Darias PR Collective

The New York Times offers a list of the top 52 places for audiences or travel enthusiasts to discover. Whether traveler’s want to visit deserted beaches, hike through rainforests, or experience massive fireworks shows in America. Each section has a little bit in common, queues that show what are popular trends that can be focused on in the PR world and changes in travel trends to look out for.

I noticed trends related to getting out of city life, cultural and local storytelling and a huge shift in sustainability practices. In 2026, it seems that PR has shifted to a less consumer-focused, more experience-driven approach to travel. Each select location has different features of the country’s hot spots, yet similar approaches in relation with PR. 

Liza Weisstuch talks about the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, regressing back to nature, encouraging tourists to skip the city and hike in Corcovado and experience coastal towns, making it a more relaxed experience. Weisstuch highlights locations throughout Costa Rica that are less populated and potential hotspots for lower levels of tourism. Destination Branding, relying on cultural storytelling and unique landscapes was enough to get this location’s coverage on the Times’ publishing page, meaning focusing on the unique and immersive experiences to differentiate locations is a must. 

Elaine Glusac highlights Saba, in the Caribbean, labeled as “a quiet island gets a new sustainable hotel.” Sustainability has been a major topic of discussion for the past several years, and many travelers in 2026 are trying to find new ways to see the world while promoting sustainable lifestyles. Choosing lower-impact travel, supporting local communities and booking eco-friendly accommodations are becoming more and more to be expected. Appealing to audiences making this transition is a growing PR strategy, with campaigns now highlighting ethical travel and local impact. 

Experiencing more with less effort is another trend that has been sky rocketing, as well as event and seasonal marketing, storytelling and niche travel. Finn-Olaf Jones’ section gives an overview on Breuil-Cervinia, Italy, which created a strong PR moment by “partnering” with the Swiss side of the Matterhorn. Jones’ mentions Zermatt, noting that shared lift tickets through the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, Europe’s highest cable route, now link Cervinia directly to Zermatt’s slopes. Audiences are drawn to easy accessibility to visit multiple places at once and make the most out of their adventure. This cultural immersion across two countries in one trip creates strong PR opportunities. This opens the door for cultural storytelling between the two locations, and influencer media relations. 

Even breif sections in the Times’ publishings can display PR trends within global travel. If you read carefully, many sections have a primary focus. Sustainability, which can create a long-term and positive reputation with audiences. Cultural storytelling, collaboration (such as Italy and Switzerland), destination branding, global competition, moment marketing and media coverage all contribute to much more recent PR trends.

About the Author

Hi there, I’m Daria, a public relations student at the University of Oregon, columnist and passionate traveler. I’ve worked in Tokyo’s media industry creating and strategising content for international audiences, with a love for how travel shapes communication and storytelling.