What Travel Editors Look for in 2025

What Travel Editors Look for in 2025

The travel media landscape has transformed. From pandemic pivots to sustainability mandates and digital-first strategies, travel editors in 2025 are more discerning than ever—and overwhelmed with pitches. If you’re a destination, hotelier, or PR pro looking to land that coveted feature or roundup, here’s what you need to know to stand out in their inbox.

1. It’s Not About Where—It’s About Why Now

Pitching Paris or Tulum? Join the (very long) line. Editors want angles, not locations. That means your pitch should answer:

• What’s new, different, or newsworthy?
• Why now? (Is it tied to a trend, event, or season?)
• What’s the larger story (culture, wellness, climate, design)?

A new hotel opening isn’t enough. But a new hotel that’s restoring local architecture with net-zero energy tech? Now you’re talking.

2. Sustainability Is a Must—But It Must Be Real

Greenwashing is out. Editors want real receipts when it comes to sustainability. That includes:

• Third-party certifications
• Local sourcing and labor practices
• Innovative carbon offset or waste-reduction models

Eco-stories should focus on both impact and experience: what makes it feel good and do good?

3. Wellness Is Expanding

Wellness travel is no longer just spa treatments and juice bars. Editors are looking for:

• Sleep retreats and mental health programming
• Tech-free zones and forest immersion therapy
• Cultural wellness: indigenous healing, storytelling circles, ritual-based experiences

If your experience helps travelers feel more grounded, not just more pampered, it’s worth pitching.

4. Visuals Matter More Than Ever

Even if your story gets greenlit, poor images can kill it. Editors want:

• High-res, horizontal photos (minimum 3000px wide)
• No visible branding or heavy filters
• People in motion or moments of experience (not empty rooms)

Video b-roll is increasingly helpful too, especially for social-first coverage.

5. Under-the-Radar Still Wins—But Must Be Bookable

Editors love uncovering hidden gems. But that doesn’t mean pitching a town with no tourism infrastructure. The best “off-the-beaten-path” stories:

• Have a compelling reason to go now (new access, spotlight event, viral trend)
• Include lodging and food recs
• Are reachable without 3 transfers and a donkey ride

They want aspirational—but realistic.

6. Local Voices and Ownership Matter

Representation is front and center. Editors increasingly seek stories that:

• Highlight businesses owned by BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women
• Center indigenous and local narratives
• Avoid parachute tourism or surface-level experiences

If your pitch includes quotes or collaboration with locals, you’re already ahead.

7. What NOT to Do in 2025

• Don’t pitch 10 destinations in one email. Choose one.
• Don’t open with “Just circling back…” unless they’ve asked for a follow-up.
• Don’t send press releases with no angle or headline hook.

Final Thought

Travel editors in 2025 are looking for storytelling, not sales. They want nuance, newsworthiness, and narratives that reflect the traveler’s evolving values. If you can frame your pitch as a meaningful moment—not just a pretty place—you’ll rise to the top of their list.

The future of travel media isn’t just where we go—it’s why we care. Pitch accordingly.