A Message from Laurie Rowe, President
The history and company culture of LRC
In 2006, after 20-plus years in the tourism industry working mostly in smaller destinations in sales, PR and media relations, I found myself in a position to create my own business and do what I love. There was no doubt in my mind I wanted to work with travel journalists to tell the stories of small towns. I was aware of the budget limitations of smaller and more rural destinations, but knew their stories had value. Hands-down, the experiences of seeing a single article save a business or a targeted destination PR plan increase awareness and tourism, have been the most influential to me.
When I incorporated as Laurie Rowe Communications, I wasn’t sure how the business would evolve. Even in the beginning, it was my relationships and reputation in the tourism industry that earned business. I recently felt the desire to rebrand the company as Laurie Rowe & Company. to be more reflective of our company culture. The LRC team has come together organically. As there was a need to expand, the right person came to us. On our team are professionals that worked in public relations and marketing for destinations, many talented writers, creative designers and brilliant logistical minds, all with a deep commitment to their work, to the client’s and journalist’s needs and goals, to each other and to our company.
Where would we be without the journalists with whom we work? When changing to Laurie Rowe & Company, I include the media as partners. Building relationships with journalists is key to the success of our company. We work most often with freelance journalists, who, once there is a trusted relationship, will continue to work with our team and write articles about LRC destinations, often, for many years.
Membership in travel industry associations is also key to the success of our company. It’s important to keep up with industry trends and to learn about tourism marketing so we can align our efforts with those of our clients. Tourism conferences allow the LRC team to spend time with existing clients and speak to potential clients as well support those organizations through sponsorships. Professional associations such as the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) allow for continuing education, forging relationships with journalists and sharing the services and clients of LRC. Within all of our memberships and partnerships, relationships are forged and continue serve LRC and our clients well. The LRC team is also an excellent addition to the team of larger destinations and creating and facilitating special projects.
