My first hotel inspection happened when I was three months old - though I can hardly claim to remember the experience. My mother, ever the intrepid traveller and travel professional, was driving through Bali with my father and me when we passed a construction site. Something about the emerging structure caught her expert eye. "Stop the car," she told our driver. "This looks like it's going to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world."

What happened next perfectly encapsulates the spirit that would define both my childhood and, eventually, Charlotte Travel. My mother walked straight into that construction site with me balanced on her hip, my father trailing behind with his ever- present camera. She conducted an impromptu site inspection with the architect - her first glimpse of what would become the legendary Amandari resort. Meanwhile, my father, with his gift for connecting with local people, wandered through a nearby temple and cheerfully passed me around to delighted strangers who cooed over the three-month-old tourist. Somewhere in my father's archives are photographs of me as a baby, cradled in the arms of smiling Balinese locals I'll never meet again.

This wasn't unusual for our family - it was simply how we travelled. Hotel visits with my mother became as natural as playground visits for other children. Travel wasn't something we did; it was something we were. This early immersion didn't just shape my future - it revealed the very DNA that runs through our family and defines Charlotte Travel. Travel isn't simply our business; it's our calling, passed down through generations whos understood that the world's greatest gift is its ability to bring people together. We are a family passionate about exploration, about discovery, about the transformative power of stepping into the unknown with those we love most. And our deepest joy comes from sharing this passion, from helping other families unlock the same magic we've experienced countless times ourselves.

As the second generation to lead this company, I carry forward more than just a business legacy - I carry forward a mission rooted in genuine belief. We exist to spread the joy of meaningful travel, to be the architects of those life-changing moments that happen when families venture beyond their everyday worlds together. Every itinerary we craft is infused with our family's decades of travel wisdom, our understanding of how the right journey can strengthen bonds, create understanding, and build memories that become family treasures.

"Every itinerary we craft is infused with our family's decades of travel wisdom."

In this issue devoted to Passion, we delve into what truly ignites our desire to venture beyond the familler, and more importantly, how we can kindle that same fire in the familles we serve. True luxury in travel reveals itself not in material extravagance, but in those unrepeatable moments when journey becomes transformation. It's the shared wonder when something unexpected unfolds before you - those instances that etch themselves into family lore, becoming the stories that define how you see the world together.

These are the experiences that redefine what luxury means-not passive indulgence, but active engagement with the world and with each other They're the moments that transform a holiday from mere respite into something for more valuable shared stories that will be retold at family dinners for decades to come.

My passion lles in the alchemy of creating these transformative journeys for others. Each Itinerary we craft is a love letter to possibility-a carefully orchestrated symphony of place, timing, and experience designed to spark those magical moments of connection. We seek experiences that resonate on a deeply personal level, understanding that the most profound luxurylles In the connections we forge and the memories we create together.

As you turn these pages, I invite you to consider not just where you want to go, but who you want to become through travel, and how these journeys might deepen your most cherished relationships. After all, the greatest luxury isn't what we accumulate along the way-it's the love we share and the memories we create together.

Since the launch of Charlotte Magazine, we have been committed to supporting young female artists from around the world, Inviting them to interpret themes like wonder," "passion, and beyond through their unique perspectives. For this issue, we chose artist Zole Lam to create our cover artwork. Born in Hong Kong and a graduate of graphic design and advertising, Zole is now a fashion designer who also works as an illustrator for many impressive projects locally. We were drawn to the bright colours and cheerful style, which perfectly captures this issue's theme of "passion -that vibrant, uplifting energy that mirrors the pure joy we hope every family discovers on their journeys.

I feel deeply honoured that Charlotte Travel has been recognised as part of the Forbes Travel Guide family. This acknowledgment reflects not just our commitment to excellence, but our shared understanding that true luxury lles in creating meaningful connections and unforgettable moments. We are thrilled to feature Amanda Fraser, President of Standards & Ratings et Forbes Travel Guide, whose insights on defining truly exceptional travel experiences align perfectly with our own philosophy-that the most precious journeys are those that bring familles closer together and create lasting memories that transcend the destinations themselves.

- Charlotte Harris, CEO of Charlotte Travel