Issue 12 2019

18 CEO MONTHLY / SUCCESS STORIES 2019 , Oct19283 Witnessing incredible growth over the past few years, Culture Trip has gone from strength to strength, transforming the booking of hotels into the search for shared experiences across the world. With a global creator network contributing to the base of knowledge that Culture Trip provides, CEOKris Naudts is doing something truly unique. Authentic Adventures Journeys aren’t just the places you go to and holidays are not just the sites you see. They’re the people you meet and the things you do, the experiences you share and the stories you find. It’s almost impossible to capture the connections you build, but that’s the intention of Culture Trip. ‘Our vision is to inspire people to go beyond their cultural boundaries and connect with the world around them,’ says Kris Naudts. The theme of connection, building authentic relationships and connections, is one that inspires Culture Trip to go forward. ‘Some travel businesses focus on providing inspirational content, others deliver practical information or transactional capabilities for their users. Culture Trip’s unique proposition is that we are able to do both by offering highly- creative, localised content along with the ability to book hotels and experiences all in one place,’ explains Kris. The appeal is not just to those planning their next trip, but to those want to know more about the world and those who want to some entertainment. 12.5 million people visited Culture Trip in 2018, with videos watched on Facebook and Instagram hitting two billion views in the past two years alone. Only founded in 2011, Culture Trip now employs a stunning 275 full- time employees across London, New York and Tel Aviv with a global creator network of more than 300 writers, photographers, videographers, illustrators and animators who create stories that reveal what is unique about a place, its people and its culture. It’s astonishing growth and doesn’t seem to be slowing. ‘I continually remind the team that the business is evolving quickly,’ says Kris, ‘and we need to accept that things are different from earlier days at the company - and that’s perfectly OK. It’s critical that we continue to prioritise planning and communication to keep Culture Trip moving forward.’ With an ever-growing team behind the company, there has been a lot of change to accommodate this expansion, including the hire of booking. com’s Karen Kesner in the position of Chief People Officer. Upon joining, she, like any other employee, will have had to read ‘Measure What Matters’ by John Doerr. ‘It’s required reading for all new employees as its framework helps us set our company and personal quarterly goals and scale in a more organised way,’ explains Kris. ‘I’ve always been a voracious reader. In fact, the idea for Culture Trip was born from books when I was inspired by the power of written content to help you get under the skin of a new location and culture.’ It’s not just growing team dynamics that Kris has to handle. The firm’s constant growth, both in the marketplace and in employee size, means that he is constantly looking for the next way to push forward. Culture Trip is paid for mainly by adverts within the app. ‘We are investing heavily in AI and engineering optimizations to create a uniquely customized travel funnel experience for our users,’ Kris tells us. ‘We will also continue to improve our industry-defining “data enabled creativity” model that merges machine learning and the creative process to drive higher utility and engagement for our content.’ It’s in these developments that Culture Trip makes its mark on the business. Already proving itself entirely suited to a millennial and Gen Z mindset, it’s trying to work out where the market is going next. The growth of Culture Trip has been practically exponential in every respect, and it only seems to be accelerating. The desire to share stories has proven an immense inspiration across the world, and Kris Naudts is still looking forward to where the company will go next. Contact: Nic Forster Website: www.theculturetrip.com Telephone: 0203 189 1290