Finding the stories right in front of us: Hospitality PR in Practice, Mauritius
In October 2026, we took Hospitality PR in Practice to Mauritius. Around twenty hotel and agency communications professionals joined our co-founder Ashleigh Donald at Voilà Hotel Bagatelle for a full day on storytelling, positioning and reputation. The workshop was organised by Advantedge Public Relations, with support from Pronumeris Training Centre.
The room was a strong mix. There were heads of marketing, PR managers, press specialists and front-of-house leaders from some of the island’s best-known hotel groups, alongside agency teams. Some were building their first media list. Others have been pitching journalists for years.
A day built around Mauritius
Generic PR training only goes so far, so we built the day around the island itself. That meant moving the destination story beyond the beach and into its culture, food, landscapes and heritage. It meant positioning the same property differently for French, British, German, South African and Indian guests. And it meant turning everyday moments in the guest journey into angles a journalist would actually want.
The afternoon moved into the harder side of the job. We covered digital reputation and how AI is changing the way guests discover hotels. We covered crisis readiness and the first hour of a response. We also tested ESG claims until they were specific enough to stand up in print. Every session ended with a tool to use back at the property, and everyone wrote their own hotel’s story as a 15-second clip.
What stayed with us
The best part of the day was hearing everyone else’s stories. Ashleigh shares:
“There are some fantastic initiatives happening across the island, from the people and communities behind the hotels to the local experiences, produce and partnerships that make Mauritius so special. Some of the best stories are often right in front of us. Sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective to bring them to life.”
What delegates told us
“The storytelling part will definitely help me in my job, as I mostly deal with that, but the ESG part was an eye-opener too.”
Marketing Coordinator, Sunlife Hotel Management
“It was great to meet similar-minded people within the same industry and share thoughts and discussions.”
Head of Marketing, Marriott Mauritius
“Good tools were shared.”
PR Coordinator, The Talent Factory
“Useful advice. Tips for press trip hosting and sustainability subjects.”
Senior Press Relations Specialist, Sunlife
Advantedge’s summary of the feedback matched ours. Storytelling, ESG and the press trip advice were the standouts, along with the chance to meet peers.
Where next
Several delegates told us what they’d like to explore next: AI, digital PR and social media management. Some asked for a deeper, more advanced follow-up. Absolutely!Bring this workshop to your team. We design and deliver practical PR and marketing workshops for hotel groups, tourism bodies and industry associations, tailored to your destination, markets and people.Or let us support your hotel directly. We work with owners, GMs and marketing teams as flexible, fractional marketing and guest experience support. We can help shape your destination and resort storytelling, positioning, media relations, digital reputation, crisis readiness and credible ESG communications.
