Here they saw a business with enormous potential and planned the realisation of their dream to run their own charter business, where success would be based on maximum quality at all times
About Us - Aura Yachting
Aura Yachting Ltd is a small, professional and British-run charter & management company with its base on the Bodrum peninsula, Turkey . We offer a new concept in yacht management and charter to private yacht owners.
Aura Yachting consists of three crucial components:
- Aura's yacht management ( Turkey )
- Charter bookings via a worldwide network of agents
- Our yacht owners
Together we are working to establish new standards in the quality of customer service and yacht maintenance.
Aura Yachting Ltd is run by Merina Serbest & Simon Phillips . They live permanently in Turkey and are responsible for the smooth running of our base and operations out there.
Merina heads the administration side of Aura and her background is diverse! After leaving school, she followed an apprenticeship in hair design , Merina started her own salon in Greenwich, London . It quickly became successful and continues to be so today.
Seeking to improve her lifestyle and together with a growing interest in scuba diving, Merina made the giant step of up-rooting to Bodrum starting a PADI diving school, Bodrum Reef Diving Centre, employing up to 15 staff. After many busy seasons and the demand of mother-hood, the business was sold to her partner.
Merina continued to work in the 'aquatic' industry with six years as charter and office manager at one of the oldest and most respected charter companies in Turkey , Durukos Yachting. Dealing with primarily VIP and royal guests, she still plays an advisory role.
Simon looks after the technical side of Aura Yachting. He was introduced to sailing at the early age of six and raced various classes of dinghies throughout his childhood, competing successfully at national level in a number of those classes during his youth and young adulthood. The progression to larger vessels came whilst coaching at UK 's National Watersports Centre in North Wales .
With years of racing, coaching and adventures on sailing yachts of all sizes, Simon was sought for the position of Area Manager with the prestigious Falcon Sailing. This position involved the total responsibility for two RYA sailing/windsurfing centres and two yacht flotillas, including the management of its staff and accounts.
By 1993, the time came to move on. With a plan in mind, Simon spent a number of years working specifically in the yachting industry, helping with yacht refits, skippering charter yachts and moving on to delivery work with a number of yacht charter companies. It was during this time that studies were made and feedback received in the way that a quality operation should run. With a wealth of experience and miles at sea, Simon created his own label in the yacht service industry, Ocean Yacht Services. Dealing with deliveries and refit work on a global scale, yet more mileage and experience was gained until, together with his life partner, Merina, the seed was sown for Aura Yachting.
Here they saw a business with enormous potential and planned the realisation of their dream to run their own charter business, where success would be based on maximum quality at all times.