The New Role of PR in Integrated Storytelling

Think about the last time you planned a trip. Maybe you started with a Google search, scrolled through Instagram for inspiration or asked ChatGPT for recommendations. Chances are, you consulted multiple sources before deciding where to go, what to do and where to stay.

Now think about all the different sources influencing those decisions — and how many of them your destination actually controls.

The way travelers discover destinations is changing dramatically, and it has big implications for how DMOs approach public relations.

Traditionally, PR has focused on securing earned media coverage, building relationships with journalists and generating positive publicity. Those things still matter very much. But in today's fragmented media landscape, PR needs to play a much more integrated role in shaping how destinations are discovered and understood.

Your Destination's Reputation Is Being Built Across Channels

AI is accelerating a shift that was already underway. According to 2026 research from Phocuswright, 56% of U.S. travelers used AI for trip planning, booking or in-destination assistance in the past year, up from just 33% in the first half of 2025. And even as AI becomes a more prominent part of the travel planning process, travelers are still consulting other sources. Half of those using AI-powered search engines continue to click through to source websites after receiving AI-generated answers.

What that tells us is that travelers aren't necessarily replacing one source of information with another. They're navigating an increasingly complex mix of channels, making it more important than ever for destinations to ensure those channels tell a consistent story.

AI platforms don't just rely on information from your official website. Depending on the query and platform, they may pull from travel publications, review sites, user-generated content, business listings and other third-party sources to develop their recommendations. That means an article published in a travel magazine, a creator's video or even a Reddit conversation may influence how your destination is represented to potential visitors.

In other words, your destination's brand is defined by more than just the content you produce; it's also being shaped by what everyone else is saying about you.

Earned Media Has a Bigger Job to Do

For communications professionals, this creates an enormous opportunity.

Earned media has always provided something that paid advertising can't buy: independent, third-party credibility. But now, that credibility can extend well beyond the original article's readership. A well-placed story about your destination's culinary scene, for example, might influence a traveler reading a magazine today while also helping inform an AI-generated recommendation months later.

But what happens if that article tells a completely different story from your destination's advertising campaign? Or if a traveler follows an AI recommendation to your website and can't find the experiences that inspired their interest? You've created awareness, but you've missed an opportunity to build on it.

And that's why PR can't be an afterthought to a larger marketing campaign. It needs to be part of the strategy from the beginning.

The Takeaway for DMOs: Make Your Channels Work Together

An integrated approach doesn't mean every channel needs to deliver the exact same message. In fact, it shouldn't. Different audiences, platforms and storytellers call for different approaches. What matters is that everything reinforces a consistent, authentic destination narrative.

Here are just a few places to start:

• Align your storytelling priorities. Bring PR, paid media, content, social and digital teams together early to identify the destination experiences and differentiators you want to elevate.
• Think beyond traditional media. Consider how creators, community partners, local businesses and residents can reinforce your destination's story through their own authentic perspectives.
• Connect earned coverage to owned content. Make sure the experiences you're pitching to journalists are easy to discover and explore on your website and other owned channels.
• Broaden your definition of measurement. Consider how earned coverage contributes to brand perception, search visibility, AI-generated recommendations and traveler consideration.

None of this means sacrificing the independence that makes earned media valuable. Journalists and creators should still tell their own stories. Our job is to make sure we're giving them compelling, authentic experiences that reflect what makes our destinations special. And for DMOs willing to break down traditional marketing silos, there's a real opportunity to turn earned media from a supporting tactic into a powerful driver of visitation.