Crafting Memories: How Anna Krejca Co-Founded Ithara To Reimagine Experience Gifting

It was on a flight back from Christmas holidays four years ago when Anna Krejca and her husband realized how complicated it was to gift “experiences” in lieu of the more traditional physical presents. “We spent the whole flight talking about it, and later we realized that many people faced the same challenge,” Krejca recalls. “So we decided to fix that. When it came to the name, we wanted a word that captures the excitement and emotion that experiences bring and that’s how we got to ‘Ithara’, the Arabic word for ‘excitement’. Even though many of our customers today are not Arabic speakers, I am proud that the brand clearly reflects where the business comes from and stays rooted in the region.” 

Built as an experience gifting platform that curates thoughtful, non-material gifts, Ithara’s offerings range from fine dining and culinary journeys, arts and culture workshops, boutique travel and staycation experiences, as well as intimate, occasion-led moments designed for birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations. “At its core, Ithara.ae is a marketplace; we connect customers who are looking for high-quality experiences, either for themselves or as a gift, with experience providers across the UAE,” Krejca adds. “Our partners pay us a commission for every booking we generate, which makes the model win-win. There are no fixed costs or upfront investments for partners, and they only pay when they gain a customer. Our primary audience is expats living in the UAE.”

“While experiences are for everyone, we see that some cultures are more familiar with experience gifting, while others still lean towards physical gifts and their symbolic value,” Krejca adds. “That is slowly changing, and we hope Ithara.ae can play a role in shifting that mindset towards collecting memories instead.”

But regardless of who the end-user is, the onus of ensuring the services spotlighted by Ithara are of pristine quality is perhaps the most important aspect of Krejca’s job. “Experiences are deeply personal,” Krejca says. “Unlike products such as electronics, which can be compared through tech specifications, experiences are subjective. My favorite massage place or restaurant style may not appeal to someone else. That is why we intentionally collaborate with a wide range of partners, from luxury hotel brands like Anantara or Kempinski to independent art studios in Al Quoz. What they have in common is not their size or price point, but the quality of the experience they deliver. We look for partners who genuinely care about their customers and focus on creating something memorable, rather than competing purely on discounts.”

Now, while one may be led to believe that the latest online trends would deeply influence the portfolio of services on a platform like Ithara, Krejca is quick to denounce that. “For me, the only trend that matters is what our customers and partners tell us, not what is trending on social media,” she declares. “We have learned this the hard way. For example, in the past, we tried organizing our own events. While they were enjoyable, they were extremely demanding operationally and nearly stretched us too thin. That experience was an important lesson. It helped us clearly define who we are. Ithara.ae is a discovery platform that exists to provide access to premium experiences across the UAE, and do that with the best customer service in the market. Staying focused on that mission has been key.”

When asked what the most validating aspect of her entrepreneurial mission so far has been, Krejca says: “Knowing that our work helps people create happy memories, explore something new, and spend quality time with their loved ones is what makes the journey worthwhile!”

Emboldened by that sentiment, Krejca now moves into 2026 with bigger goals. “We have a strong pipeline of projects focused on improving the customer experience,” she says. “Recently, we launched features that remind customers about expiring vouchers and allow them to reactivate vouchers even after they have expired. The project I am most looking forward to in 2026 is the introduction of our Best Experience Awards Program. This will create a more considered way of identifying and highlighting truly exceptional experiences on the platform. By recognising outstanding experience partners through a credible evaluation process, we make it easier for customers to discover quality offerings while giving providers meaningful recognition for the standards they uphold.”