What Transformational Travel Council does

The Transformational Travel Council (TTC), founded in 2017 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a private consultancy, community, and experience design school operating in the tourism sector. The company develops proprietary frameworks (HEART, PATH, Three Relationships, Integr8, Progression of Economic Value, Awe & Wonder Design Guide) and offers four primary service lines: private consulting for organizations and properties seeking to embed regenerative and transformative principles, destination stewardship programs for DMOs and tourism boards, a tiered education portfolio ranging from free "Meet the TTC" sessions through to multi-week intensives and international pilgrimages (e.g., Kumano Kodo), and a paid community membership with monthly peer-learning sessions. Educational programs are co-developed and validated through an Executive Education partnership with the University of South Carolina. TTC has no proprietary technology platform; its assets are codified methodology, a global network of 600+ trained practitioners across 40+ countries, and 200+ active community members.

TTC's revenue model blends professional-services consulting and destination stewardship engagements with subscription-recurring community membership and education program fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; consulting and stewardship are quote-based enterprise contracts, while education ranges from free introductory sessions to paid cohort courses and immersive pilgrimages. The go-to-market motion is community-led: content marketing (Substack, YouTube, blog, journal, annual State of Industry Report) feeds free intro sessions, which convert into paid programs, memberships, and enterprise consulting across five customer segments — DMOs and destinations, hospitality and properties, tour operators and experience designers, guides and facilitators, and individual travelers.

The organization operates a reciprocal alliance with the Transformational Travel Institute (TTI), a separate entity focused on research, education, and community impact funding, and a co-branded data partnership with BVK for the annual Travel Insights Report. No funding rounds, investors, parent company, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed, and the company is led by founder Jake Haupert (Conscious CEO) with Heather Morse as Chief Operations Officer.

Name

Transformational Travel Council

Legal name

Transformational Travel Council

Website

https://transformational.travel

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Transformational Travel Council is a Seattle-based consultancy, community, and experience design school founded in 2017 that helps tourism organizations shift from transactional to transformative travel through proprietary frameworks, education programs, and a global network of 600+ practitioners across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Consulting and Education

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Implementation, Change Management & Training for Corporate Travel Programs (THAKAMAO)

Keywords

• Transformational travel consulting
• Regenerative tourism education
• Hospitality experience design
• Destination stewardship services
• Tourism practitioner training

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Consulting: Consulting engagements with organizations and properties to embed transformative principles and regenerative thinking into operations, culture, and guest experience. Covers organizational assessment through accreditation.
2. Education Programs: Educational programming spanning from free introductory sessions to immersive programs including the Signature Experience Design Program (6-week intensive), Designing for Awe & Wonder deep dives, pilgrimages (e.g., Kumano Kodo), and coaching programs. Programs developed in partnership with University of South Carolina.
3. Community Membership: Global network membership providing peer learning, honest conversation, and shared practice. Members have access to monthly Coffee & Connect sessions, SPARK Talks, and the community hub.
4. Destination Stewardship Programs: Multi-stage programs helping destinations build local capacity, co-design regenerative development plans, and train practitioners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Transformational Travel Council is a consultancy, community, and experience design school that sells private consulting services, destination stewardship programs, and multi-level educational programming (including the Signature Experience Design Program, Designing for Awe & Wonder deep dives, and pilgrimages) to tourism professionals and organizations. Its core deliverable is teaching frameworks and methodologies that help tourism practitioners shift from transactional to transformative travel experiences.

