NEW ZEALAND: Tourism New Zealand has appointed Orchestra as its U.S. PR agency of record.
The company, which comprises agencies BerlinRosen, Derris, Civitas Public Affairs Group, Glen Echo Group, Inkhouse, Message Lab, M18, Onward, Brightmode and Small Girls PR, will provide earned media, influencer relations, storytelling and brand strategy support to the travel agency, according to Berlin Rosen EVP and head of travel and lifestyle, Sara Joseph.
In addition to Tourism New Zealand, Orchestra has also been named the North America PR AOR for Baha Mar, the Nassau, Bahamas resort inclusive of its three hotels, the Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood, as well as the resort’s restaurants and golf club.
Both accounts kicked off July 1 after RFP processes that began this summer. Joseph is leading the accounts for Orchestra.
Tourism New Zealand was introduced to the company through a third party procurement contact that sent the RFP directly to Derris, Orchestra’s brand consultancy and communications firm. As the agency looked at the scope and its own skillset, it realized the client would better benefit from the broader “Orchestra lens,” Joseph said.
The core team of six to eight customized staff comprises team members from Derris and BerlinRosen under the Orchestra travel and hospitality umbrella. The team will pull from Orchestra’s suite of resources, Joseph explained, such as its food and beverage practice for culinary festivals or chef and restaurant programs, its partnerships and talent team and influencer offering.
As part of the partnership, Orchestra is focused on moving New Zealand from a bucket list travel vacation to a must travel, premium destination starting in 2026, Joseph said.
“New Zealand overall is a substantial, active adventure destination, whether that’s skiing in winter or running, biking, hiking, all year round,” she said. “A lot of people don’t think of New Zealand as a year-round destination and we’re going to help consumers realize all the options that they have to offer.”
Part of that strategy includes promoting the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings franchise, which was famously filmed entirely in the region, and introducing the next iteration of the 100% New Zealand campaign, highlighting the different types of activities, particularly outdoors, that people can take advantage of when visiting.
“Already, Orchestra is focused on angles such as personal wellbeing, individuality and the unique blend of people, culture, and landscapes that make each journey to New Zealand transformative,” Sarah Handley, Tourism New Zealand regional director Americas and Europe, said via email. “We look forward to working with them to ensure New Zealand gains more than its fair share of the spotlight in such a competitive media space.”
A representative for Tourism New Zealand declined to disclose the organization’s additional agency partners. Ogilvy PR was appointed Tourism New Zealand’s PR AOR in Australia in July, according to Richard Brett, CEO of Ogilvy PR Australia and New Zealand.
For Baha Mar, Orchestra has similarly curated a mixed group of Berlin Rosen and M18 staff to make up the account team.
“We were looking for a PR partner who could effectively tell this story and our exhaustive search led us to BerlinRosen and Orchestra,” Baha Mar SVP of marketing Josh Herman said via email. “We’re confident their multi-faceted approach to the modern media landscape will continue to grow our exposure to new guests and elevate our position as the leading resort in the Caribbean.”
The agency is gearing up for the Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival presented by Baha Mar each year, the International Luxury Travel Market conference, hosted by the resort, and communicating around Baha Mar’s fourth hotel addition set for 2029, and newest Italian restaurant, coming this fall.
“At this stage, [Orchestra] has a team and a deep bench of expertise that can service clients across all sectors of travel, so you’ve got everything in hospitality that ranges from a singular boutique hotel on up to global brands,” Joseph said, noting clients such as The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel; several Marriott brands; Shangri-La Hotels as well as airlines, cruise ships and sectors of transportation.
Other clients within Orchestra’s travel group include AC Hotels, Aloft Hotels, Moxy Hotels and Singapore Airlines.
Budget details of both client partnerships were not disclosed.
BerlinRosen Holdings rebranded as Orchestra in 2024. It is backed by private equity firm O2 Investment Partners.
Orchestra reported a revenue increase of 28% to $158 million globally and a 26% increase to $154 million in the U.S. in 2024, according to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2025. The company has 700 staff across North America and Europe.