Beyond Borders: A Tale of Travel, Culture, and Luxury Living

With over 19 years of experience in playing a leading role in both Marketing and PR worlds, José Berrocoso has been instrumental in the success of globally recognized brands from the Fashion, Lifestyle, Luxury and Hospitality sectors. Having lived and worked in iconic cities like Boston, London, Ibiza, Madrid and Dubai, José has a cosmopolitan background with established networks in the industry.

An avid traveler, food and luxury-living enthusiast, José has traveled across the globe visiting and exploring all continents what provided him a unique and all-around perspective on various cultures, traditions, and practices. Through his roles in PR, journalism and travel influencing, his opinion and review have brought about reputation and credibility to several names in the Hospitality and Tourism industry.

Please introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up in a small town in Extremadura, in La Vera, in the Spanish countryside, just 2 hours’ drive from Madrid. It had a strong influence on my outlook, but what have influenced my world view even more are my trips through the world, and my expat living experiences. I’ve spent most of my adult life traveling and living abroad. Had a wonderful time in Boston, keep great memories from my years in London, remember the crazy parties in Ibiza and the fascinating cultural learning in Dubai. I will never forget my years living and exploring the Middle East.

Tell us about your education and your work experiences.
I studied Advertising and Public Relations in Madrid. After a few years working for an award-winning PR Agency, looking after some luxury & international fashion brands, I moved to London to continue my education at the University of the Arts, studying a Masters in Luxury Communications. I really loved the vibe of London, so I stayed in the country for over 7 years. After that period, I began a new chapter of my professional life working in Ibiza for one of the most luxurious and coolest five star hotels in the white island. Life had other paths for me and I ended up in Dubai.

You have been a regular contributor for CP magazine for several years now. How has the experience been?
I used to look after some of the coolest and most powerful names of the entertainment industry in the Middle East when I met Jameel, the editor. I had a chance to write about the vision of an expat in the Middle East. Over the years, I have contributed with other topics and the experience so far is fantastic. It gives me the opportunity to learn a lot about other cultures, visiting hundreds of cities across the globe and enjoying unforgettable experiences. And I got the chance to interview very interesting people.

What topics do you write about in the magazine?
I mainly write about travel recommendations highlighting hotel reviews and suggesting new destinations. I have heard that my travel segments, ‘Bonus Miles’ & ‘A room with a view’ are quite popular within our readership and make me very happy. There are many hours behind each story.
I’ve been working in the Communications & PR Industry for almost 20 years; I know very interesting stories that I wanted to share with you all. So, I write also about lifestyle, fashion & beauty. And run the arts & culture segment ‘Talent Radar’ featuring emerging talent not only from the Middle East, all stories or movements that are helping to change the world and need to be shared.

You are a very busy person. How do you plan and schedule your work?
I’ve always been quite an organized person and it’s essential when you do a lot of things. In addition to being a contributor to CP Magazine, I write for other international publications and have my own business as a consultant for hotels, travel agencies, lifestyle brands, sustainable projects.
A travel writer’s day starts early and ends late. To best manage your time, schedule ahead your on-the-ground research days, packing in meetings while being realistic about the amount of ground you can cover. There are essentially two types of work days, meeting days and work days. There are also, of course, travel/exploration days, but those are tied to your itinerary. It is essential to rest well in order to optimize time.

How did you get so interested in travelling?
Since I was a child, I have been lucky enough to travel with my parents and brothers. I found in my travels the way to materialize what I read in many books. The act of leaving everything you know and are familiar with and going someplace completely new is a bit like taking on a whole new challenge. It’s exciting and fascinating to see how other people live, as well as the places they live in. By challenging yourself, you’re growing as a person and learning some valuable lessons. New experiences often include new challenges, and that’s a good thing! Most people consider it rewarding to take on a new challenge and learn from it, and travel definitely fits this description.

What inspired you to document your travels and share them with the world?
I enjoyed traveling and found the creative process involved in writing very satisfying. All my travels these days are for work. But I’m at the stage where I can pick a destination, round up some assignments about the place, and get a trip there. So, I only select places I’m interested in. Really, my travels these days are working holidays. When traveling as a journalist you get access to people and situations that the average tourist or traveler does not get. The satisfaction of being creative is also one of the benefits of being a travel writer. For me personally, meeting new people is one of the greatest benefits of my having become a travel journalist.

What are the things you enjoy most about content writing?
Writing that brings the location to life and draws the reader into the story being told while providing useful information is good travel writing. The best travel writing shows, rather than tells the reader what the travel experience was like. Everyone thinks that they can write travel even if they can’t write a business letter or a decent short story. The best travel writing is personal without becoming a “what I did on my summer vacation” style of writing. Good travel writing is just good writing.

Do you prefer solo travelling or travel with friends or groups?
I have traveled solo a lot. I enjoy traveling by myself because I like the freedom to decide how to go about my trip, and I find that you actually meet more people when you travel alone. Travelling to so many countries and doing so many hotel reviews it is difficult to get your friends to have so many days off in their work.
I much prefer traveling with a friend as I truly enjoy having someone to share my experiences with. However, I’m lucky I have 4 of my best friends with whom I could travel anywhere in the world. We share the same way of travelling, enjoying every single moment of the experience. It doesn’t matter if you must get up at 4 am to climb a volcano or if you can’t take a shower in three days because you are in the middle of the jungle. Nor everyone enjoys this kind of adventure. Although when I must review a luxury hotel many friends and family are willing to join me!

If you could describe your method of travel in one word, what would it be?
Embrace.

What are your favorite travel gadgets?
I’m kind of old school, so I never visit a country without the relevant Lonely Planet guidebook. I know lots of travelers hate the big guidebooks, but I also think sometimes those travelers miss out on things because they don’t even know they exist.
Before smart phones, I always traveled with a camera. I love to take photos, and I love to record experiences. Now that I have the brand-new iPhone 15 Pro, I sometimes take only that, I have a DSLK too which I like to take if there’s space.

How many countries have you visited so far? What’s next on your plan?
A couple of years ago when I hit 40 countries, I realized that I didn’t care about counting that much anymore and that I’m not actually interested in visiting many countries in the world. Some countries are worth multiple visits and the idea of “country counting” is not my cup of tea. I’m itching to get to Zambia & Zimbabwe. Bhutan and Bolivia have been at the top of my wish list for a very long time and can’t wait to do an Antarctic cruise.

What are your top 3 travel tips?
Familiarize yourself with your destination and respect their culture, purchase travel insurance and, if possible, slow travel allows you to set a more relaxed pace, reducing stress and anxiety.

Tell us your favourite hotel you’ve stayed at.
I have reviewed over 200 hotels worldwide in the past 6 years: from ultra luxury hotels, stunning properties facing the best nature spots in the world, family-run hotels, boutique hotels to glass houses in the middle of the desert or tree houses hotels, the list is long. It’s hard to choose just one. I have a confession to make. I have a magnet with the name of each hotel I have visited in my fridge. This is my own list of Best Hotels. So far, my top 5 are (with no order): Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman, La Mamounia in Morocco, Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco, Monaci delle Terre Nere, facing the Etna Volcano in Sicily (Italy) and Four Seasons Ritz Lisbon (Portugal).

How has travel changed you?
Travel has made me whole. It fuels my passions, opens my mind, tantalizes my senses, and keeps me learning. I would not be who I am if I did not have the opportunity to travel.

Your message for CP magazine.
If you haven’t travelled then the time is now. Stop worrying about having the nicest car, a new TV or material things and sacrifice a little comfort to build memories and stories that can never be taken away.