ABOUT FORTUNA
We built the platform we always wished existed.
Fortuna was founded by travellers who were tired of anonymous reviews, unreliable operators, and the illusion of luxury. We set out to build something different — a private community where trust is structural, not aspirational.
OUR STORY
Born from a bad trip. Built for better ones.
In 2019, two of our founders returned from a trip to Southeast Asia that should have been extraordinary. The villa was not what was advertised. The guide had no local knowledge. The yacht charter was a shared boat with strangers. Every booking had been made through a platform that prioritised volume over quality — and had no mechanism to hold anyone accountable.
They spent the next two years talking to travellers, operators, and local guides across fifteen countries. The pattern was consistent: the best experiences came through personal referrals, not platforms. The most trustworthy operators were the ones who had been vouched for by someone you knew.
Fortuna is the formalisation of that insight. A private community where every member is verified, every endorsement is earned, and every operator's reputation follows them — not just their listing. We launched in 2022 with forty founding members. Today the community spans thirty-eight countries.
FOUNDED
2022
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Six principles. No exceptions.
Trust is structural
We do not rely on star ratings or anonymous reviews. Every endorsement on Fortuna is tied to a verified member who completed a verified booking. Trust is built into the architecture of the platform.
Privacy is non-negotiable
Member profiles, booking histories, and travel plans are never shared with third parties, never sold to advertisers, and never used to target you with unsolicited offers. Your data is yours.
Quality over volume
We do not optimise for the number of listings. We optimise for the quality of each one. A smaller, curated marketplace of verified operators is worth more than a vast catalogue of unknowns.
Community accountability
Members hold each other to a standard. Providers who fall short are reviewed, flagged, and — if necessary — removed. The community's reputation depends on every participant in it.
Local knowledge matters
The best travel experiences are designed by people who live where you are going. Fortuna's operator network is built from the ground up — local guides, local operators, local knowledge.
Invitation earns access
Membership is not a subscription. It is an endorsement. When you invite someone to Fortuna, your Trust Score is linked to their conduct. That is not a barrier — it is a foundation.
THE TEAM
A small team with a long reach.
Fortuna is run by a core team of twelve, with a network of regional curators across Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, East Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. We are travellers first, operators second.
James Harlow
Co-Founder & CEO
Former private travel consultant with fifteen years placing high-net-worth clients across sixty countries. Built Fortuna after one too many platform failures.
Priya Nair
Co-Founder & CTO
Previously led product at two travel-tech companies. Designed the Trust Points architecture and the FUT Token reward system from the ground up.
Marcus Osei
Head of Curation
Spent a decade as a luxury safari guide in East Africa before joining Fortuna. Leads the operator vetting process and curated tour programme.
Sofia Andrade
Head of Membership
Manages the invitation and application process, member onboarding, and the community standards programme. Based between Lisbon and Singapore.
OUR REACH
Thirty-eight countries. One standard.
Fortuna's operator network spans Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, East Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Polar regions. Every operator — regardless of geography — is held to the same verification standard and Trust Score methodology.
The Trust Points system is the foundation of everything we do.
Every member, every operator, every endorsement — verified, linked, and permanent. Learn how it works on the Marketplace page.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
If this sounds like the platform you have been looking for.
Fortuna is not for everyone — and that is by design. If you travel with intention, hold operators to a standard, and believe that trust should be earned rather than assumed, we would like to meet you.