Activity Report June 2014
June Objectives Follow-up with journalists who attended the May group press trip. Raise awareness and confirm dates for further bespoke/group trips to take place in the next few months, including Conde Nast Traveller and all the major national newspaper titles and prestigious glossy magazines. To promote the June LGBT activity taking part in both regions and communicate this with the UK press in a news release.
Strategy & Activity Over the course of the month, we proceeded with the following: We identified 30-40 major, influential media outlets including national newspapers, travel and lifestyle magazines and well-established online news sites and liaised with the travel teams one-on-one. We showcased the diverse regions of Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit and offered the journalists the opportunity to visit on a press trip over the coming months. Extracting as much information as possible regarding potential feature angles, dates available to visit and coverage opportunities, we have the following ‘leads’ awaiting further confirmation and follow-up:
Strategy & Activity continued…
Press Trip Leads PUBLICATION: VIVA Magazine, high end glossy magazine in Manchester, targeted towards young professionals and focusing on fashion, events and travel. CIRCULATION: 60,000 TYPE OF TRIP: Individual CONTACT NAME: Emma Wilkinson, Editor CONFIRMED DATES AVAILABLE: 14th-21st August ADDITIONAL NOTES: Would like to see nightlife, culture, activities and day time trips. Will be travelling with photographer. PUBLICATION: London Evening Standard. A leading national newspaper (free sheet) distributed 5-days a week within London (tube stations/shops etc). Features national and international news, travel, food and entertainment. CIRCULATION: 900,000. (Ad rates per page: £70,210) TYPE OF TRIP: Individual Contact: Ms Jo Fernandez, travel editor DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: Preferably October half term (last two weeks of October, but is open to discussion). ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: The editor wishes to travel with her partner and 9-year-old daughter, we informed her that we will only cover the cost of her flight.
Strategy & Activity continued… Press Trip Leads CONTINUED…
PUBLICATION: TNT. A weekly free magazine, which focuses on providing information for independent travelers CIRCULATION: 80,000(Ad rates per page: £2,195) TYPE OF TRIP: Group/Individual CONTACT NAME: Caroline Garnar, Editor DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: 1st-28th September ADDITIONAL NOTES: Wishes to focus on adrenaline activities in Mexico - a good angle for their readers. PUBLICATION: Conde Nast Traveller (UK) CIRCULATION: 78,014 CONTACT: Fiona Kerr, travel editor (will be commissioning a reporter, possibly from the US) DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: TBC TYPE OF TRIP: Individual ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Interested in off-the-beaten track adventure and 'insider' discoveries. PUBLICATION: Marie Claire. Women’s monthly glossy magazine CIRCULATION: 227,729 (Ad rates per page: £16,500) TYPE OF TRIP: Group CONTACT NAME: Katy Regan, freelance journalist AVAILABLE DATES: TBC, pitching to editor ADDITIONAL NOTES: We discussed the ‘celeb’ side of Punta Mita- a good angle for their readers.
PUBLICATION: Daily Telegraph. A leading National Newspaper, founded in 1855. One of the most prestigious titles in the UK. CIRCULATION: 513,596 (Ad rates per page: £59,000) TYPE OF TRIP: Individual CONTACT NAME: Andrew Purvis, Commissioning Editor DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: TBC ADDITIONAL NOTES: Commissions pieces on South America- very interested in the Pacific Coast. PUBLICATION: Stylist Magazine. Weekly free magazine distributed in high end shops and to commuters. Focuses on fashion and style with a dedicated travel section. CIRCULATION: 435,975 (Ad rates per page: £17,600) TYPE OF TRIP: Group CONTACT NAME: Anna Hart, contributing travel editor ADDITIONAL NOTES: The publication focuses more on hotels as opposed to destination pieces. The journalist is interested in learning first about boutique/ independent properties and ‘new openings’ before committing to a trip
PUBLICATION: City Magazine, Luxurious lifestyle magazine distributed at high end retailers and major corporations in the heart of the city CIRCULATION: 75,000 (Ad rates per page: £6,995) TYPE OF TRIP: Group CONTACT NAME: Chris Allsop, Freelance journalist DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: September/ October ADDITIONAL NOTES: Interested in writing a feature on the luxury side of Riviera Nayarit, specifically Punta Mita with a sidebar on other highlights of the coastline including Puerto Vallarta.
