Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Media Policies

The Hershey PR Team welcomes in-person visits from local, regional, national and international media, and we’re happy to accommodate the needs of working media.

We’re in the business of providing guests with world-class hospitality and service, so we’ve established guidelines to ensure that we accommodate media requests while also protecting the privacy of our guests, allowing for the least amount of disruption to our guests and business, and providing proper coverage and support from the PR Team.

We encourage you to become familiar with our policies regarding access to our properties, “comps” and filming, and we thank you for your adherence to these policies. Please click here to learn more:

General Policies

• Members of the working media (reporters, writers, editors, photographers, producers, news directors, on-air personalities and film crews) seeking “comps” or intending to photograph or videotape at our properties must contact a member of the Hershey PR Team in advance of their visit.

• These policies and courtesies are only intended for members of the working media. They are not intended for account executives, advertising representatives, traffic managers, etc.

• All photographers or film crews must be escorted by a member of the Hershey PR Team. Shoot approval and arrangements for escorts must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the visit for local crews and at least two weeks in advance of the visit for regional, national and international crews. When calling to schedule the shoot, please be prepared to answer these questions:
  • What is the nature of your assignment?
  • When do you plan to be on property?
  • Approximately how long will you need to be on property?
  • To what areas are you requesting access?
  • Will you be scouting the area prior to the shoot?
  • Do you need to interview anyone?
  • Will our guests or employees be involved?
  • Does your camera crew require electricity or any additional resources?
  • Do you need assistance from our security team?
  • What background information, B-roll or other materials would be helpful to you?
• Media representatives who arrive without making prior arrangements with the PR Team will not be given access to our properties.
• Guests cannot be interviewed, photographed or filmed without prior approval of those guests and the PR Team.

Overnight or Multi-Day Visits to the Destination

• Members of the working media seeking assistance in planning a multi-day or overnight visit to the destination should contact Mindy Bianca (717-520-5574 or mbianca@HersheyPA.com) at least two weeks in advance of the proposed visit.

• Mindy will outline our policies about complimentary and/or media rates for stays, meals, Spa and Golf Collection access, and admission to local attractions.

• Mindy will assign a member of the PR Team to coordinate your visit. That PR ambassador will be your contact for the duration of the project. That representative will help you plan your visit, be available to you during your stay and assist you with follow-up.

HERSHEYPARK or ZOOAMERICA

• Your contacts:
  • Local media visitors (Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Lebanon or York) should contact Kathy Burrows
    (717-534-8946 or kburrows@HersheyPA.com) at least 48 hours in advance of the visit.
  • Regional, national and international media visitors should contact Mindy Bianca (717-520-5574 or mbianca@HersheyPA.com) at least two weeks in advance of the visit.

• After contacting Kathy or Mindy, you will receive directions about where to park and how to enter the Park. Please be sure to have photo identification and your press credentials or a current business card with you.

• The HERSHEYPARK Amphitheatre hosts a variety of top-name performers who will often accept interview requests from the local media, but please make arrangements for these interviews at least one week in advance of the concert or special event. Contact Kathy Burrows (717-534-8946 or kburrows@HersheyPA.com) for a list of upcoming performances or to inquire about interviews.

Hershey Resorts
(The Spa At THE HOTEL HERSHEY, THE HOTEL HERSHEY, HERSHEY LODGE,
HERSHEY Highmeadow Campground, HERSHEY Golf Collection and our dining venues)

• Your contacts:
  • Local media visitors (Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Lebanon or York) should contact Megan Adair (717-520-5158 or madair@HersheyPA.com) at least 48 hours in advance of the visit.
  • Regional, national or international media visitors should contact Mindy Bianca (mbianca@HersheyPA.com or 717-520-5574) at least two weeks in advance of the visit.

• After contacting the PR Team, you will receive directions about where to park when you arrive and where and when to meet your PR representative.

• Special policies for The Spa At THE HOTEL HERSHEY:
  • For photography and videotaping, we offer abbreviated versions of our treatments.
  • All photography and videotaping of the Spa, including treatments and interior shots, must be done at the convenience of our guests and at the discretion of the spa director. Most shoots must occur before or after Spa hours (ending by 8 AM or beginning no earlier than 7 PM) so they do not interrupt or disturb our guests.
  • No guests can be photographed, videotaped or interviewed while in the Spa.
  • You may bring a “model” to be photographed or videotaped. If you cannot provide your own model, we will assist you. Please allow at least one week’s notice for this.
  • Employee interviews are available upon request and can be coordinated through the PR Team.

• Special policies for our dining venues:
  • Guests dining in our restaurants are not to be photographed, videotaped or interviewed unless prior arrangements have been made through the PR Team and the guests have given their approval.
  • Back-of-house footage is not allowed unless prior arrangements have been made through the PR Team.
  • Chef interviews are available upon request and can be coordinated through the PR Team.
  • Certain recipes from our chefs are available on our website press room and in our Dining In Hershey press kit. Additional recipes can be made available with advance notice.

• Special policies for meetings and conventions:
  • Media are not permitted on property for an organization’s meeting or convention unless a representative of that organization has contacted Kathy Burrows(717-534-8946 or kburrows@HersheyPA.com) in advance of the visit.
  • If media are invited to photograph/film at a meeting or convention, they must be escorted at all times by a member of the Hershey PR Team and must stay within the location where media and their equipment are permitted.

Concerts, Shows and Events

• Your contact: All media interested in covering these events should contact Melissa Stradnick at 717-534-8945 or mstradnick@HersheyPA.com.

• Press credentials are reserved for working members of the editorial side of the media (reporters, writers, editors, photographers, producers, news directors and on-air personalities) and must be requested at least one week in advance of the event.

• All members of the media must be escorted by a PR Team member while on property.

• Press credentials are issued only for editorial coverage of an event. Non-editorial, commercial or other unauthorized use of any transmission, picture, depiction or description of the event, performer(s) or facility is prohibited without prior written approval of the tour publicist.

• The use of any photographs or video taken at these events shall be strictly editorial and non-commercial in nature and is limited to newspapers and news or sporting news periodicals and their respective editorial websites. Use of photographs without necessary third-party consent constitutes unauthorized use.

• Hershey Entertainment hosts a wide variety of top-name performers who may grant interviews to the media. Requests will be handled on an event-by-event basis and must be filtered through the promoter for approval and restrictions. If you wish to cover a concert or event, please contact Melissa Stradnick at 717-534-8945 or mstradnick@HersheyPA.com at least one month in advance of the event.

• Parking will be available to media covering the event by entering the press lot on the east side of GIANT Center for events at GIANT Center. For events at HERSHEYPARK Stadium or Star Pavilion, enter via Service Center Road. Members of the media must show valid media credentials in order to park in either of these locations.