The Essence of Travel with Mei Zhang
“It is never too late to start something! It is never too early to start something! ”
Summary of Episode:
Jenn speaks to Mei Zhang, founder of WildChina, the inbound luxury travel company in China, HBS graduate, Aspen Institute China Fellow, Conde Nast Travel Expert, author, daughter, wife, and mother! A pioneer in the China travel landscape, Mei shares her most impactful moment that changed her world from a Yunnan girl to an HBS graduate, to returning home to China to start her own business. She talks about how the essence of travel has not changed and why everyone should have the "just do it" mentality because it is never too early or late to start something!
The best times of travel, whether it is back then or now, is when you turn off the phone. Actually, connect with the land, connect with the people. Close your eyes and listen to the sound of the wind or waves, see the texture of the dessert. Activating the senses to your place and time, that is the beauty of travel.
About Mei Zhang:
Mei is a native of Yunnan province in southwest China. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked for McKinsey & Company until she found her true passion in sustainable travel. Mei is an Aspen Institute China Fellow and currently serves as a member of Harvard Business School’s Alumni Board. While serving as a consultant to The Nature Conservancy, Mei witnessed the push and pull between economic development and conservation of both nature and culture in Yunnan. She strongly believed that there was a for-profit solution to this – providing a sophisticated interpretation of Chinese culture and nature through experiential travel.
This revolutionary concept led to the creation of WildChina in 2000.
Together with WildChina CEO Albert Ng, Mei has transformed the company into an award-winning business: National Geographic Adventure’s ‘Best Adventure Travel Company on Earth’. Mei’s expertise has also led her to win a number of personal awards and accolades, including Travel and Leisure’s A-List of Top Travel Advisors, Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialist, and Wendy Perrin’s #WOW List of Travel Experts.
