Public Relations

Building relationships with key media and influencers is crucial to securing local, regional and national coverage to help tell your story to potential visitors. Visit NC’s PR team supports your efforts with opportunities to sharpen your story ideas  and connect with media. These co-op programs are contracted and billed separately from other Visit NC partner programs.

DOMESTIC MEDIA MISSIONS

Media missions are designed to let you network and share  your destination’s story with top-tier travel and lifestyle media in markets of interest. For 2023-2024, we plan to include the following:

In-state Media Mission

  • Fall 2023

  • $300 plus travel expenses

The event will be a traditional reception / trade show-style gathering with up to 25 destination partners and dozens of  media representatives and influencers. Registration fee includes event attendance, media contact list, and pitch sheet inclusion  in the digital media kit. A pitch sheet-only option is available for $100.

Out-of-state Mini Missions  

  • Multiple Opportunities 2023-2024  

  • $1,000-1,250 plus travel expenses

These versatile events will involve a small number of destination partners traveling to markets of interest for deskside visits, meals, informal meetings and other activities. Markets will be determined based on partner interest and media travel sentiment. Registration fee includes some meals and other hospitality expenses, media contact list, and assistance with follow-up as needed.

Media Pitch Projects

  • Sliding Fee Scale – from $1,250

The first step to gaining coverage is targeting the right outlets to tell your story. With this program, Visit NC’s PR staff and agency will work with destinations to pinpoint ideas and develop a customized pitch that will resonate with target media. The PR team will then connect destinations directly to media interested in the subject to see coverage through to fruition.

In an effort to support destinations that have newsworthy stories to tell but lack the economic resources to invest in PR, Visit NC uses a sliding fee scale based on 2023 County Distress Rankings. Fees may be shared among several counties for one regional pitch project if approved by the Visit NC PR team.

Influencer Pitch Projects

  • from $2,500

As you ride the currents of the digital world, Visit NC will help you identify and vet influencers. You will work with the PR team  to brainstorm hosted experiences (culinary events, hotel

stays, outdoor adventures) that can be offered to influencers in exchange for social posts. Our PR agency will share a list of targeted influencers, pitch them on your behalf, and connect you directly to those who are interested. You can then arrange visits to deliver the experiences.

Deskside Media Tours

  • $6,000 plus expenses

Make one-on-one connections with key travel and lifestyle editors in major media markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta  and Washington, D.C. The extended PR team will help determine topics and timing, then set up six to ten media appointments  with a comprehensive briefing on each outlet. A PR agency representative can escort you for an additional fee.

If you are interested in the PR offerings for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, please contact media@visitnc.com.