What is a press junket?
In the film industry, a junket brings journalists together in a hotel, where they interview a film's cast one by one, for a few minutes each. In tech, the principle is the same: a company invites journalists to its headquarters, a production site, or an event for a demonstration and interviews with its executives and teams.
Press junket or press tour: what's the difference?
The direction of travel is what sets them apart. In a junket, journalists come to the company. In a press tour, the spokesperson goes to the journalists. A junket requires major news, a location worth the trip, and a hosting budget. A press tour is better suited for a company that is still building its reputation.
Does a junket pose an independence issue?
That is the question surrounding the format. When a company pays for travel and accommodation, readers may doubt the independence of the article. Many newsrooms therefore regulate the practice: some refuse paid trips, while others accept them provided they are disclosed in the article.
For the company, the rule is simple: the invitation does not grant any rights over the content. No pre-approval, no promise of an article. A junket that feels like a quid pro quo damages the relationship with serious journalists.
When can a startup organize a junket?
Rarely at the beginning. The format works when the company has something to show on-site: a factory, a laboratory, a physical product, or an event. A deeptech scale-up opening an industrial site can invite the trade press to visit it. A SaaS company rarely has this type of asset. In that case, a demonstration during a media briefing or an exclusive offered to a single journalist is a better approach.
Learn more
A junket is often prepared under embargo : journalists discover the product before the announcement and publish on the day of the launch. To design a press launch tailored to your news: our public relations support.
Last updated: October 2026