PUBLICATION: Metro. Free regional newspaper - aimed at commuters on their way to work, focusing on news, things to do, entertainment and travel. CIRCULATION: 1,353,875 (Ad rates per page: £30,178) TYPE OF TRIP: Individual/Group CONTACT NAME: Lisa Scott, Travel Editor
PUBLICATION: BBC Radio/ Trip Reporter/ Jewish Chronicle PUBLICATION ADDITIONAL INFO: BBC Radio, ‘Where in the world is Andy?’ (BBC Radio show). Trip Reporter, Online Travel Publication written only by professional travel writers - information on destinations/hotels. The Jewish Chronicle- National Newspaper focusing on Jewish Religion, social and political thoughts, travel, film, theatre. CIRCULATION: Jewish Chronicle- 21,370 (Ad rates per page: £5,502) TYPE OF TRIP: Individual/Group CONTACT NAME: Andy Mossack, Freelance Travel Writer/ Broadcaster and editor of Trip Reporter DATES AVAILABLE TO VISIT: October ADDITIONAL NOTES: Would love to review the region and have a live interview with Richard for a segment in his show on BBC Radio.
In addition to liaising with the journalists directly, we followed up with AeroMexico and requested a face-to-face meeting, whereby we could discuss the above trips. The airline have explained they have an allocation of media rate tickets which they can offer on a case-by-case basis and we await to meet with the team to discuss further over the course of the following weeks.
Strategy & Activity continued… Press Trip Follow Up Following the distribution of the feedback forms, we received completed forms from the journalists who attended the group press trip (10-17 May 2014). The feedback forms outlined the groups’ highlights of the trip and overview of their time in Mexico, which was extremely positive and complementary of the full experience.
Highlights… “The warm welcome we received from every one and the chance to discover Mexico.” – David Hudson
“A real treat to get water sport lessons and such amazing spa treatments!” - Gareth Henrincx
3 words to describe your experience in Mexico: “Fun, whirlwind, treat!” – Laura Chubb
“Our host Elena Andreou and the respective tourist board PR reps and tour guides made our trip seamless, highly enjoyable and comfortable.” – Emma Hunt
Strategy & Activity continued… JUNE Press Release (LGBT) We drafted and distributed a press release highlighting the LGBT activity in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Mexico LGBT update: Riviera Nayarit follows Puerto Vallarta's lead in establishing itself as a pink holiday destination
WESTERN MEXICO´S PACIFIC COAST – The traditional charming Mexican beach town of Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco, is already a popular LGBT destination, with its second annual Vallarta Pride festival recently having taken place May 22-26.
The destination also has more than a dozen gay-friendly hotels, including boutique property Casa Cupula, the newly-renovated Villa Mercedes, Olas Altas Suites and the 43-room Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea - the first in the city dedicated to gay and lesbian travellers located on the beachfront.The week-long celebration saw beach parties, parades, fashions shows, live music and even mass commitment ceremonies taking place – last October, civil unions were approved in the state of Jalisco for same-sex couples. The resort's Romantic Zone offers gay beaches, cruises, bars and clubs, including the luxurious adults-only, LGBT-friendly Mantamar Beach Club, Bar and Grill, which hosted the opening party for Pride. A long-standing member of the IGLTA (International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association), Puerto Vallarta will be co-hosting Latin America's fourth LGBT Business Expo in June (12-14) with neighbouring resort Riviera Nayarit.
