12 Dos and Don'ts of Pitching Freelance Travel Journalists
By Lavanya Sunkara, Daliah Singer, and colleagues
Travel writers have many responsibilities these days: writing, editing, marketing, invoicing, acquiring images, and keeping track of constantly shifting mastheads. But if our work days are in constant flux, one thing remains constant: Our inboxes are always overflowing with press releases and pitches.
“My email is so clogged with press releases and their subsequent follow-ups that I often miss ones that might work for me because I am sifting through countless follow-ups,” shared a writer friend.
We appreciate the hard-working PR professionals and destination representatives who are diligently contacting writers to tell compelling stories about their destinations and properties. However, we believe there are more efficient, mutually beneficial ways to communicate with freelance journalists.
We compiled this list of dos and don’ts for pitching freelance journalists. It includes tips from a dozen seasoned, award-winning professionals, though it is by no means representative of the viewpoints of all travel journalists.
1) DO Connect on an Individual Level
If you are sending individual emails—which is advisable—know who you are pitching. Research the writer(s) to whom you want to reach out in the same way you research publications before pitching. Ask yourself: What are their interests? Are they freelance or on staff? What don’t they cover? What kinds of stories do they tell?
Freelancers have different needs than staff writers; print journalists have different goals than broadcasters. When you overlook the obvious stuff—like sending invites or press releases about alcohol and food to someone who doesn’t cover either—we’re less likely to pay attention to any future outreach.
When we receive an invite that’s specifically crafted for us, we really appreciate it and are more likely to respond. One writer shared: “Someone researched me and saw I had a Boston terrier, and then pitched me about a UFO festival and included a couple of pictures of Bostons dressed as astronauts. She also invited me to come to the festival. That kind of personal note will get me every time!”
We appreciate this effort to foster individual relationships. If you sent a personalized email and did not hear back, please follow up, but give us at least a week before doing so.
TIP: If you don’t already have separate lists for freelancers, staff writers, and editors, consider creating them.
2) DON’T Send Generic News
A solar eclipse is on the horizon. Spring Break is just around the corner. Four of your properties have Barbie-themed cocktails. These kinds of generic roundups aren’t helpful for most freelance writers; staffers and columnists generally handle these types of listicles, so it doesn’t make sense for freelancers to pitch them. If we do happen to work on a story along these lines, we’ll reach out for suggestions. That’s where building relationships comes in!
Similarly, please don’t create made-up holidays like “Face Mask Day” or “National Brown Hair Day.” These are not real and can’t be used as timely pegs.
3) DO Send Story Ideas and Unique Angles
Pitch relevant stories that will help us land assignments. Explain your client’s unique eclipse activities. Highlight a BIPOC business owner who’s helped revive a local neighborhood. Share why a destination is trending among families this Spring Break. Focus on local experiences and include diverse businesses and activities, not ones easily found on Tripadvisor.
Readers want to be let in on the secrets that can only be discovered on the ground—not from a press release. Let us know what sets a place apart, why someone should visit now—or in six months or a year when the print story will actually run. The timely hook is extremely important. And, again, send pitches that uniquely suit that particular writer’s areas of coverage and interests.
If you get a response and/or follow-up questions from an interested writer, please do not ghost them. Respond as quickly as you can (ideally within 48 hours or sooner, if the writer doesn’t specify a deadline) with information that goes beyond what they could have found on their own.
Keep in Mind: When you pitch editors the same stories that you pitch to us, it makes pitching difficult/redundant for us. We need to send them something different, something they didn’t know about until we gave them the scoop, which means their readers may not know about it yet, either.
TIP: Be transparent. If you are sending the same pitch/trip invite to editors, let the individual writers know, so they know who to pitch/not pitch.
4) DON’T Follow-Up on Press Releases and Roundups
Most freelance writers aren't going to get many story ideas from press releases. That’s partly because other writers and editors are receiving the same emails and it's not worthwhile for freelancers to pitch the same ideas. Additionally, press releases with topic-specific roundups (drinks, gifts, plunge pools, etc.), may be more useful for staff writers and those with existing columns than most freelancers. These emails also lack a story—a narrative with characters or charming places—that we can successfully pitch to editors. For these reasons, please do not follow up on press releases sent to a list of writers. If the writer is interested, they will reach out.
