I love promoting travel to the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. We’ve been lucky enough to represent everything from major resorts to boutique properties to tourist boards that dot the globe, bringing their pleasures to the major feeder markets in the US and Canada.
Here are my top picks from decades of representing hotels and travel companies:
1. East Africa — Being a nature buff all my life, it’s been a privilege over the years to represent a number of safari companies and hotels that operate in East Africa. We did a press trip comprised of three properties in Kenya and Tanzania, and due to the journalists we know, it ended up getting eye-popping spreads in National Geographic Traveler and Outside Magazine.
2. St Vincent and the Grenadines – This is one of the jewels of the Caribbean, and in fact it’s a string of gems. My favorites were Bequai and Mystique. I loved them so much, that I brought my family back for a sailing trip throughout the islands when representing the tourist board. For our campaign, we drew on freelancers who wrote about off-the-beaten-track getaways, and diving, because these islands are super for explorers of the sea.
3. St. Barths – However you look at it, this island is treasured for its natural beauty and friendliness. Although my French is rusty, it didn’t cause any problem when our boutique travel PR firm promoted the attributes and luxury hotels of this French holding. We took several groups of press and sent individual journalists, with confirmed assignments. And boy, did they produce!
4. Belize – We started promoting this wonderfully friendly country decades ago, and helped to promote the steals and deals available here at the many lovely eco-lodges. There are many to choose from on the mainland along white sandy beaches, and there is a wonderful island just a quick jaunt away, Ambergis Caye, where you will find small, luxury properties that have loads of character.
5. Mexico – From the Riviera Maya to Mexico, there is a wide range of resorts to choose from. While these areas of this region are built up, they have not lost their essential character. And the service-minded staff at the hotels is consistent, due to skilled management at the top.