighting key attractions in your destination, promoted to 15,000 monthly readers]
- [Example: A dedicated YouTube video with an expected reach of 10,000 views]
I’ve attached my media kit, which includes additional information about my audience demographics, engagement rates, and past collaborations with brands like [mention relevant collaborations].
I would be thrilled to collaborate with [Tourism Board/Destination] and create content that highlights the beauty and unique experiences your destination offers. Please let me know if you would be open to discussing this opportunity further.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Website/Blog]
[Your Social Media Links]
Want To Learn Even More About How To Pitch Tourism Boards?
Securing partnerships with tourism boards can be an overwhelming process, especially if you’re trying to navigate it on your own. Researching contacts, crafting the perfect pitch, and keeping track of follow-ups can feel like a full-time job. Many creators struggle with knowing exactly what tourism boards are looking for and how to stand out among a sea of other pitches. This is where having the right tools, resources, and guidance can make all the difference.
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This membership eliminates the need for hours of research, offering you the opportunity to focus on what matters most—creating valuable content and growing your brand. Instead of cold emailing, you’ll be contacting the right people with the right message, positioning yourself for success.
Additionally, the membership provides ongoing support, including:
- Regular updates with new tourism board contacts, ensuring you stay current as destinations launch new campaigns.
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By joining this membership, you gain everything needed to make securing tourism board partnerships a smoother, more streamlined process.
Wrap Up: Pitch Tourism Boards
Securing tourism board partnerships can be a game-changer for travel creators looking to grow their brand and reach new audiences. By following a clear, step-by-step process—building a strong online presence, researching the right boards, crafting a compelling pitch, highlighting your audience, and following up professionally—you can increase your chances of landing these valuable collaborations.
However, navigating this process can be time-consuming and challenging without the right support. By joining a membership designed specifically for travel creators, you’ll have access to the tools, contacts, and resources needed to secure partnerships more effectively. If you’re ready to take the next step in growing your brand, this membership is your key to success.