Authentic Luxury Travel Wins “Best of Show”
At Coconut Lagoon Resort in Kerala, India, guests stay in heritage bungalows and enjoy the hospitality of local residents.
Last night’s surprising success at the San Diego Press Club’s Excellence in Journalism Awards was wonderful, but it didn’t make me want to jump up and do a little end zone dance.
Authentic Luxury Travel won “Best Topic-based Blog” and “Best of Show” in the Websites category, which is very exciting, but most of all I love what it says about how people feel about travel these days.
Years ago when I started writing about traveling independently, meeting diverse people, and learning about other cultures, I got a lot of funny looks from my cruise-going, tour-joining friends.
However, I plodded ahead with my “airy-fairy” ideas because I’m convinced that every traveler has the potential to be a goodwill ambassador for his or her country if they get to know local people and show respect for their culture.
This was a hard sell when Americans first started traveling to China (toting jars of peanut butter so they wouldn’t have to eat that food). My story in the Los Angeles Times “Going to China? Go for a Walk,” described the people I met and the sights I saw when I slipped away from our group’s minder. Some of the letters to the editor that followed indicated I might need to have my head examined.
Ditto my first trip to Vietnam. “You’re going where?”
And ditto the Middle East.
Young backpackers were connecting at youth hostels all over the world, but most adults were still very cautious. I kept writing articles, then guide books, and finally I started Authentic Luxury Travel, with the goal of helping travelers find their way off the beaten path.
Would you rather go hiking in New Zealand or ride around on a tour bus?
I recommend lodging that reflects the local environment, mom-and-pop restaurants with great food, and a car instead of a tour bus. I also offer to help plan customized itineraries because I know that bespoke agendas are time consuming – and I never suggest that comfort be sacrificed.
Now it seems that lots of people want to be travelers and hardly anyone wants to be a tourist. Authentic Luxury Travel was the first site devoted to real experiences for affluent travelers, but these days there are others – and I love what that says about the future of travel and its impact on the global community.
It’s enough to make me want to do a little end zone dance.
Category: Authentic Travel
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Congratulations Elizabeth on a well-deserved honor! You are a true professional. We appreciate your dedication to sharing authentic luxury travel tips and experiences to inspire us all to travel the world with more open eyes and minds, and make a positive impact.