I am on the verge of leaving for my first ever press trip, a week-long, whirlwind tour through Honduras. The itinerary is jam packed, and I’m rip-roaring ready to go, but every once in awhile a little tiny wave of panic shoots down my spine. What am I doing preparing for a press trip? This is definitely territory I’ve never been in, and it all seems just a bit overwhelming.

My contacts in the travel writing industry have been great in answering my questions and providing insight into the world of press trips, and I’ve also been doing some research on my own. Here are some of the best resources I’ve found around the web that have been helpful in my preparation for the quickly approaching departure date:

• 10 Steps to Surviving Your First Press Trip – In this article, Laura Kammermeie provides simple, useful advice for the first-time press trip traveler. She discusses how to properly prepare for on-site research and provides great information on trip etiquette. I really appreciated her seventh tip, in which she provides suggestions on essential items to pack.
• Tips for Your First Press Trip – Andrea Calabretta dispenses her press trip wisdom in this article of things she wishes she’d known before leaving for her first press trip. In it she notes items I hadn’t thought to pack—motion sickness meds—as well as things not to pack—a laptop. I also love her suggestion of bringing a pair of sneakers for an early morning run. After all those lavish meals (and if my itinerary is any sort of indication, there will certainly be a few), a jog just might be in order.
• Travel Media Trips – Top 10 Dos and Don’ts - In this extensive list of things travel writers should and should not do on their press trips, Trisha Miller hits on some points that other articles don’t. She notes the importance of utilizing photography and video, and also provides some interesting notes on linking in to Trip Advisor, Yahoo Travel and other related sites. I can tell from her post that she is seasoned in taking press trips, and her advice is backed up with real-life experiences.
• Why I’m Not Opposed to Press Trips – Julie Schwietert Collazo is the managing editor of the Matador Network and one of the forum facilitators at MatadorU, the site’s online travel writing course. She is a successful guidebook writer and has been on a handful of press trips. This post, which is on her personal blog, Colazzo Projects, and discusses the ongoing issue of ethical travel journalism in the face of comped press trips. Her conclusion? Press trips aren’t a bad thing, as long as they’re utilized correctly.

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