According to the logic that a reopened hotel is half as exciting — and half as powerful an angle — as a new hotel, a hotel that has simply reopened for the annual season is… zzzzz.

Nevertheless, I’ve received plenty of press releases to that effect through spring. Maybe more than normal. Being wholly frank, these always stink of “We’ve no better news, so, sod it, let’s do a press release about this.” 

My view is that you should issue a release if there is genuine news to impart. There’s an obvious temptation to contravene this rule in the name of remaining “visible” or showing the client that you’re active, busy, deserving of their dosh. That makes sense — but you still risk cultivating a reputation among journalists as someone who sends news-devoid releases. And no PR wants that tag.

Except… there usually will be news to accompany seasonal reopenings, because the prior closure has presumably allowed time for improvements, repositioning, additions or some such change. When I dig deeper, most of these press releases I’ve received do contain these elements. The error, really, is that their titles make me think otherwise and, upon meeting my eye, likely to delete the email without further consideration.

In other words, if Hotel X is reopening for the season and has a new restaurant, entitle the press release something like “Hotel X debuts new restaurant” — not “Hotel X reopens for the season”. 

There are, obviously, tiers of news here. A new, distinct restaurant merits a short press release. A complete change of ethos or cool redesign merits a longer one. Some faint touching up, some added eco-friendliness or a slightly different spa menu barely merit a release at all —yet still, I’d contend, amount to a better hook than “Hotel X reopens for the season”.