Photos by Marie Rivera & Larry Laughter

Dynamic husband and wife team Marco and Mary Ceccarelli own and manage iTrip Charlotte, combining their varied backgrounds with a passion for world-class customer service!

Born in Peru, Marco moved to Miami, FL, in 1989 and met Mary there. While she was born and raised in Miami, Mary’s parents were immigrants from Cuba and instilled in her the importance of hard work and realizing your dreams. When she and Marco were ready to jump into raising a family, they followed Mary’s brother’s nudging, and explored the Charlotte area as their new family home. Not only have they found it a perfect place to raise a family, but since moving here in 2006, they also love showcasing everything the area has to offer – including proximity to both the mountains and the beach.

Always the adventurers (the two had always dreamed of getting married in a hot air balloon, but due to bad weather, changed their plans to say ‘I do’ at the ski resort where they planned to honeymoon), Mary and Marco soon found themselves missing the beaches of Miami, and began the search for an oceanfront condo at Myrtle Beach, SC.

“We literally started in the travel business as investors,” explains Mary. “We had so much success, we soon bought another property.”

Then, with a stroke of creativity and perfect timing, they realized no one currently owned the iTrip franchise territory in the Charlotte area. The two purchased the business in 2019. Founded in 2008 by vacation property managers, iTrip is a leading short-term vacation rental management company that has revolutionized the way people vacation and manage their properties. It continues to grow throughout the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

“The company itself has been around for 14 years now,” says Mary. “With 150 franchises nationwide, you’ll find iTrip franchisees everywhere from Canada to the Florida Keys and even Hawaii!”

Mary and Marco now manage 30 properties in eight North Carolina counties – from the metro Charlotte area (Charlotte, Pineville, Mint Hill, Huntersville, Davidson, Lake Norman, Denver, Sherrills Ford, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, and Concord) all the way to Asheville and the Mars Hill, NC, area.

Building on the success of a proven property management program and the trusted iTrip brand, the Charlotte company provides short-term rentals (less than 31 days or month-to-month) and property management, keeping properties at their best and customers at their happiest!

Since the two launched their franchise in 2019, there was a bit of a slow-down in 2020, thanks to Covid, but Mary and Marco were able to offer service to a large number of travel doctors and nurses, relocating in the midst of a pandemic.

Mary’s extensive experience as an international art director in the publishing industry has inspired their marketing, as has her love of art, building, and interior design.

“I’ve always loved architecture and interior design,” shares Mary. “And I love putting houses together! So when business calls for it, I’m always more than happy to step in with some fresh new design ideas.” As a Latina entrepreneur, you’ll also find her supporting diversity and small business owners with a goal of inspiring and empowering women to believe in themselves and their talents.

The Ceccarellis are also nature lovers – and that includes hiking, kayaking, and white-water rafting, which makes them love – even more! – bringing vacation experiences to anyone visiting the Lake Norman area. So what are some of Mary and Marco’s personal favorite destinations? Hawaii is at the top of their list, along with different parts of Europe.

“We did have such a lovely time in Bracciano, Italy, when we visited a few years ago,” says Mary. “We had an amazing family reunion there. Marco is one-half Italian and one-half Peruvian – so that means we had a plethora of wine and MANY dinner courses! We would eat and share stories for hours!”

Count on iTrip Charlotte for the finest customer service and attention to every detail.

You can check out their full inventory at iTrip.net or reach them online at Charlotte.itrip.co. iTrip also partners with over 85 global channel partner sites such as Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, Expedia, and NEW this year Marriott Hotels & Villas!