“We started Majestic Whale Encounters because we wanted to show people the life-changing experience that swimming with whales can bring,” says Carmen Ellis, finalist in Australia’s Favourite Family Business 2020 competition. 

Growing up in Cronulla south of Sydney, surrounded by pristine beaches, Ellis and her sister Sarah had long been passionate about the ocean and marine life so it seems only natural the pair would start a business that had the sea and its inhabitants at its heart.

Describing Majestic Whale Encounters as an eco-conscious company, Ellis says their mission is to protect the world’s oceans and all that’s in it.

“We believe if you love the ocean it will love you back. We aim to run our trips with maximum interaction and minimal impact and we feel very honoured to share this incredible experience with like-minded people,” she says.

“As soon as our guests make the decision to join this epic journey, we are here for them every step of the way. We pride ourselves on a high level of customer service, and our guests can call or email us at any time with as many questions as they need. Our aim is to provide a truly unforgettable, life-changing experience and our guests often become friends for life with a new appreciation for wildlife and nature.

“We have a motto at Majestic: To Love…Protect…Connect.”

Today Majestic Whale Encounters has grown to become a full-fledged eco-tourism business operating from both the mid-north coast NSW and the south coast of NSW on a daily basis. The duo also operates a range of international tours which allow guests to experience unique animal encounters in exotic locations.

Ellis says when they started Majestic Whale Encounters, they wanted to show people the life-changing experience that swimming with whales can bring.

“We also wanted to use Majestic as a platform to be able to give back to the many countries that host us while on our tours.”

To do this the pair developed a pay it forward initiative that allows them to do good works in the countries that host them.

“Our give back scheme is something we are very proud of, from reef rehabilitation and environmental education to donating directly to villages in need. This enables us to try and make a small difference in the world.”

Running a family business is not without challenges but Ellis says she and sister Sarah have a communication short-hand that comes in handy with the day-to-day.

“We find that communication is a vital part of running a successful business. Being sisters, we have had years of practice reading each other well and being able to make tough calls without hurting each other’s feelings.

“In a practical way, we have been able to help each other out with our kids and make our whole family part of the business… we even have many of our family members help out with tours! Travelling the world together as family is such a privilege, and we are grateful for that every day.”

She tells KBB she is honoured to be a finalist in this year’s Australia’s Favourite Family Business Competition.

“When we found out we were finalists for Australia’s Favourite Family Business Competition, we were absolutely thrilled, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and could open so many doors. To be recognised like this has made us take a pause and realise that we have actually come quite far.”

2020 has been a challenging year for many business owners, particularly those in the travel game, Ellis says COVID-19 has proved a gamechanger for Majestic.

“All the tours we run at Majestic Whale Encounters are international, so COVID basically stopped us in our tracks. At first our main priority was just to keep guests informed and let them know we were going to take care of them. So far, we have had to cancel more than a year’s worth of tours and still just crossing our fingers that the borders will open up soon so we can resume business.”

Nonetheless, Ellis says the business has looked for was to pivot during this trying time.

“We have tried our very best to keep our heads up and thought of some new ways to keep things running. We are introducing a new trip in Kangaroo Island next year in the hope that we can run something here on our home soil and we have also started writing ocean-inspired children’s books called Little Ocean Warriors! Even though it has been a difficult year, we are also excited for the way our business is expanding.”

You can vote for Majestic Whale Encounters in our Australia’s Favourite Family Business Competition here