Let’s be real: Press trips aren’t what they used to be, pre-pandemic or even a couple years ago. For PR, securing media for hosted trips is increasingly difficult. meanwhile, journalists are growing increasingly frustrated with requests for guaranteed assignments (nearly impossible) and the often-inevitable feelings of press trip debt that come from struggling to place a story post-trip.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a growing disconnect between the interest in press trips and the actual availability of journalists to attend them, especially for group FAMs. Even thoughtfully planned itineraries are hitting logistical roadblocks. Tight lead times, overbooked media calendars, stricter in-office requirements for staff editors, and competition with major events (like IPW or IMM) are squeezing PR timelines in unexpected ways.

But behind this short-term challenge is a bigger shift: a meaningful evolution in how hosted media experiences are being valued, pitched, and prioritized.

Here’s what we’re seeing for press trip trends 2025 from inside the Pitchcraft community, and how travel PR pros can adapt to create experiences that journalists actually want to say yes to.

What’s Changing in the Hosted Trip Landscape

1. The Group FAM Is Losing Ground (For Now)
While group trips still have their place, they’re no longer the go-to model. Journalists are increasingly gravitating toward one-on-one hosted experiences where they can shape the story, travel on their timeline (possibly bringing their family or a plus-one along), while avoiding over-packed itineraries, competing with other journalists for the same story, and potentially clashing personalities.

2. Freelancer Flexibility > Editor Constraints
With many staff editors now tied to in-office days (some major publishers now require 3 per week), freelancers are becoming the most available and responsive partners for hosted trips. They can’t promise immediate coverage, but they often bring deep niche authority and long-tail storytelling power that they can harness to write about the trip for multiple outlets.

3. Domestic Travel Is Back in Focus
In light of projections around declining international travel to the U.S., many outlets are doubling down on domestic destination storytelling. We’re hearing from editors that pitches rooted in U.S.-based culture, design, food, and wellness are gaining traction, especially when they tie into broader trends like sustainability, slow travel, and upcoming milestones (hello, 100 years of Route 66 and America’s 250th birthday in 2026!).

Press Trip Trends 2025: What’s Working Right Now

Based on recent community conversations and direct journalist feedback, here’s what’s resonating:

• Longer lead times: Journalists are booking trips 3–6 months out, sometimes more. Trip invites with lead times of less than 8 weeks typically garner low response rates.
  
• Flexible formats: Individual trips with editorially relevant hooks that the journalist can design in partnership with the PR team are outperforming rigid group itineraries. (Stay tuned for new blog posts from us on new formats and themes for press trips later this month!)
  
• Control over deliverables: Journalists want space to explore, build relationships, and shape their stories without an implied deadline hanging over their heads. Smart travel PR pros understand this and host writers whom they trust, playing the long game.
  
• Timely, niche-driven themes: It’s not just about inviting “travel writers” anymore. Think about wellness escapes for health writers, design-driven lodging for architecture pros, or heritage trails for cultural history buffs.
  
• Intentional outreach: Personalized, relationship-based invitations, not mass blasts, are what break through the noise. Journalists want to feel like they were chosen for a specific trip and are not just filling a slot.

Press Trips as a Long-Term Relationship Tool

In Pitchcraft, we talk a lot about shifting PR from transactional to relational — build relationships, not lists. Hosted media visits are a perfect example of how to do this. When planned and executed well, they’re not just a means to earn a single story. They’re a way to:

• Deepen connections with aligned journalists (there’s nothing like bonding over shared experiences in a new place!)
• Give media the space to find something they love in a destination
• Foster storylines that develop over time — sometimes months or years later
• Create memorable moments that spark future collaborations

The bottom line: Think of each hosted visit as the beginning of a longer editorial relationship, not a one-off story opportunity.

Share Your Thoughts

Are you leaning more toward group FAMs or individual trips in 2025?
Leave a comment to share how your hosted media strategies are evolving and what journalists are responding to on your end right now.