Strategy & Activity continued… KIMYE Press Release Kim Kardashian posted images to her Instagram stating she was holidaying with Kanye West in the Punta Mita area. We saw this as a huge opportunity to raise awareness for Riviera Nayarit as we noticed initial showbiz reports were merely mentioning the Punta Mita area and were not associating the destination with the Riviera Nayarit region. This press release had an overwhelming response to this release, after it was picked up by the biggest news site in the UK (Mail Online) and re-posted across the world! Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Take Punta Mita Kim Kardashian and Kanye West honeymoon in Riviera Nayarit’s stunning Punta Mita.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were spotted sunning themselves on their second honeymoon last week in the stunning Pacific Coast resort, Punta Mita in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. The luxurious hotspot, which Kim and Kanye specifically chose in the wake of their extravagant wedding, offers beautiful views of the white sands and clear blue waters and enjoys amazing weather, which Kim Kardashian clearly revelled in as she took numerous selfies of her tanned body poolside. Riviera Nayarit is perfectly suited for the Kardashian’s who holiday in the area often, thanks to its world class spas, championship golf courses, the largest yacht marina in Mexico and magnificent ocean views. You can see why the newlyweds chose this gorgeous beach resort as their honeymoon retreat! Top three Kardashian-friendly things to do in Riviera Nayarit: -
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Invite all your friends and family and hire out the plush 10 bedroom villa suite at the Four Seasons Punta Mita (www.fourseasons.com/puntamita.com), which comes with its own private pool and access to the beach. Sip champagne overlooking the stunning infinity drop fountain at the St Regis Punta
Coverage Publication: Out in the City Info: A leading LGBT publication. Print readership 27,000. 40,000 unique online visits a month. (press trip attendee) Media Type: Online/Print URL: http://www.outmag.co.uk/site/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=731%3Atravel-puerto-vallartamexico&catid=19&Itemid=135
Publication: Out in the City Info: A leading LGBT publication. Print readership 27,000. 40,000 unique online visits a month. 4-page print feature (press trip attendee) Media Type: Online/Print URL: http://www.outmag.co.uk/site/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=731%3Atravel-puerto-vallartamexico&catid=19&Itemid=135 TRAVEL: MEXICO
TRAVEL: MEXICO
PERFECT PACIFIC MEXICO
Pictured: 1. Puerto Vallarta - with its famed church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the centre 2. Local seafront landmark, the Seahorse sculpture 3. Puerto Vallarta’s Malécon seafront area 4. The view from Vista Grill restaurant 5. Local arts and crafts 6. A whale surfaces in Banderas Bay 7. Puerto Vallarta is a popular stop for passing cruise liners 8. El Tuito’s Parish of San Pedro Apostol
David Hudson reports on Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit in Mexico – now reachable via direct flights from London and Manchester…
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European jet-setters could be forgiven for not being familiar with Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s pacific coast – despite the fact that the resort is one of the most popular holiday destinations for LGBT travellers from North America. This is chiefly because, until recently, it was not possible to get direct flights from Europe. However, that all changed in May this year, when Thomson Holidays began a new, direct service on its new 787 Dreamliner. It now operates a Thursday service from Manchester and a Saturday service from London’s Gatwick. I was fortunate enough to be among the first to try the new Gatwick service, and to check out what Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, offers UK visitors. If you’ve not yet been on the Dreamliner, you’re in for a treat. It offers perhaps the greatest amount of leg room in any economy cabin, state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and even the ability to tint the tone of your cabin window depending on how much light you like. As soon as we stepped off the plane at Puerto Vallarta aiport, the heat hit us. The month of my visit (early May) is the beginning of the resort’s low-season. High season is from December until late April, as not only does this time offer comfortable beach temperatures, but it’s the whalespotting period. Hundreds of whales return to the deep Banderas Bay, where Puerto
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Vallarta lies, to spawn and mate. Spotting these amazing mammals in the water is apparently relatively easy, especially if you take advantage of one of the many whalespotting cruises. Come May, the whales have moved on and the temperature begins to rise – putting off most tourists. During my stay, the average temperature was around 32C – perfectly comfortable at most times, but you might want to take some flip-flops or sandals before walking on the sand! Puerto Vallarta has a population of around 250,000, with many of those working in the tourism industry. Every sort of hotel is available along its stretch of coastline. For those keeping an eye on their finances, many offer all-inclusive packages, which might prove very tempting with all food and drink included in your price. I stayed at Secrets Vallarta Bay resort, an adults-only four-star resort with stunning pools, guestrooms and restaurants, and a packed diary of daily activities. It’s understandable why some people would not want to bother leaving their hotel when everything is at their fingertips. However, to not do so would be a huge shame, as Puerto Vallarta has so much to discover, particularly for LGBT tourists. The city has dozens of different beaches to choose from, and many gay travellers may want to head to the famed Blue Chair Beach Resort (www.bluechairsresort.com). The
