March–May 2026
During the March through May reporting period, the Communications team continued to elevate Greater Palm Springs' visibility through strategic media hosting, signature programs, culinary initiatives, international market engagement, and industry leadership activities. Efforts during this period highlighted the destination's strengths in culinary, culture, architecture and design, wellness, outdoor recreation, film, and international travel while supporting broader organizational priorities related to meetings, economic development, accessibility, and sustainability.
Working alongside Visit Greater Palm Springs' domestic and international PR agencies, the team:
- Secured 208 media touchpoints
- Delivered 53 custom pitches
- Hosted 67 media and content creator visits
- Published 250 articles (plus an additional 214 on the Marilyn event)
Media placement during this period included:
- Condé Nast Traveler - In Palm Springs, Wellness Is For Everyone
- Small Market Meetings - Greater Palm Springs: A Meeting Oasis
- Travel Weekly - How to spend 48 hours in Palm Springs
- Mamamia - We all know it for Coachella, but Greater Palm Springs has a secret side you need to see.
- Condé Nast Traveler - The Best Palm Springs Bachelorette Airbnbs With Saltwater Pools, Saunas, and Mountain Views
- Run: by Outside - Runners: Skip Palm Springs' Pool Scene, Grab Vert Instead
- Metro (Online) - Inside the ‘queerest town in America’ - desert, drag motels and the hottest Pride ever
ABOVE: Condé Nast Traveler highlights accessible travel experiences in Greater Palm Springs.
ABOVE: A "48 Hours in Greater Palm Springs" feature showcases a curated itinerary across the destination.
March–May Media Hosting
Media engagement during March, April, and May centered on major destination events, seasonal opportunities, and strategic international media programs.
March media activity included BNP Paribas Open, Fashion Week El Paseo, Palm Desert Food & Wine, and the annual Desert Region Road Trip. These experiences provided opportunities to showcase Greater Palm Springs through sports, culinary, arts and culture, architecture and design, and outdoor recreation. Hosted media during the month included MSN.com, Dayvee Sutton, Artful Living, CNews France, Travel Trend China, and other domestic and international journalists and content creators exploring a range of destination experiences.
ABOVE: Travel Trends China captures luxury shopping and lifestyle experiences along El Paseo.
April featured the fourth edition of Meet the Mentors, bringing six mentor-mentee pairs to Greater Palm Springs for an immersive program designed to foster inclusive storytelling and introduce emerging voices to the travel industry. In partnership with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the Communications team also hosted arts and culture-focused media visits that highlighted the festival experience alongside the region's arts, culinary offerings, and local communities. Additional media visits focused on wellness, outdoor recreation, and lifestyle travel.
ABOVE: Mentors and mentees gather for Visit Greater Palm Springs' Meet the Mentors 4.0 program.
ABOVE: A sunrise hike offers European media a firsthand look at Greater Palm Springs' outdoor experiences during the Relax and Reset FAM.
May included the Taste of Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week Media FAM, Visit California's European Press Activation, the French Media FAM, New Zealand Herald, and production of Australia's The Great Outdoors television program. These programs highlighted the destination's culinary offerings, architecture and design, family travel, outdoor recreation, and luxury hospitality experiences while continuing to build visibility in key domestic and international markets.
ABOVE: French media take to the courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during a hosted FAM experience.
ABOVE: Australia's The Great Outdoors films at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway during a destination feature shoot.
ABOVE: UK media participants celebrate Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday during a hosted Greater Palm Springs FAM.
Collectively, these programs engaged journalists, broadcasters, content creators, and industry influencers from key domestic and international markets, supporting long-lead editorial development and continued awareness of Greater Palm Springs across travel, lifestyle, culinary, wellness, and cultural sectors
Restaurant Week & Culinary Initiatives
Culinary remained a key focus throughout the reporting period, highlighted by Palm Desert Food & Wine and Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week.