Quarterly news roundups about your clients are appreciated. Writers often file these away for reference. Flagging a specific story angle or theme you think might interest the writer in the initial outreach email (see tip #3) is a great idea. Highlighting items in the press release that you think one of their outlets might be particularly interested in is also helpful. One writer shared that in a newsletter about 2024 happenings, the destination representative highlighted a climate-focused speaker series—a topic area she covers regularly—and now she’s attending the event to track down story ideas.
Tip: When sending press releases, one option is to include a summary of the news in the body of the email and then provide a link to the newsletter that lives on your website. A digital news release that lives on your website allows you to share more information along with imagery that can draw readers in. Photos allow the writer to envision what the published story might look like. Writers can also access these newsletters on their own time when pitching and writing stories.
5) DO Extend an Invite
We frequently get emails that describe a place or property, with links to high-res images (thank you), but there’s no invitation to accompany the pitch. It’s difficult to write a compelling story, let alone pitch a team of editors, without experiencing a place firsthand—particularly an entire destination.
If the client can afford it, offer to host the writer on an individual basis or invite them on the next group press trip. Our pitches to editors are more successful if we have already stayed at the hotel, tasted the chef’s food, and immersed ourselves in a destination. If hosting is not an option, offer to support a writer’s travel expenses once they’re in the destination. If the story is appealing enough, the writer may be willing to invest in airfare or other peripheral expenses.
Keep in Mind: Do not send one-on-one interview opportunities to a mailing list. Target your pitches to individuals who write those kinds of stories.
6) DON’T Require Confirmed Coverage Prior to Travel
Many national publications do not confirm coverage before a trip. And there are some—including the New York Times, BBC Travel, Wall Street Journal, CNN, and the Washington Post—that do not accept any stories developed from press trips. Asking for confirmed coverage puts an undue burden on the writer and could potentially fracture their relationship with an editor.
There are several reasons why freelance writers generally cannot confirm coverage. First, we can’t come up with solid story angles without visiting a destination. Second, even if we can secure an assignment, all manner of things could go wrong (like the trip being canceled or postponed, subject availability not allowing for certain experiences that were initially confirmed, last-minute changes to the itinerary, the editor leaving the publication, or a story getting killed). Lastly, some journalists have had the unpleasant experience of securing a placement, only to be told at the last minute that they were no longer invited on the trip. Please don’t do this.
Keep in Mind: We are professional writers who are running businesses—we do not make money if we don’t place stories, so getting published is as important to us as it is to you. By going on a trip, we are taking as much of a risk as you are. We want to secure a story as badly as you do!
Tip: If your client simply must appear in a given publication, limit your pitching to editors or staffers at that publication, or consider an advertorial feature or paid campaign with that outlet if your contract allows.
7) DO Rely on a Writer’s Track Record
If you are worried a writer is only interested in freebies, check out their track record by viewing their portfolio or website to see where they’ve been published recently. Your research of a given writer—their years in the business, history of solid story placements, and their reputation with other PR firms and DMOs—will tell you volumes about their trustworthiness and reliability.
If a writer has a proven history of performance, have confidence that they will do their very best to produce accurate and interesting stories from their experience on the ground. “I’ve been working with a particular DMO for more than 20 years and publishing stories about the nation they represent for at least as long,” shared one colleague. “Yet every time I want to return, I am required to produce at least one firm assignment in advance. It’s disappointing that after all these years, I can’t be trusted to produce and, quite honestly, I could place more stories if I had the freedom to explore without restrictions.”
Keep in mind: Placement can take time. It’s not unusual for a story to be published six months to a year (or longer) after a trip.
8) DON’T Use “First Come, First Served” Language
The usage of the phrase “first come, first served” in press trip or other invites immediately raises a red flag with writers. It shows that the sender was not intentional about who they want covering stories or joining the trip for their clients/destinations.
In an ideal world, editorial teams and the writers with whom they regularly work would be diverse and represent the traveling population. Sadly, that’s not the case. When you state that you will only give preference to those who can respond as quickly as possible (especially with an assignment), you are more likely to get staff writers and those who regularly write for the publications, which can further marginalize already sidelined groups.
Additionally, writers need time to make decisions about stories and trips, especially if they are to places that are far away and require significant travel. Asking them to respond quickly is not conducive to producing quality articles down the line.
