Hospitality PR agencies in Australia: how to choose (2026)

International travel to Australia has almost fully come back. Tourism Research Australia counted 8.47 million international visitors in the year to March 2026, up 10% on the year before and about 99% of pre-pandemic levels (MICE.net.au). In Victoria alone, international visitors spent a record $10.5 billion over the same period (Victorian Government).

At the same time, new hotels keep opening, from luxury brands in Sydney to resorts on the Gold Coast, and Australia's restaurant and bar scene is as crowded as it has ever been. Guests are also choosing differently, with more trust in creators and friends than in ads. For hotels and venues, that makes earned attention more valuable and harder to win. This guide sets out what to look for in a hospitality PR agency in Australia, then lists agencies worth knowing, in alphabetical order.

What to look for

1. A track record in your type of venue

A five-star hotel, a pub group, a regional resort and a cocktail bar need different things. Ask for recent work that looks like yours, and for the people who delivered it.

2. Media relationships in your city and your guests' cities

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Perth each have their own food, travel and lifestyle press. A Gold Coast resort may need Sydney and Melbourne media more than Queensland outlets. Perth venues need an agency that knows WA media, not just the east coast. Ask who they know and when they last spoke.

3. An idea, not just a media list

Coverage follows a good story. Ask each agency what it would create for you: a partnership, an event, a cultural moment, a reason for people to visit now.

4. Commercial results

The best hospitality PR moves bookings, covers and repeat visits, not just clippings. Ask how the agency has linked its work to commercial results such as average daily rate, direct bookings or return visits.

5. Creator and social fluency

Ask how the agency picks creators, how it judges fit and audience quality, and how it handles disclosure. Look for long-term relationships rather than one-off posts.

6. Capacity and seniority

Ask who will run the account day to day, how many clients they hold, and how much senior time is included in the fee.

Agencies worth knowing

Listed alphabetically. Each has a real track record in Australian hospitality, travel or food. The right fit depends on your venue, city and goals.

We Are Example

• Base: Sydney (Asia Pacific hub) and Dubai
• Best for: Hotels, venues, precincts and drinks brands that want brand strategy, PR, influencer and experiential under one idea
• Notable work: JW Marriott Gold Coast (31% ADR increase and a 47% direct booking rate, the highest in Marriott APAC); InterContinental Hayman Island (97 press pieces, 109.5 million OTS, and Time Out calling it the next White Lotus resort); Grey Goose at the Australian Open (408 million+ earned reach and 1,145 pieces of coverage); QT Hotels (a multi-year creative partnership, 68% repeat visitation); founding creative partner to Accor's 'Table For'; placemaking for Tramsheds and Wunderlich Lane
• Why: Earned-first work that is measured in rate, bookings and repeat visits as well as coverage.

Questions to ask before you brief

• Which hospitality clients like us have you worked with in the last two years, and can we speak to one?
• Which journalists and creators in our city and our guests' cities do you work with regularly?
• What would you do in the first 90 days, and what would success look like by month six?
• How have you linked PR to bookings, covers or repeat visits before?
• Who runs our account day to day, and how much senior time is in the fee?
• Do you work with any competitors in our area?

FAQ

Do we need a PR agency in our own city?

It helps for restaurants and bars that rely on locals. Hotels and resorts often draw guests from other states, so national and travel media reach can matter more than a local office.

What about Perth?

Perth has its own media and dining scene, and Western Australia led the country for growth in international trips in the year to March 2026. If you are in Perth, ask any agency for proof of current WA media relationships.

How long before we see results?

Some coverage can land in the first month, but stronger results usually build over three to six months as stories, partnerships and creator relationships take hold.

Is influencer work part of PR?

For most hospitality brands, yes. Press and creators now work together, and many agencies run both. Ask how they choose creators and measure what the content achieved.

We Are Example's Asia Pacific hub in Sydney works with hotels, venues and drinks brands across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, New Zealand and Asia. To see how we approach it, visit our hospitality PR page.