beach club is in the town’s ‘zona romantica’, where you will find plenty of LGBT businesses from jewellery and clothing shops to bars, clubs and cafés. The ‘romantic zone’ is next to Puerto Vallarta’s ‘old town’, although ‘old’ is, of course, all relative. Puerto Vallarta was little more than a fishing port 100 years ago and the bulk of its tourism has sprung up since the 1950s. The town achieved international recognition when Hollywood film director John Huston arrived in the early 1960s, scouting for locations for his film, Night of the Iguana. He fell in love with the place, and subsequently built himself a home on the nearby island of Las Calesta. It was while filming here that Richard Burton romanced Elizabeth Taylor, helping to kick-start the tourism industry that continues to thrive to this day. Beach activities, such as snorkelling, power boarding, jet skiing and paragliding, are plentiful. Do explore the old town, with its signature church (Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe) and quaint side streets. Stretching along the seafront is the Malecón – a pedestrianised road overlooking the Bay. It’s lined with beautiful modern sculptures and the ubiquitous pink and white bougainvillea blooms. Food-wise, do hunt down El Arrayan (elarrayan.com.mx). Run by partners Claudia and Carmen, this courtyard restaurant offers a range of traditional Mexican dishes, whilst
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Publication: Mail Online Info: The biggest online news site in the UK, receives 179, 822, 517 unique visitors a month. Media Type: Online URL: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2662327/World-class-spas-largestyacht-marina-Mexico-Inside-Punta-Mita-Mexico-Kim-Kanyes-super-exclusivesecond-honeymoon-hideout.html
Publication: Tritega Info: News site covering the latest international showbiz, news and travel stories. Media Type: Online URL: http://www.tritega.com/2014/06/19/world-class-spas-and-the-largestyacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-superexclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout/
Publication: News Addict Info: News alerts and headlines from across the world Media Type: Online URL: http://www.newsaddict.co.uk/news/world-class-spas-and-the-largestyacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-superexclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout/
Publication: UK News Day Info: News, Celebrity and travel website Media Type: Online URL: http://www.uknewsday.com/travel/45819-world-class-spas-and-thelargest-yacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanye-ssuper-exclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout.html
Publication: Spa News Today Info: News site which has 4.5 million+ readers Media Type: Online URL: http://spas.einnews.com/article__detail/210192220? lcode=e_JYIH1yUSiZIEI4cjzB-g%3D%3D
Publication: Last Minute Travel Deals Info: News site featuring the latest travel deals Media Type: Online URL: http://lastminutetraveldeals247.com/world-class-spas-and-the-largestyacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-superexclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout/
Publication: News Reality Info: News portal featuring the latest business, finance, entertainment and lifestyle updates Media Type: Online URL: http://www.newsreality.com/post/world-class-spas-and-the-largest-yachtmarina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-super-exclusivesecond-honeymoon-hideout
Publication: News Dump Info: A UK-based news portal featuring the latest entertainment news from across the world Media Type: Online URL: http://www.newsdump.co.uk/news/world-class-spas-and-the-largestyacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-superexclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout
Publication: All Voices Info: A community-driven platform for open, global news Media Type: Online URL: http://www.allvoices.com/news/17316395-world-class-spas-and-thelargest-yacht-marina-in-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyessuper-exclusive-second-honeymoon-hideout
Publication: Postipedia Info:News site operating similarly to Pinterest, where users showcase top news stories Media Type: Online URL: http://postipedia.com/pin/world-class-spas-and-the-largest-yacht-marinain-mexico-inside-punta-mita-in-mexico-kim-and-kanyes-super-exclusive-secondhoneymoon-hideout/
Publication: SNewsi Info: A news portal for global news, entertainment articles and business Media Type: Online URL: http://snewsi.com/id/1425879070
Publication: MM Express Info: An aggregated news feed featuring top entertainment news stories Media Type: Online URL: http://mmexpress.org/s/world-class-spas-endless-beaches-and-thelargest-yacht-marina-in-mexico-why-riviera-nayarit-is-mexicos-hottest-newdestination-if-its-good-enough-for-kim-and-kanye
Publication: Pink News Info: Europe’s largest gay news service Media Type: Online URL: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/06/12/international-businesses-target-mexicoslgbt-consumers/
Publication: Gay Life UK Info: News and lifestyle website featuring the latest LGBT updates from across the world Media Type: Online URL: http://www.gaylifeuk.com/news/19523-international-businesses-target-mexico’slgbt-consumers.html
July Objectives/ Highlights
Activity to take place for the month ahead includes: Continue to follow up all leads for individual/group press trips to take place over the next few months. Confirm dates and receive completed media forms, outlining commission/feature. Continual press release planning for the months ahead (eg. The luxury side of the regions, a sports/activity press release, wildlife release, wintersun press release). Further follow-up with all journalists that attended the group trip, confirming publication dates and credits/info etc.