Meet Elizabeth Benson
LOCAL FOREIGNER’S TEAM OF INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
This post is part of our series celebrating our Independent Contractors and Hosting Program. The Local Foreigner's Hosting Program provides a platform of systems and support for independent travel advisors.
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Up for a Good Time
Elizabeth Benson is always well turned-out, but costume parties are where she shines. On Disco Night at a recent Local Foreigner retreat, she stole the show – huge blonde wig, pink flower power sunglasses, and dangling disco ball earrings. But this wasn’t her first rodeo. “I come from a family that loves to dress up, and I used to rummage through my mom’s amazing costume collection. I was the social chair at Ole Miss, and it was my job to plan costume parties, so now I just maintain a wig collection and they get to come out for parties with friends and work trips.”
Deep South social chair is just one of her main characters, though. “I was born in London and lived there until I was four, and when we came back to the US, we lived in Virginia and then Atlanta. I learned from an early age to enjoy the adventure of both visiting and living in different places.” This came in handy when, after almost 10 years in New York, her husband’s job moved them to London, and then a few years later to Denver. “It’s been an adventure!”
“The first day I was in the Middle East, a girl I know asked invited me to a ladies’ Iftar. I showed up and everyone was rehashing the Game of Thrones finale from the night before. It was such a relatable group of women, and the generosity of Muslim culture reminded me of southern hospitality.”
-Elizabeth Benson
Lights, Camera, Liftoff
Elizabeth’s first post-college job landed her at a major advertising agency in New York, but it was not the glamorous gig she was hoping for. “As an entry-level Account Executive on a big corporate account, the job was not as creative as I thought it would be. From across the agency, I saw what the production team was doing, and I thought, ‘Now that looks like fun.’” She joined a boutique production company in New York and spent the next ten years producing commercials for some of the biggest brands and advertising agencies around the world, as they worked across North America, South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
As part of her role, Elizabeth would jet off to Bangkok or Dubai for extended periods on a week’s notice and then throw herself into the local logistics and practicalities of filming. “I loved working with the local film crews we hired in each location - I would manage those teams, as well as all the logistics involved with transfers, choosing the hotels, and making sure all the details were right. If the director was sleeping next to the elevator bank and it was disturbing his sleep, I was the one getting those calls - and getting a good night’s sleep before going into a 12-hour shoot day on location in Thailand is important! It was a lot of logistics, and I was always the problem solver when any issues came up on the shoot.”
During these trips, she also got to spend time diving into the local culture. “My first visit to the Middle East was during Ramadan, and I was very nervous about how little I knew about the holiday and religion. My first day, a girl I know invited me to a ladies’ Iftar that night. I didn’t know what to wear or what to educate myself on before I went, and then I showed up and everyone was rehashing the Game of Thrones finale from the night before. It was such a relatable group of women, and the generosity of Muslim culture reminded me of southern hospitality. It made me realize how much we all have in common with people who at first seem very different.”
“I had a client tell me recently that she does reflection every year on who influenced her most, and she listed my name in the top three. She said the experiences and adventures I had planned for her have been transformational in countless ways.”
Matchmaker, matchmaker
When her husband’s job moved them from London to Denver– not necessarily known as a hub for film and tv production – and they decided to start a family, Elizabeth decided to bring her considerable sourcing and problem-solving skills to the travel industry. “Travel was a passion of mine, and I found that a lot of the skills overlapped. I also had a mentor in my mom's best friend, who is a big name in the travel industry and built her business on being an Africa expert, so I launched my business under the tutelage of an industry veteran. She taught me to be very selective.”
Since joining the industry, she’s built a robust career expanding her clients’ horizons – and knowing when to balance exploration with comfort. “There are different trips for different needs based on where you are in life. I love culture – I love going back to London and other European destinations, revisiting places that I love for sentimental reasons. I also love planning big adventures and far-flung trips to places like Southeast Asia, Africa, and New Zealand, because those are the kinds of trips that leave the biggest impact on my clients.” But after having two kids, the first trip she took with her husband was to Rosewood Las Ventanas, in Cabo, to drink margaritas on the beach, and it was magical. “When you’re traveling with kids, sometimes you just need to check into a Four Seasons where they know exactly what you need—a diaper pail in the bathroom, and yes—a round of margaritas.”
“I had a client tell me recently that she does extensive reflection every year, and one question she considers is who influenced her the most, and she listed my name in the top three. She said the experiences and adventures I had planned for her have been transformational in countless ways. So, it’s not just planning a trip based around an Aperol spritz – it’s changing who they are as a person, and it’s really special to be a part of that.”