Product overview

The Transformational Travel Council operates as a consultancy, community, and experience design school offering specialized education in transformative experience strategies, human-centered hospitality, and regenerative community development. The core offerings include Private Consulting and Destination Stewardship services for organizations and properties, combined with a multi-level Education Center featuring the Signature Experience Design Program, Designing for Awe & Wonder deep dives, Pilgrimages, and monthly Coffee & Connect sessions. A global Community Hub with 200+ professionals across 40+ countries provides peer learning and shared practice. Speaking & Interview services with founder Jake Haupert round out the service portfolio. All programs are developed in partnership with the University of South Carolina and taught by practitioners with lived experience in the field.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Consulting Partnering with organizations and properties to embed transformative principles and regenerative thinking into operations, culture, and guest experience through organizational assessment and accreditation. Sold to enterprise tourism organizations seeking to operationalize regenerative tourism.
• Destination Stewardship Working with destinations to reimagine tourism through community-led, regenerative approaches, including building local capacity, co-designing regenerative development plans, and training practitioners. Sold to destination marketing organizations and destination management entities.
• Signature Experience Design Program (6-Week Transformative Experience Design Intensive) Comprehensive six-week, twelve-session course developed in partnership with the University of South Carolina covering the complete TTC methodology including journey mapping, persona development, HEART and PATH application, facilitation skills, and value proposition design. Sold to tourism practitioners seeking professional development in transformative experience design.
• Designing for Awe & Wonder Five-week deep dive exploring the eight sources of awe, neuroscience of wonder, and how to design moments of elevation that dissolve boundaries between self and world. Sold to practitioners seeking specialized training in awe-based experience design.
• Pilgrimages Immersive educational experiences such as the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage in Japan, combining guided travel with transformative learning and practitioner development. Sold to practitioners and individual participants seeking experiential training in transformative travel.
• Community Hub Membership Subscription-based global network of 200+ professionals across 40+ countries providing monthly peer learning, honest conversation, and shared practice, with members gaining access to Coffee & Connect sessions, SPARK Talks, and the community hub. Sold to tourism practitioners seeking ongoing peer learning and shared practice.
• Speaking & Interviews Keynote speaking and interview services with founder Jake Haupert on transformational travel, regenerative tourism, and the transformation economy. Sold to conferences, events, and media organizations seeking expert commentary.

Quantifiable outcome

• Properties see 20-40% ADR premiums and 30-60% guest return rates
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Transformational Travel Institute (TTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Organizations, One Goal: TTC fosters professional capacity to transform the industry and travelers; TTI ensures value and enrichment from deeper travel outcomes reach the communities and habitats that need it most. TTI's mission is to fund research, education, and community projects that deepen the capacity of travel to foster wellbeing, peace, and eco-consciousness. Together they advance destination stewardship, transformative experience design, and regenerative development across the tourism industry.
• University of South CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational programs developed in partnership with the University of South Carolina. TTC frameworks are validated through a USC Executive Education partnership. Programs are taught by practitioners who have lived the work, rooted in ancient truths and contemporary science.
• BVKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership to produce the annual '2026 Travel Insights Report' combining BVK's market research expertise with TTC's transformational travel data and insights on the transformation economy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Skift: Skift is a media and research company covering the global travel industry, including the transformation economy. Comparable to TTC in industry research output (e.g., annual State of Industry-style reports) and as a thought leader for regenerative tourism.
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): WTTC is the global industry body representing the travel and tourism sector, producing research and policy frameworks. Comparable to TTC as a higher-level authority shaping tourism standards, though WTTC operates at much greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Center for Responsible Travel (CREST): CREST is a research and policy nonprofit advancing responsible and regenerative tourism through studies, consulting, and destination guidance. Comparable to TTC in mission and B2B advisory work for destinations and tourism operators.
• Sustainable Travel International: Sustainable Travel International is a nonprofit working with destinations, businesses, and travelers on sustainability and regenerative tourism. Comparable to TTC in destination stewardship and consulting engagements aimed at tourism transformation.
• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): GSTC sets and manages global standards for sustainable tourism and provides accreditation/certification. It is directly comparable to TTC as both organizations aim to educate tourism practitioners and establish credibility frameworks for sustainable/regenerative travel.
• Tourism Cares: Tourism Cares is a nonprofit advancing social impact and sustainability in tourism through community programs and industry engagement. Comparable to TTC in mission alignment around regenerative tourism and community-led destination support.
• Travelife: Travelife provides sustainability certification and training for hotels and tour operators. Comparable to TTC in offering structured training programs and accreditation for tourism businesses pursuing sustainability credentials.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): ATTA is a membership-driven trade association providing education, events, and research for adventure travel operators. Comparable to TTC in serving as a community and education hub for tourism practitioners pursuing purpose-led travel.

Emerging players

• Wellness Tourism Association: The Wellness Tourism Association is a membership body advancing wellness-focused travel. Comparable to TTC in targeting the higher-purpose, experience-driven segment of tourism and serving both consumers and practitioners.
• Regenerative Travel: Regenerative Travel is a booking platform and community curating sustainable and regenerative hotels and experiences. Comparable to TTC in targeting the regenerative travel niche, though Regenerative Travel focuses on distribution rather than practitioner education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@transformationaltravelcoun3617
• Facebookfacebook.com/transformationaltravelcouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-transformational-travel-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/transformativetourism
• Xx.com/travel_awakened

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Transformational Travel Council