When I travel as the head of my hotel pr agency, I am passionate about immersing myself in the local markets of the country I am in. At home, I am not a big shopper (I can’t stand it) — but the vibrant local markets of remote lands give me insight into a country’s cultural heritage that I find inspiring. Whether it’s scouring India’s great markets for vibrantly colored skirts and intricate jewelry or languidly moving along the antique stalls of London’s Portobello Road in search of a volume of old world poetry, these experiences (and purchases) are the touchstones that create memories. These touchstones become talismans when I bring them home reminding me of how I felt when I was there.
I am not alone in my love of shopping during my travels. When my agency represented Hilton International, we oversaw a survey that revealed vacationers’ number one activity choice is shopping. And what better way to experience a culture than to interact with the local people while taking in the sights, smells and wares at their local markets.
As the owner of a luxury travel PR agency, I have had the great fortune to visit many markets while hosting press at destinations all over the world. And two very special places were in India and Africa:
While representing the 5-star Leela Palace Hotel and Resorts, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit India many times. On one visit, our guide for the group of press I was accompanying whom I had invited to write about the hotels, took us to the fabulous Goa market for a magical Saturday evening. Uniquely set up on the beach of one of India’s most famous seaside towns, hundreds of stalls lined the banks of the ocean with smiling vendors selling their wares from silk lanterns to jewelry in every color under the sun. I bought so much on this visit that I acquired two duffle bags to bring home my new treasures.
Another unique market experience is in Africa. As the hotel and luxury PR consultant for the exquisite deluxe safari lodges operated by Conservation Corporation Africa in East Africa, I once planned a visit to Victoria Falls, one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” for the group of international journalists I was hosting for my client. After crossing a bridge that connects the two countries that border the falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia, we all spent hours at a local market negotiating in the three currencies to buy exotic carvings and tapestries. On another trip to Africa, in Tanzania, I found elephant bookends carved from white soapstone, which still grace our mantle. To this day, when I see them, I recall the smell of the African bush, feel the dirt path under our Range Rover, and see the villagers running along the side of the road, and I am transported back.
Much luxe,
Lorraine Abelow
President and Founder, Abelow Public Relations
www.abelowpr.com
