Leveraging PR to Connect With First-Time Travelers

Kayla Atwater

Every year, millions of Americans leave vacation days unused. In fact, Sorbet’s 2024 PTO Report found that 62 percent of Americans didn’t use all of their PTO last year and on average, left a third of their time unused, equating to about five days. While various factors contribute to this, such as inflation and workplace pressure, there’s still often an underlying desire to travel.

For those of us working in travel and tourism, it’s hard to imagine sitting still for too long. We navigate airports with ease, know our favorite hotel brands by heart and have a suitcase ready to go at a moment’s notice. But not only are many Americans not fully maximizing their PTO, some also fall into the surprisingly large group of people who’ve never been on a plane, left their home state or ventured beyond the U.S.

We believe that one of the most important roles a top travel PR agency can play isn’t just inspiring seasoned travelers to add another stamp to their passport. It’s tapping into the underlying sense of wanderlust that exists among first-time or infrequent travelers—those who may finally be considering their first cruise or dreaming about their first international jaunt—and using storytelling to compel them into action.

Understanding the audience

To effectively reach today’s travelers—or those who have yet to become travelers—we must first understand what may be holding them back. According to Expedia’s 24th Annual Vacation Deprivation Report, Americans are more vacation deprived than they’ve been in over a decade, despite having the PTO available to travel. The top reason cited was because “life is too busy to go on vacation.”

Affordability is increasingly a concern in today’s environment, as well. Bankrate’s 2025 Summer Travel Survey found that 65 percent of adults skipping summer getaways cited cost as the main reason keeping them home. Furthermore, 68 percent of these non-travelers said the high cost of everyday living made travel impossible, while 64 percent pointed specifically to high travel expenses as a deterrent.

With all of this in mind, how do we navigate the fact that many Americans want and need R&R, but feel a vacation may not be achievable or accessible for them? That’s where PR becomes about so more than promotion.

Bridging the gap through education

It’s not enough to talk the talk. We have to walk the walk by ensuring our clients’ messaging isn’t just inspirational but is both practical and actionable. If someone doesn’t know how to plan a vacation, how to afford one, or even where to start, no amount of wanderlust-driven language will drive them to book.

Educational storytelling builds trust, which is critical when people are being more cautious with their time, money and energy. Whether we’re working with media on beginner-friendly travel guides like “The Best Destinations for Your First Solo Trip” or leading influencer campaigns that offer advice like “How to Plan the Perfect, Budget-Friendly Weekend Getaway,” we’re moving potential travelers forward with every talking point, every press placement and every social media post.

Utilizing PR to make dreams a reality

There are a few ways to take an educational approach with PR, compelling novice travelers to take the leap:

Simplify vacation planning with clear key messaging. Planning a vacation shouldn’t feel like another stressful task on someone’s to-do list. By highlighting helpful tools and innovations through earned media—such as our client HomeToGo’s AI-powered solutions for searching and booking vacation rentals, or Rental Escapes’ concierge service for curating custom itineraries—we spotlight practical resources that can simplify vacation planning and even make it feel exciting!

Photo Credit: Riviera Travel

Address financial concerns with special offers. Recognizing that budget can be a major obstacle for many travelers, we work with our clients to develop appropriate angles around staycations, drive-market destinations and affordable local getaways. We also frequently pitch timely deals, including most recently, special offers for educators in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week at our various hotel and resort clients, which led to coverage in media outlets like USA Today and NBC news stations across the country.

Showcase the benefits of taking time off through thought leadership. We know first-hand that vacations can have a definite impact on mental health, creativity and workplace productivity. By leveraging thought leadership opportunities—such as bylined articles, conference speaking opportunities and business media interviews—we can highlight the expert advice of our clients surrounding the personal and professional benefits of time away, ultimately inspiring reluctant travelers to prioritize their PTO.

Speak to the full spectrum of today’s travelers. With thoughtful media outreach, we aim to showcase what travel can look like for a wide range of people—including those who’re traveling for the first time, or those who’ve felt left out of traditional travel narratives. For example, we recently secured inclusion for our client Riviera Travel in a Travel + Leisure story titled “5 Reasons Cruises Are the Ultimate Accessible Vacation,” highlighting how cruises can be a welcoming and accommodating option for travelers with disabilities.

Making travel feel possible. Ultimately, our goal at Hemsworth is to help our clients reach new travelers—who can become loyal brand ambassadors—by showcasing why their offerings are worth prioritizing. By focusing on strategic PR programs that center on education, we’re able to help our clients stand out in a very crowded, competitive landscape. At the heart of it all, there’s nothing that excites us more than knowing that our work can encourage people to turn that unused PTO into memorable vacation moments.

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Kayla Atwater is an Associate Vice President of Hemsworth: Travel & Tourism.