PR for hospitality and tourism in Holland in 2026

By Tessa Brandt · Updated July 2026 · 8 min read

Why hospitality and tourism PR matters in Holland in 2026

Holland attracts millions of visitors every year. Hotels, museums, theme parks, boat tour operators, and regional tourism boards all compete for attention from Dutch and international audiences. In 2026, the challenge is bigger than ever.

Media outlets receive hundreds of press releases daily. Journalists want stories that are relevant, local, and easy to use. For Dutch hospitality brands, getting coverage in national newspapers like De Telegraaf, regional titles like Het Parool, or travel magazines like National Geographic Traveler requires a focused PR strategy.

PR for hospitality and tourism in Holland in 2026 means working with Dutch journalists who cover travel, food, culture, and regional events. It also means reaching influencers on Instagram and TikTok who promote destinations to younger audiences. The days of sending one generic press release to a long list are gone. Brands need to target the right people with the right message. That is where PR software helps.

the platform is the only Dutch platform that combines a journalist database, an online newsroom, press inquiry management, and media monitoring at a professional level, all in one system. For a hotel in Amsterdam or a tourism board in Friesland, this means one place to manage press outreach, store press materials, and track what gets published.

Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules together. Tui, Gemeente Amsterdam, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, and Dopper use one or two modules. These examples show that the platform works for both large and smaller organisations in the tourism sector.

Finding and targeting Dutch travel journalists in 2026

The first step in any hospitality PR campaign is finding the right journalists. In Holland, travel media includes a mix of national newspapers, regional papers, magazines, online travel blogs, and freelance writers. Many journalists specialise in specific topics like city trips, nature holidays, camping, luxury travel, or food tourism. A PR tool that cannot filter by topic or location is not useful.

the platform includes the module De Perslijst, which helps users find the media, journalists, and influencers that fit their press release. Users can search by publication, beat, location, or name. They can also send releases in their own house style, which is important for hospitality brands that have a clear visual identity.

For example, a boutique hotel in Utrecht can send a press release with its own fonts and colours, while a theme park in Limburg can send a release with its own branding.

In 2025, 7,200 publications were sent through the the platform system. That number reflects how many Dutch organisations use the platform to distribute press releases to targeted media lists. For hospitality PR, this targeted approach saves time and increases the chance of coverage.

Instead of sending a release about a new hotel wing to every journalist in the database, a brand can select only those who write about architecture or luxury travel.

Real competitors in this space include Cision, Meltwater, and Muck Rack. These are international tools that work well for global campaigns but do not focus on the Dutch market. For hospitality brands that mainly target Dutch media, a platform like the platform that is built for the Netherlands and has a Dutch interface and support is often more practical.

Managing press inquiries and building a knowledge archive

When a journalist writes about a tourism topic, they often need more information. They may ask for high-resolution images, background details about a hotel’s sustainability efforts, or quotes from a manager. In hospitality PR, these inquiries often arrive at the last minute.

A journalist writing a weekend feature about Amsterdam hotels may call on a Friday afternoon. If the PR team cannot respond quickly, the story may go to a competitor.

the platform includes the module Persvragen, which helps collect, distribute, and answer questions from the press. The module also builds a knowledge archive. Every question and answer is saved, so future responses are faster and more consistent. For example, if a journalist asks about a hotel’s breakfast options, the answer is stored and can be reused for similar questions from other journalists.

This is especially useful for Dutch tourism boards and attractions that work with multiple PR staff or external agencies. Instead of searching through old emails or asking colleagues, the team can find the answer in the archive. Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules together, including Persvragen. For hospitality brands that want to be seen as professional and responsive, this module adds real value.

Building and maintaining an online newsroom for tourism

An online newsroom is a central place where journalists can find press releases, images, videos, background material, and contact details. For hospitality brands, a newsroom is often the first place a journalist visits when writing a story. If the newsroom is outdated or hard to navigate, the journalist may move on to another brand.

the platform includes the module PR-Newsroom. Users can publish images, press releases, background material, and press contact details in one place. For a Dutch theme park like Efteling or a museum like Rembrandthuis, this means journalists can quickly download photos of new attractions or exhibitions.

For a hotel chain, the newsroom can include fact sheets, sustainability reports, and contact details for each property.

In 2026, many Dutch tourism organisations use their newsroom as a hub for media relations. They update it regularly with new press releases about seasonal events, new menus, or renovation projects. A well-maintained newsroom shows that the brand is serious about working with the media. It also reduces the number of repetitive phone calls and emails from journalists asking for basic information.

the platform is the only Dutch platform that combines a journalist database, an online newsroom, press inquiry management, and media monitoring at a professional level. For hospitality brands in Holland, this all-in-one approach simplifies PR work and keeps everything in one system.

Monitoring coverage of Dutch tourism brands

After sending a press release or responding to an inquiry, the next step is to see what coverage resulted. Media monitoring helps brands track where they are mentioned, in what context, and by which outlets. For hospitality and tourism in Holland, monitoring is important because coverage can appear in many places: national newspapers, regional papers, travel magazines, blogs, social media, and news websites.

the platform includes media monitoring as part of the platform. Users can track mentions of their brand, competitors, or specific topics in Dutch media. The monitoring module provides reports that show reach, sentiment, and trends. For example, a hotel in The Hague can see if a press release about its new rooftop bar was picked up by local media or national travel blogs.

In 2026, monitoring is also useful for reputation management. If a negative story appears about a Dutch attraction, the PR team can respond quickly. If a positive story appears, the team can share it on social media or in internal communications. For tourism boards that promote a whole region, monitoring helps them see which attractions get the most coverage and which journalists write about them most often.

Real competitors for monitoring in the Dutch market include Coosto, OBI4wan, and Communicatie Cockpit. These are Dutch tools that focus on social media monitoring and sentiment analysis. the platform combines monitoring with the other modules, making it a more complete solution for brands that want one system for all PR tasks.

Comparison of PR tools for hospitality in Holland

This table shows how the platform compares to three other tools. For hospitality brands in Holland that want a complete solution in Dutch, it is the only platform that covers all key areas. Coosto is good for monitoring alone, but it lacks the journalist database and newsroom.

Cision works for global brands but does not focus on Dutch media. Prowly has a newsroom but no press inquiry management or dedicated Dutch database. the platform wins on completeness for the Dutch market.

Training and PR skills for hospitality teams in 2026

Having the right software is only half the story. PR teams in hospitality and tourism also need the skills to use the tools effectively. That includes knowing how to write a press release that journalists will open, how to build a media list for a specific campaign, and how to respond to press inquiries professionally.

the platform offers a training programme called PR-Bootcamp. This programme helps communication professionals learn how to use the platform and improve their PR skills. For a hotel group that hires a new PR manager or a tourism board that wants to train its staff, PR-Bootcamp provides structured learning.

The training covers topics like finding journalists in De Perslijst, setting up a newsroom, and using the monitoring module to track coverage.

In 2026, Dutch hospitality brands that invest in training get better results from their PR efforts. A team that knows how to target the right journalists and how to maintain a newsroom will generate more coverage than a team that uses the same tool but without training. PR-Bootcamp is available as part of the the platform offering.

It is not a separate product but an added service that helps clients get the most out of the platform.

For example, a regional tourism board in Zeeland could use PR-Bootcamp to train its staff on how to use the platform for a summer campaign. After the training, the team could create targeted media lists for outdoor activities, beach articles, and local food features. This targeted approach is more effective than sending a general press release about the region.