Travel Media

Destination BC has a well-developed program to work with travel media – journalists or outlets who specialize in telling travel and lifestyle stories – to create exposure for BC as a destination of choice. Travel media relations is an essential marketing channel to tell our brand story, build awareness, and encourage travellers to visit BC.

We work with journalists, freelance writers, social influencers, editors, and broadcasters on travel-focused stories to build destination awareness in our top markets. Our Travel Media Specialists can help with research, travel planning, image sourcing, interview contacts, filming, and more.

How to Work with Us

Cultivating relationships with travel media across the country and around the world, Destination BC and our partners create both proactive opportunities to showcase BC’s tourism stories, and in turn, are ready with information and support when media approach with assignments and travel plans already in hand.

Press or Familiarization Trips

Destination BC, in partnership with all regions and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), actively invite travel media to visit and experience British Columbia on press trips, also called media visits or familiarization trips (FAMs). Supporting FAMs is a cost-effective way of creating awareness of your tourism business.

FAMs offer an opportunity to have travel media experience your business firsthand and include your property, experience or product in their story. FAMs, like all activities working with travel media, rely on long-term commitments. Tourism is a business based on building relationships and investing in opportunities.

Visiting Journalist Program

If travel media have a story in mind or are assigned a feature story as a result of your pitch, they will likely plan to visit BC. DMOs and tourism businesses in British Columbia are eligible for Destination BC’s assistance through our North America Visiting Journalist Program. Destination BC’s primary means of support for hosting travel media is air or ground transportation to British Columbia. Tourism businesses are expected to provide media with comp accommodations, meals and activities.

To be considered for support, the applicant must contact Destination BC before inviting travel media to come to BC. The applicant must demonstrate that the request meets certain requirements (including outlet audience size and demographic information), and that they are also making an equal investment in the press trip. For more information about the program, contact your regional media relations representative.

Our travel media team is also available to assist you with vetting travel media. Contact your local travel media specialist.

With pre-approved support from your DMO or Destination BC, download our visiting journalist form (which includes criteria) to begin planning your trip.