A press trip (or FAM trip — familiarization trip) is a hosted visit where journalists, editors, influencers, or travel advisors experience a destination, hotel, resort, cruise, or tourism product firsthand. The goal: produce enough compelling experiences that attendees create coverage organically.

How They Work

The host (hotel brand, tourism board, airline, cruise line) covers travel, accommodation, meals, and curated experiences. The itinerary is designed to showcase the property or destination's strongest stories — culinary programs, cultural experiences, design details, adventure activities, or sustainability initiatives. Attendees are not contractually obligated to cover the trip (unlike influencer activations with deliverables), but the expectation is understood.

FAM vs. Press Trip

A press trip is for media (journalists, editors, bloggers). A FAM trip is for trade partners — travel advisors, tour operators, and booking agents who need product knowledge to sell the destination. The distinction matters because the content output is different: media produce coverage; trade partners produce sales.

Planning

Guest list curation is everything. A travel editor from Condé Nast Traveler, a food writer from Eater, and a wellness influencer with 500K followers each tell different stories from the same trip — that's the ideal mix. Group size: 6–10 is standard. Larger groups dilute the experience and reduce the exclusivity that drives premium coverage.

Disclosure

FTC guidelines require disclosure of hosted travel. Most publications have their own disclosure policies. Transparency is both legally required and strategically smart — readers and followers trust disclosed content more than content that appears to hide the arrangement.