Lagen Island, El Nido Resorts

Lagen Island, part of the El Nido Resorts portfolio, is a secluded resort in the heart of the Philippines. Located amidst the limestone cliffs and still waters of Palawan, the island is a sanctuary for travellers seeking connection with nature and quiet luxury. The island’s thoughtful transformation, set to debut in Q3 2025, will redefine barefoot luxury while honouring Filipino heritage. From its eco-conscious design, fully integrated spa and wellness space, and beach club, to its state-of-the-art Marine & Biodiversity Discovery Centre and new Kids Exploration Club, Lagen Island will invite guests to explore the unspoiled beauty of the Philippines while experiencing a true sense of place.

Since its opening in 1998, Lagen Island has been a pioneer in responsible travel, championing immersive experiences with local communities and environmental preservation through the voices of its own dedicated sustainability team. And now, in 2025, that remains very much the same. Every aspect of the redesign has been guided by a deep commitment to preservation – from protecting fragile marine ecosystems to minimising environmental impact.

Lagen Island isn’t just a destination; it’s an experience—an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover the joy of travel with purpose.

Lemongrass Marketing, a B Corp-certified travel communications agency, delivered the multi-market reopening campaign for Lagen Island, part of the El Nido Resorts portfolio in the Philippines.

Coverage across the UK, France and Spain, including The Times, El País, Country & Town House and The Telegraph.

English-language first look / exclusive: The Times, following a press visit. Confirmed press visits: El País, ELLE Spain, Architectural Digest France, The Telegraph.

Build awareness and anticipation for the reopening of Lagen Island, a transformed private island hotel, across three key markets - the UK, France and Spain. The brief was to secure high-impact, top-tier coverage ahead of reopening while clearly communicating the scale and significance of the transformation.

We balanced exclusivity against scale deliberately

We developed a coordinated, multi-market strategy using controlled storytelling and phased announcements - allowing us to offer genuine exclusivity within each market without any one deal undermining the others.

An English-language exclusive doesn't conflict with a Spanish one. Recognising which exclusivities are actually mutually exclusive is what makes multi-market launches work.

We selected media market by market

Carefully chosen targets in each market - The Times in the UK, El País and ELLE Spain in Spain, Architectural Digest France in France - meant each territory got titles that genuinely matter to its own travellers.

We built the campaign ahead of reopening

The programme ran before the property reopened, generating anticipation rather than reporting a fait accompli.

Extensive top-tier coverage across the UK, France and Spain in publications including The Times, El País, Country & Town House and The Telegraph.

We secured an English-language first look with The Times following a press visit, plus confirmed press visits with El País, ELLE Spain, Architectural Digest France and The Telegraph.

How do you offer exclusives across multiple markets? By structuring exclusivity by language and territory rather than globally, so that a first look in one market doesn't preclude offering equivalent access in another. Lagen Island's campaign secured an English-language exclusive with The Times alongside separate press visits in Spain and France.