When Jaclyn Sienna India founded Sienna Charles in 2008, she didn’t set out to create just another travel agency. Instead, she was determined to infuse luxury travel with the same passion and precision she witnessed years earlier while working in a five-star restaurant. Watching chefs and sommeliers labor over every ingredient, every vineyard, and every guest’s preferences made an impression. “I saw how important it was that everything be tailored to the diner,” she recalls. “And I couldn’t understand why luxury travel—experiences costing 10, 20, even 30 times more—wasn’t being approached with the same level of care.”
That ethos became the cornerstone of Sienna Charles. India refuses to recommend a destination she hasn’t personally vetted. In fact, she often travels more than 200 days a year to ensure clients enjoy seamless, one-of-a-kind experiences. This way she ensures they not only receive impeccable service, but also are confident that thoughtfulness has gone into every element of their trip.
The pandemic, however, forced an industry-wide reckoning. As borders closed and itineraries cancelled, Sienna Charles’ calendar went blank. By July, however, requests surged back. This time, though, clients weren’t just seeking escapes. They wanted security, privacy, and control. “Our yachting bookings skyrocketed from 30 percent of our business to about 75 percent,” India explains. Yachts, she says, offered full power over the environment, from testing crew to sourcing food. Hotels and airlines couldn’t match this.
But safety alone isn’t driving this renaissance. For many, yachting is a return to authenticity in luxury travel. “It’s about staying true to the attention to detail, the personalization, and the customization that have always made yachting so special,” India emphasizes. She points to the mistakes that hotels and airlines have made in recent years, chasing growth and trends and therefore diluting luxury. “It shouldn’t just turn into heads and beds,” she warns.
The surge in first-time yacht clients underscores another shift. Newcomers require thoughtful guidance in ways that the experienced clients who are the backbone of yacht charter don’t. India argues that maintaining an elite, carefully curated approach—whether through marketing, technology, or client onboarding—is critical.
Looking ahead, India sees both challenges and opportunities. With some hotels cutting corners to survive, clients increasingly lean on trusted advisors like Sienna Charles to identify genuine quality. Meanwhile, the willingness of high-net-worth travelers to spend more on fewer, better trips signals a deeper appreciation for meaning and exclusivity.
Ultimately, India’s philosophy is that extraordinary experiences require extraordinary care. It’s a reminder that true hospitality is personal, passionate, and endlessly tailored.
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Sienna Charles siennacharles.com
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