We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications.
In our previous two podcasts, we looked at the first two steps in creating a successful Value of Tourism campaign. Before you go any further into crafting the campaign and its related communications, there is one very important question you need to stop and ask: “Why am I doing this?” What is your “why?” What is your reason for starting your campaign in the first place? There is not much point in going any further until you can answer this question clearly and decisively.
Establishing Your Why
Deciding on your why is not important only for tourism campaigns, but for anything you set out to accomplish. Interestingly, so many organizations and individuals struggle with this, meaning that they often move forward with decision after decision without ever clarifying their fundamental purpose. It is often more difficult to establish your why as the scale of your organization increases. Destination management organizations (DMOs) serving small communities or towns, usually find it relatively easier to decide on a unifying, driving purpose. When you get to the regional, provincial or national level, where the interests of more stakeholders are involved, establishing a set of aims that everyone can agree on becomes that much more complicated.
A good PR and marketing consultant will spend a lot of time asking an organization to define its why before moving on to the next step. It is usually not effective to come straight out and ask what your “why” is. It is better to ask a series of questions that will get the conversation going, nudging everyone involved in the process to explore together with the aim of finding that unifying purpose at the heart of the project. There is no formula for what makes a good ‘why.’ It could be as simple as gaining general recognition for the value of tourism, or as complex as identifying and targeting viable sources of funding. The exact ‘why’ will be unearthed during these early discussions and will make it easier to hone and refine your strategies going forward.
Listen to our podcast to find out more about how to discover your ‘why’ and how to implement your plans accordingly. You can go back and listen to previous episodes for more tips on marketing strategies, public relations and more. Contact us for more information!
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Christina Pilarski
Christina Pilarski is CEO and co-founder of CIPR Communications, a digital PR, marketing, and AI consulting agency serving hospitality, tourism, and luxury lifestyle brands across North America. Before starting CIPR in 2010 with her life partner and business partner, Peter Pilarski, Christina led campaigns in a series of corporate roles and served as Special Advisor to the Minister at Alberta's Department of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. She now leads a team of 20+ staff and contractors across CIPR and its AI-focused division, the Tourism AI Network. Christina holds a BA with Honours and an MA in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary. Outside the office, she's a mom of twins and two dogs, based in Calgary.
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Peter Pilarski
Peter Pilarski is the Founder of Tourism AI Network and President of CIPR Communications. He helps tourism and hospitality organizations adopt AI strategically — from AI search visibility and custom tool development to team training and executive advisory. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and AI advisor whose sessions blend practical frameworks with real-world results.
