We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karen Shiers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Karen, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
It took years of soul searching, iteration, and lived experience. I was fortunate to begin my career in travel and tourism early on, and I never looked back. I remember thinking, if people vacation here, why wouldn’t I want to work here? That idea stayed with me.
But over time, I started asking deeper questions:
Am I truly fulfilled? Am I building something meaningful? Am I helping people connect? Am I leaving a mark?
Travel has always been the constant – both personally and professionally – and through years of exploration, reflection, and growth, I found my “why.”
Co-founding Parea Travel with my husband, best friend, and travel partner was the culmination of everything I had learned. At its core, my purpose is about connection: traveling the world, bringing people together, and helping others experience places and moments that create lifelong memories.
Life isn’t about collecting things. It’s about going deeper, connecting with others, and truly experiencing each day. Travel can feel intimidating or complex for so many people – and if we can remove those barriers for even one person, it’s worth it. Today, we’ve had the privilege of doing that for thousands of guests, and that’s what drives us.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Parea Travel is a travel and experiences company – part ultra-luxury travel agency, part event planning company.
“Parea” is a Greek word that describes a group of friends sharing a meaningful experience. This philosophy guides everything we do.
We specialize in the hotel-branded superyacht space, working closely with brands like The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts, Orient Express Sailing Yachts, and Aman at Sea. This niche is growing rapidly, and we’ve been fortunate to work inside two of these organizations from their earliest stages, helping build the products we now bring to our clients.
We plan individual journeys – couples sailing the Amalfi Coast, friends island-hopping through Thailand, mother-daughter trips to Tahiti – but our true specialty is complex group travel and full buyouts of venues and yachts. The more intricate the challenge, the more we love it.
We create once in a lifetime group experiences for partners like wineries bringing members to Italy, fashion brands hosting top clients in the South of France, or global brands activating around major cultural moments like the Monaco Grand Prix. Every trip is custom, deeply intentional, and designed to create connection.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First, building a strong foundation by working in-house at some of the world’s best brands. I began my career with Merlin Entertainments, helping expand LEGOLAND globally and launching new destinations in emerging markets. I moved ten times in ten years to follow growth and learn every side of the business.
That experience led to helping launch The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection alongside its founder, and later advising Aman as they brought their philosophy to sea. Learning brand DNA, operational rigor, and how luxury truly works behind the scenes has been invaluable. My co-founder Chris brings a complementary background from Amazon and AWS, where logistics, systems, and execution are paramount – that operational mindset is foundational to Parea.
Second, always finding the “yes.” We’ve made problem-solving a core value. Every challenge is an opportunity to create something better.
Third, living what we do. We’ve personally spent months onboard these yachts and traveled to almost 100 countries. We don’t plan from theory – we plan from lived experience. We know what works, what doesn’t, and how to guide clients with clarity, honesty, and insight.
My advice to those early in their journey: be true to yourself, find your “why,” and let it guide you. Say yes to learning, take opportunities even when they’re uncomfortable, and never stop evolving.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. At Parea Travel, the most meaningful journeys come from bringing the right people together – sharing ideas, perspectives, and experiences that feel genuine and lasting.
We’re fortunate to work alongside some of the most inspiring brands and communities in the world. Through long-standing relationships and mutual trust, we’re often able to connect like-minded partners and create experiences that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Whether it’s an incentive journey, a donor gathering, or a private activation on a yacht, each experience is shaped by connection and intention.
None of this happens alone. Every journey is supported by a broader network of collaborators – from photographers and filmmakers to entertainers, designers, and production teams – whose creativity and care bring it all together.
That shared spirit is what defines our work and the community we’re proud to be part of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pareatravel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelwithparea/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Parea-Travel/61580009533132/#
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pareatravel/
Image Credits
Cover & Images 1,3,4: Gooden Cinema
Image 2: Varna Studios
Image 5: Allan Zepeda
Image 6-7: Jenny Fu
Image 8: Charla Storey
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