On a related note: Please don’t use the phrase “in exchange for coverage.” If we have a positive experience, or find something intriguing on a media trip, we will try our hardest to land a story (or stories). But nothing can be guaranteed; phrasing this business opportunity as an “exchange” implies otherwise and carries the negative connotation that we are unethical or open to bribery.
9) DO Invest Time in Broadening Your Network
While it’s normal to gravitate toward writers with whom you’ve already built rapport, casting a wider net is a terrific way to broaden your reach. If you’re nervous about working with new-to-you writers, ask coworkers and creators you know well if they can recommend colleagues.
Attend professional conferences, check resources (such as SATW’s and ASJA’s directories), browse social media, and read far and wide. And commit to diversity. Check out this presentation on the importance of diversifying media trips from a speech given at the SATW conference in Puerto Rico last year.
Tip: Broaden your outreach list of creators using this detailed BIPOC Media Professionals List and via social media sites like Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
10) DON’T Be Super Picky About Outlets
Freelance writers can pitch a story and place it anywhere they deem a good fit. However, it’s important to understand that no matter how good a writer’s pitch, how much a given editor loves the angle, and how well-written the story, we simply cannot guarantee story placement. Publications and editors come and go, editorial calendars change, and publishers’ budgets ebb and flow. Ultimately, the editorial staff makes the call on which stories will run, how they will be edited, which photos will illustrate the articles, and how many pages they will merit.
While you may mention the types of outlets for which you think your client is well-suited, please do not demand where coverage should be in order to join a trip. “I had a publicist send me a list of outlets they'd like coverage in, half of which won't even accept press trips and some that pay so little that it would be an insult to even pitch there,” shared one colleague. If specific publications are a concern for your client(s), you can speak with the writer about where they’re thinking of pitching ahead of time.
Keep in mind: While writers strive for placement in top publications, sometimes local publications, alumni or trade magazines, and more niche digital outlets may yield better results in reaching certain demographics. Please be open-minded about where coverage lands.
11) DO Extend Virtual Invitations—Instead of Desksides
No more in-person desksides, please. Freelancers are based around the world, not just in major cities, especially since the pandemic. Meeting with a representative sometimes requires lengthy travel, which can be difficult and uneconomical for writers who are juggling multiple deadlines and responsibilities.
Offer the same connection sans the commute with a virtual meeting. It’s eco-friendly, more efficient, and you can fit in more meetings with writers based anywhere.
If the client insists on in-person outreach, see if they are willing to do an evening event or dinner where you can convene a group.
Tip: Make sure you know where the writers live before sending out in-person invitations. It is frustrating to receive invites for events in areas geographically disparate from a writer’s location. For example, someone living in Seattle getting an invitation to a dinner in Los Angeles, or a New Yorker being asked to attend a Chicago event (unless, of course, you are covering airfare, hotel, and other expenses).
12) DON’T Ignore Unsubscribe Requests
We often request to be removed from lists when we get press releases/pitches about topics we don’t cover. Please take these seriously. “I have sometimes asked to be removed from a list four times. Being pitched the same thing I asked not to be pitched on by multiple people in the same agency is an annoying waste of time—for everyone,” shared one writer.
If you have automated mailing list software, check it every few months to make sure its unsubscribe functionality is working.
About the Authors:
Lavanya Sunkara is a Lowell Thomas Award-winning writer based in NYC. She focuses on responsible tourism, sustainability, wildlife conservation, and pets. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Shondaland, Lonely Planet, Fodor's Travel, and USA Today, among many others. View her portfolio and learn more about her at www.nature-traveler.com. Reach her at lavanyasun@gmail.com.
Daliah Singer is an award-winning, Denver-based freelance journalist. She writes stories about the people, places, and curiosities that make the world interesting. She's particularly interested in travel stories with connections to sustainability, local culture, and off-the-beaten path adventures. Her writing has been featured in Conde Nast Traveler, Hemispheres, Fodor's, Travel & Leisure, and more. You can view her portfolio and learn more about her at daliahsinger.com. Reach her at daliah.singer@gmail.com.
Wow really interesting. I just started with travel writing and now am realizing how much there is to actually learn about the niche. It is exciting though and I look forward to seeing more growth. Thanks for the read!
Such a great list — thank you for putting down in words what so many of us for so many years have thought about and discussed. Hopefully this gets read by the people who need to know this the most.