The Communications team hosted media and content creators for the Restaurant Week Kick-Off event and the Taste of Greater Palm Springs Media FAM, providing firsthand access to the destination's chef talent, agricultural experiences, and restaurant community. These efforts generated editorial opportunities, social media content, and visibility leading into Restaurant Week.
ABOVE: Media guests join Chef Susan Feniger for a hands-on culinary experience celebrating Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week.
The team also completed production of the Vice Munchies Guide to Greater Palm Springs video, hosted by Chef Susan Feniger. Filming took place across multiple locations throughout the destination, highlighting local chefs, date agriculture, culinary experiences, and wellness offerings. The episode was developed to support Restaurant Week promotion and showcase Greater Palm Springs' evolving culinary scene to a national audience.
Click here to watch the full Vice Munchies episode.
Further reinforcing the destination's culinary reputation, nine Greater Palm Springs restaurants were included in the 2026 Michelin Guide California Recommended Restaurants list: Alice B., 4 Saints, Bar Cecil, Boozehounds, Cheeky's, Colony Club, The Barn Kitchen at Sparrows Lodge, Tac/Quila, and Workshop Kitchen & Bar. Alice B. earned its first Michelin Recommended designation this year.
Millie Miglia
The VGPS team recently returned from the 1000 Miglia in Italy, where the destination served as an official sponsor of one of the world's most prestigious historic motorsport events.
During the week, VGPS representatives met with 1000 Miglia leadership to discuss the potential for a future sanctioned event in Greater Palm Springs, exploring opportunities for a longer-term partnership.
The team also hosted a luncheon in Brescia as well as individual meetings in Rome with 15 journalists representing Italy's leading business, travel, and lifestyle media outlets, sharing Greater Palm Springs' unique tourism offerings, rich automotive heritage, and the strategic value of the destination's partnership.
Click here to view an Instagram Reel of the 1000 Miglia event.
ABOVE: The VGPS team with 1000 Miglia media guests.
Strategic Initiatives & Market Engagement
Visit Greater Palm Springs continued to expand engagement across key domestic and international markets through targeted media outreach and industry activations.
International outreach remained a priority throughout the reporting period, with participation in Visit California's Mexico Media Mission, a Washington DC Media Dinner, and a Los Angeles Media Reception. Additional market activations supported media engagement and relationship-building in Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Korea, and Japan.
ABOVE: Greater Palm Springs earns a place on Wanderlust's Green List 2026, recognizing destinations advancing sustainable tourism.
Industry leadership efforts included participation in the Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit, Visit California Outlook Forum, and SATW Board Meeting.
A significant focus during the reporting period was completion of the domestic public relations agency RFP process. The Communications team managed a comprehensive review of nine agency proposals, evaluating capabilities across leisure travel, meetings and conventions, economic development, accessibility, sustainability, and integrated destination communications. Four agencies were selected to participate in interviews and presentations as part of the final review process. Following Board approval, FINN Partners was awarded the contract as Visit Greater Palm Springs' new domestic public relations agency of record. The agency transition is scheduled to begin July 1, with onboarding and implementation activities commencing at that time.
Looking Ahead
Planning continues for a strong summer and fall season, with a focus on agency onboarding, international market engagement, Spa Month promotion, and strategic media activations in key domestic and international markets, including:
- International media engagement tied to the 1000 Miglia
- Visit Greater Palm Springs-hosted media dinners in Toronto and Vancouver, strengthening relationships with Canadian travel media
- Onboarding and integration of Visit Greater Palm Springs' new domestic public relations agency partner
- Spa Month media outreach and wellness positioning
- Continued domestic and international media hosting
- Meetings and conventions media engagement
- Economic development communications
- Film Oasis and location scouting initiatives
- Accessibility and sustainability communications
- Ongoing support of key destination events and seasonal campaigns
- Participation in the PRSA Travel & Tourism Conference in Albuquerque
Together, these efforts will continue to support media engagement, strengthen editorial relationships, and expand awareness of Greater Palm Springs across key domestic and international markets.
