In the world of hotel and resort PR, press trips are happening all the time. They’re often organized around the grand opening of a hotel. Or when an airline launches a new route into a destination. Or sometimes when a hotel simply wants more exposure in a given media market, and have a strong story to tell.

In May, we conducted a press trip from Bangkok to Can Tho for a couple of reasons, partly because Azerai Can Tho had recently opened as the Mekong Delta’s most intriguing new property and moreover, because AirAsia had just opened a new route to Can Tho. In fact, this was the first international route for Can Tho. So, a big deal. Everyone loves a new destination.

Our mission was this: To recruit English-language media representatives from the city’s most compelling magazines and enable a media stay of 2 nights that would enable journalists to report on the attributes of the hotel and the appeal of the destination.

AirAsia would fly them to Can Tho on complimentary tickets. Azerai Can Tho would take care of the accommodation, and provide the ways and means of an exploration of the area. Balcony’s Bangkok-based account manager, Bill Bredesen, called on the Bangkok Post, Prestige Thailand, Robb Report Thailand, Lifestyle + Travel, Lifestyle Asia, Time Out Bangkok and BK Magazine, each of whom sent a reporter on the trip.

We’d wanted to have Travel + Leisure on the trip, but they’d only just run a story on Can Tho. We called on another major lifestyle magazine, but they wouldn’t come unless the hotel bought an ad. We stayed away from another magazine that employs a couple of people who claim to be journalists but we know to be freeloaders. In short, we got the best possible media available.

It’s what we strive for on all of our press trips. Here are a few candid shots of journalists in action.