Charlotte Harris takes luxury travel firm beyond five-star holidays

Charlotte Harris, the second-generation CEO of Hong Kong-based Charlotte Travel, is steering the luxury travel advisory firm toward crafting deeply personalized journeys.

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I didn’t want my name on the company. But mum vetoed the change. The company had already been around for a long time and the name carried a legacy.

Founded in 2001 by Jackie Harris, Charlotte Travel caters to high-net-worth individuals seeking exclusive experiences. While Charlotte Harris initially considered renaming the company, her mother vetoed the idea, recognizing the legacy attached to the existing name. Harris's mother also expressed reservations about her daughter entering the high-stress travel industry, having seen her daughter on a successful career path in corporate risk management.

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She felt that I was on a good path with a good career. Travel is a high stress, high pressure environment. Everything is your fault. The flight’s delayed, it’s your fault. The luggage doesn’t arrive, it’s your fault. It’s raining, it’s your fault.

However, Harris, whose passion for travel was ignited by her childhood, presented her mother with a business plan to shape the firm's future. Her formative years were significantly influenced by her family's move to Kuching, Malaysia, when she was eight. For four years, she experienced life in the Borneo rainforest, contrasting sharply with her upbringing in Hong Kong's high-rise apartments. This period involved extensive travel with her father, who advised governments and development agencies, leading to frequent immersion in local cultures and communities.

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My childhood changed overnight. I went from playing in high-rise apartments in Hong Kong to running around in the Borneo rainforest with my friends, trying to catch tadpoles.

These experiences, including stays in traditional Borneo longhouses, instilled in Harris a profound respect for local customs and an open approach to travel. She emphasizes that her childhood adventures shaped her perspective, fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for the places and people encountered. This philosophy now guides Charlotte Travel's focus on bespoke journeys that offer private access, authenticity, and a genuine human connection.

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spending a lot of time with the local people and ingraining our travels with an understanding of local culture